Middletown transcript., 1869-10-30

| my llShteu cigar, never ior moment TAX
ing my eyes off him. He was a muscular
fellow, of medium height, dressed in the
garb of farmer, and wearing the long,
straight sword of that class.
Having lighted. he passed me the cigar,
and in voice unnecessarily loud, of which
guessed the meaning, remarked:
T." You are going to Matanzas?
L replied, finishing the sentence for
him
''And as I am hurried, must push on. :"
So saying, l drew my revolver, and
gathering my pony under me, flew past
him In an instant he was alongside me,
and drawing heavy horse pistol from his
holsters, he shouted to halt.
Refining in as if to obey. he forged a
little ahead, and taking deliberate aim,
fired, with horrid groan, he threw up
his arms and fell to the ground corpse.
Not stopping a moment, for could dis
tlnctly hear his companions making good
time, l urged my pony forward at his ut
most speed.
On they came, with a yell, on behold
ing their dead leader; on | went, also, at
breakncck pace, not caring whittier, but
still keeping the main road.
1t was evident the chase would be short
for they were nearing me at every stride,
and swearing horribly.
turned to fire, my horse SHE'D, and
losing my balance, fell hcadlong to the
ground.
In their haste they passed me unnoticed,
and having caught my pony, came canter-
ing back, swearing vengeance, to where
lay, bleeding and bruised, my ankle bro
ken, but still retaining my faculties and
most of my strength, thinking l was at
their mercy, for l lay motionless.
They rode up to within few pages of
me; the nearest advanced, utterng the
most fearful oaths. When close enough,
| arose quickly on one knee, and, taking
deliberate aim, fired the ball passing
through his forehead, he dropped without
groap.
His companion, with more pluck than
could possibly serve him, under the cir
cumstances, having fastened the horses to
u tree, drew his hanger, and with q fear
full oath rushed at me. Covering him as
he advanced, waited, to make a sure
thing, until he was close on me; | then
fired With the qnickness of lightning he
ducked, and ere | could meet him again he
was upon me, dealing "a severe blow, which
| received on my left arm, partially disa-
bling it. sprqng at him, and grasping
his legs, tore him to the ground, when
dreadful struggle now commenced.
Under any other circumstances his chan
ccs would have been small, indeed but
cut, bruised, with my foot broken and face
lacerated from the fall, was in sorrow
full plight to fight for my life; still, he had
hard work before him, and had / not lost
my pistol in the scuile, mine would have
been easy.
In vain did he try to free his sword arm,
or to keep uppermost, as VIC rolled over
and over, covered with blood and dirt,
while maledictons on todds AmericdnoS
came Kissing through his grinding teeth,
| still held him like vice, but was mo-
mentarily getting weaker from loss of
blood, which now flowed quickly from
deep wound in my temple. My grasp on
the bandit was relaxing, and l shouted for
help as loud as my failing strength would
permit. Perceiving this, the Spaniard re-
doubled his efforts; succeeding, he struck
me tremendous blow with the hilt of his
sword, which partially stunned me. re-
member hearing a shout, and could see
men about, when the villain repeated the
blow, and became UNCONSCIOUS.
When | awoke from my trance it was
late in the day l was lying on cot in
miserable rancho or hut, scarcely better
than log house; an old woman was bath
ing my wounded head, rocking to and fro
all the time in most inconsolable manner.
Lying on the bare ground, which served
as floor, were three Drowned looking men,
in the garb of foreign sailors they were
heavily ironed, while crouched in corner,
bound hand and foot was strange look
ing fellow, his head bent on his bosom,
and groaning audibly, while blood stream
ed from deep cut in his forehead, which
he vainly attempted to wipe with his pin
ioned hands; at the door, or entrance,
stood two soldiers or country police, with
a sergeant, who, on seeing me open my
eyes, came forward and kindly asked if
felt better.
"Yes," replied, stmuch better; but
what means all this-those prisoners IRON
ed, and yon fellow p
The sergeant shook his head and re-
joined his companions.
"You had sharp time ont, Cap'n,"
said one of the tars, for such three of them
proved to be; ''you had sharp time ont;
and on'y we sailed so fast from that ere
Havaner, you'd be on t'other tack now"
That's SO, Cap'n," chorussed his COM
panions ''that's so" |
"But tell me-" said 1, my reason slow
ly returning; ''tell me all about this af-
fair, and how / came to be here p
"You sec, Cap'n," continued the first
speaker, ''we-that's me and my mates
desarted our ship in Havaner, an was ma
kin our Goose east about; we was three
days on the voyage, an 'spected to make
Mantanzas this mornin' when about eight
bells last night we heard some shootin',
and hove to for bit; after a little we