Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-05-09
From the Savannah Morning News, May 8
The Cuban ExpetitiOn-Cruise of the Welai1a in
search of the Expeditionists.

Inc CUBAN OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF the w eiaka HI
search of the Expeditionists.
We are furnished by our Reporter, who went with
the Welaka for that purpose, with the following
report:
The sudden departure of the Welaka, on Sunday
night, under orders of the General Government and
carrying South the U. S. Marshal, caused consider
able excitement during her absence, and induced
the belief among our citizens that the Government
was in possession of information relating to the Gu
ban expedition which had not been made public
She returned early on Thursday morning, and we
give below the information that gathered at the
various points at which she stopped during her trip
At St. Nlary's there were rumors that bodies OF
had passed through the interior, destined south,
and that in the vicinity of jacksonville Florida,
there encamped considerable force. AS the
steamer Welaka passed up the ST Johnss river, she
was met by the St Mathews, a boat from which
placed passenger on board the Weaka. This in
dividual armed with pistols. and stated that he
thought the Welaka another steamer, the OBJ
ject of which was to take the Cuban invaders on
board and land them at another point below on
the coast.
At Jacksonville similar rumors of armed men
being encamped at different points the coast
listed, but from reliable information obtained from
respectable sources, it was ascertaned that at the
present time there is organization of men in the
neighborhood and had not been There were pro-
badly some twenty or thirty men at jacksonville
who expressed themselves willing to join the expedi-
ton, and who. doubt would join. if an opportun
ty offered. No principal officer of the contemplated
expedition, has been in jacksonville lately. 1t was
asserted by persons who are believed to be in
the movement that great disappointment had been
experienced from the arrival OF the steamer to
transport those engaged in the expedition Such
vessel had been expected for some time but her I'M
explained delay had damped the ardor of some, and
caused others engaged to abandon the project, and
| had induced the belief that the whole affair, as
far jacksonville is concerned would prove fail
ure.
At this place there are but few persons who do
not sympathise with, and would aid the expedition
| as far as possible.
On the arrival of the Welaka at Jeffersonton, it
was ascertained that there were bodies of men
| encamped, reported, at Burnt Fort. Some small
parties it said had passed this point, but their
destination not ascerained and but little reli-
ance could be placed on the rumors.
On reaching Brunswick it was aseertained that
of the coast pilots had gone south, with the in
tention of plotting the st. Johns Bar certain
vessels expected at that point. gentleman, on
whose word every reliance could be placed, stated
that the day before, he had passed abandoned
campment some twenty miles above where large
body of men had but short time before been en-
camped We also passed so or 60 men who had a
baggage wagon they were proceeding south in the
| direction of Burnt Fort. They were not armed to
any extent and passed in squads of from eight to
ten in number.
/ At Darien no particular information obtained
A body of men, connected with the expedition, had
! come down from the interior and gone south. Some
ten twelve left the main body and making
their way to Savannah Here it was ascertained
that express connected with the expedition had
passed through Darien to procure such information
He has passed very rapidly, and had procured relays
of horses on his way.
II There can be no doubt that movement of consid
cradle magnitude has been on foot in relation to
expedition destined to Cuba. But it is also believed
that from causes unknown to the public, the mair
body of the men connected with it have dispersed
and that between this city and Jacksonville, Florida
there is no organization at present
From all that we could gather it was not the in
tention of the leaders to actually organize the expe
dition in this country but to sail unorganized to some
point beyond the boundaries of the United States ant
there make such arrangements as should be deemed
: expedient
I LEADERS OF THE CUBANITEs.-The Savannah Re
publican says it is rumored that General O Hara,
Kentucky was in or near jacksonville, Florida, a.
we'll as General Lopez and General Gonzales
also rumored along the Southern coast that Their
were near two thousand men in the vicinity O
g Burnt Fort,n and the Saltilla river.
THE CUBAN EXPEDITION ABANDONED, &e.-NEy
ORLEANS, May 2.-Te have reliable news here tina
f the Cuban expedition has been abandoned on tn
4 Atlantic coast as far as heard from. The officer
: and men assembled in this vicinity. most of whor
came from the West, have returned home.
A MATTER OF TAsTE-A very modern poet seek
to assure the world that = most of all he q love
n the sky-larks lay We arc prosaic enough to pr