But hampered as he was by two women, one of whom was as
delicate as a flower, Asensio found his task extremely difficult.
And it grew daily more difficult; for there were other people here
in the woods, and, moreover, the country round about was being
steadily scoured by the enemy, who had orders to destroy every
living, growing thing that was capable of sustaining human life.
Stock was butchered and left to rot, trees were cut down, root-
fields burned. Weyler's policy of frightfulness was in full sway,
and starvation was driving its reluctant victims into his net.
Meanwhile roving bands of guerrillas searched out and killed the
stronger and the more tenacious families.
The Pan de Matanzas, so called because of its resemblance to a
mighty loaf of bread, became a mockery to the hungry people
cowering in its shelter. Bread! Rosa Varona could not remember
when she had last tasted such a luxury. Raw cane, cocoanuts, the
tasteless fruita bomba, roots, the pith from palm tops, these were
her articles of diet, and she did not thrive upon them. She was
always more or less hungry. She was ragged, too, and she shivered
miserably through the long, chill nights. Rosa could measure the
change in her appearance only by studying her reflection from the
surface of the spring where she drew water, but she could see that
she had become very thin, and she judged that the color had
entirely gone from her cheeks.
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