The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-29

barge Office at the fOOC OF HendersOn's Wharf,
awaiting the arrival OF the United States frigate
Congress- which parted company with Ter ON the
first night out from Port au Prince and has not
since been heard from. AL day little groups OF
people have lined the wharves ana docks and
peered out at this notable and mysterious craft az
sne lay motioness In the stream, with scarcely
sign of life visible about her. making remarks as to
her build and checkered career and surmising what
was TO become Of her when the Congress came,
while other parties fortunate enough to secure
small boats, put out toward her, inspected her all
around. but were admOnished not to attempt
to board her by large sign at the head Of the
the gangway, upon which was in rude letters mo
Abundance" This sign seemed to add to the curl.
osity OF the crowd, and furnished them an mex
haustiDe fund for conjecture in relation to the nvls-
BILE part Of the seemingly lieless steamer.
Al about two O'CLOCK when the wondering spec
tators were gathered IN considerable numbers, the
HERALD writer appeared upon the scene ana made
a signal TO the Hornet which was an enigma to the
gaping crowd In moment two heads were visi-
ole at the gangway, ana the next instant two Gu
bans came down the steps. entered small boat
and pulled away towards where stood. The boat
touched the wharf, few words were saio, lnaudt-
BILE to the crowd. ana stepped In and In a momen
was passing over the side OF
THE MYSTERIOUS LOOKING VESSEL,
while those on shore looked Oh In bewlderment.
As stepped on deck q tall, hne.lOoking man. with
a keen, restess eye and quick. nervous air-a per-
feet type OF an American sailOr-stepped forward,
introduced himself Us MIR. Pennell, the first officer,
ana sald--"i am glad to see you-Captain Brown
told me Of your coming-wl you step into the
cabns' ana he starred to lead the way. AS turned
10 follow 1 ran my eye over the deck; Tor there
was an air about the surroundings that made me
feel Ill at ease. ana not u soul could l see but
halfciad negro, who, upon spying me,
lodged into some obscure place. / entered
the cabin. which Is well back In the stern, and
there found two Cubans. who were introduced to me
as the doctor and paymaster of the steamer. They
at first regarded me with q half suspicious stare,
nut "a ! remained they became more at ease and
conversed with me freely. They had been with the
Hornet from It's departure from New York, In DE.
c,mber 1870. and had shared her successes and mis-
fortunes ever since. They, like nearly all on board,
were patriotic Cubans. serving upon the vessel
without pay. They told many stories in relation to
the action OF the Spanish men of-war while they
were blockaded; how they would demand her sur.
render and how they were persistently refused;
how Spanish armed launches would run alongside
ut nighj ana han them as friends asking when they
were going to leave and II they might come aboard
aud see them; how kind the Hayden authorities
were to them and how the arrival Of new Spanish
ships would create an excitement and belief that
they were going to take her by force.
They also told me OF their preparations
TO DESTROY THE VESSEL
In the event OF their trying TO take her. that several
times they were all ready to cut her pipes and
kindle fires 10 burn out her woodwork anu sink
her. ana that they were determined never to let the
Spaniards get hold OF ner. Alter conversing with
them a while, during which they were exceedingly
non-committal as TO what they were going
to 40 and as to how much they had
done, | left the cabin for survey
OF the SHIP with Mr. Penne for my guide. The first
place entered was the ward room, In which dinner
was spread, and around which were gathered some
eight or ten Cuban and Hayden officers OF the ship.
who looked upon me with startled expression as
entered, and followed me with o suspicious stare
until lett. Leaving this rOom the engine room
visited In winch Is the most powerful and complete
brace Of engines In any steamer OF her n0waloaU
being fully 1000 horse power, 70 inch cylinder
o feel inch stroke. They were built by John
stewart OF London, at cost OF $4,000, and are a
most perfect piece OF workmanship. Upon several
portions OF the iron frame the Cuban star is painted
while in one corner OF the engine room is
neatly executed small Cuban nag. From the
engine room to the crews quarters in the forward
part was the next journey. Here found slowed IN
a hole the crew-and such a crew Every nation
ality was represented In
THE MOTLEY THRONG
that clustered half Naked around little stove, In
which was sckly fire. Hardly one OF these could
speak English, and many OF them had never been
In any other save tropical climate and suffered
terribly from the chilling breezes OF this latitude.
AS entered with the mate they seemed frightened
and stared at me uneaslly as We looked around
and seemed much relieved when we turned
deck from stem to STERN and then
returned to the cabin, where were the two Cubans
first spoken OF.
The Hornet is 26l feet In length, rs foot bea H. IA
foot hold and 500 tons burden she has side skeleton
wheels with iron paddles. Sne Is the fastest
steamer in American waters sailing easily tel
knots an hour with only ten pounds O
steam, which Is increased TO seventeen knot:
when she carries forty-fve pounds. the hignes
amount allowed her. She was built on the Thames
by Thomas Ash Il Co. in 1854 and was successful
blockade runner for time under the name OF Lad
| Sterling. She was captured by the government
| and used at the washington Navy Yard for tint
as pleasure boat but sold TO private parties, who
changed her name to Hornet and redtted her out al
CUBAN PRIvATEER
| with neat and elective armament Of seven rned
Parrots. In October, 1862 little time after. she
was captured py the UHiteu otates autnoTities !"
| wilmington, N. c., held for time and finally re-
| leased, when she is again found upon the waters,
| after changing her character TO a merchantmen,
| upon some mysterious errand. She Is at Nassau
| without cargo on December s, 1870, for coal, but
1t is refused by the authorities. Then she leaves Tor
Port au Prince where she arrives on December IL TO
take COAL and leaves for Aspnwa where, IT'S said'
she took a load Of arms and ammunition Tor the
Cuban patriots and successfully landed them at
Punta Bravo on January TO- 1871. she is again at
| Port au Prince without cargo, where she IS oeset
| with Spanish men. of. war clamorng Tor her de-
structIon Then this craft, whose Prov mas pierced
the waters Of almost every nationality under the sun
without notoriety, and whose Mysterious ihcomihgs
ana outgolngs had been marvel 70 all 'hat knew Oh
,nom necame introduced to the whole country by The
d,n,omat,c controversy that followed this outrage
| hv the span,sh authorities After mucn delay the
,-,,od Stotes tr,cae Congress was despatched from