The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-16
deceived and kidnapped IN Barcelona by ,ne mill.

Received and kidnapped in Barcelona BY che mill
Iary authorities.
SPAIN AID THE COMMUNISTS.
He and nearly~two hundred more OF his fellow
,ountrymen, exled Communist had been offered
wo francs DAY to work In Havana, with a pre-
MUM OF o. francs upon embarking. Two hundred
and nft'i francs were paid down, and the French
men Embarked for Havana, but were forcibly put
u TIE army and sent TO the new trocna OF Baga TO
work. Some OF these kidnapped French
men deserted to the Cubans. ! saw three
OF them. They an tell q story like the above.
BURNING PLANTATIONS.
News reached the Executive that the Ingenfos
Demajaqua. the property OF Cespedess rotrero
Ranchcn, the property OF Calvar, and Santa Ger
trudis, the property OF Aguilera, were all CON-
pletely burned, and their extensive and valuable
machinery destroyed the night before, ed of April
by the Cubans. Another Ingenso, vaieriuo escaped
destruction, because the guide mstook the way.
A great deal OF sugar that could not be carried
away was destroyed The Cubans got good
supply Of beef, pork, sweet potatoes and other
things. News having arrived at the residence
OF the Executive that Mr.. O'Kelly was about
to be released, l made up my mind to
RETURN HOME BY WAY OF JAMAICA
as proposed by Cespedes. With this intention
toek leave OF the President and the friends whom
I had made at the residence, and returned again
to the headquarters OF Diaz, now in tue
Ceiva in order to march on the 9th
across the Sierra Maestro and embark. After
overcoming thousand and one little Difficult
ties on the morning Of my departure, and taking a
friendly leave OF General Diaz and his officers,
set out under escort OF three officers and thirty
men for the point Of embarkation. General
Garrido sub-Lieutenant OF the Cuban Navy, an
offcer OF engineers, three sailors and one OF the
kidnapped Frencnmen and were to compose the
crew Of the
DUGOUT CANOE
that was to carry us and our fortunes over to
jamaica We had pair OF oxen with us-tough
old boys-one to eat on the march and the other to
provision the boat. About two leagues from camp
we captured black bull in the woods; but, as the
fellow would not march for us, he was knocked in
the head and partly eaten that night. Only those
who have seen the animals do it would credit the
precipitous mountain Cliffs deep gulleys and
boulder strewn passes through which the remain
ing two oxen toiled.
The next days march saw us, breathless, wiring
ing with perspiration and faint with fatigue, mount
THE BACKBONE OF THE SIERRA Maestro.
The trail lay along Its topmost ridge, where
distance OF ten feet divided the sources OF rivers
that flowed In opposite directions. On the right
hand, as We travelled south, lay the sources OF a
system Of rivers, foaming mountain brOoklets
rushing through tortuous and winding ravnes OF
surprising picturesqueness, down the valleys and
watering the extensive plains Of Yara and the
whole district OF ManZaniO. On the other hand
was network Of rapid streams rushing on their
bolsterous way to mingle their troubled waters
with the tides OF the ocean. Prudence forbids me
further to describe the mountains through which we
passed. the trails followed or the river at
whose mouth we were to have embarked.
Suffice 1t to say that Colonel Valerino, COM
mander of the sub-district, left no stone
unturned to procure felicitous issue OF our expe
dition, and, in particular to make the HERALD
man comfortable during his stay. The cavtca, or
canoe that was intended to transport eight souls
across more than hundred miles OF sea- was dug
out in clumsy manner from single ceiva tree.
1t was about twenty three feet long, two and
half feet wide and one and half feet deep. After
being constructed in the mountains, about four
leagues from the sea- 1t was pumped into pool
in the river TO it from being eaten by carpen-
ter moths. few days before our arrival it had
been taken out OF the river to dry. The spongy
wood was completely saturated with water, and it
weighed as much as half q dozen canoes. The
broiling sun caused crack two feet long 10 open
in the bows OF the thing, which rendered it un-
serviceable. Nevertheless, the experts OF
our party said it could be perfectly well
being navigable it took six long days
for thirty strong men. with block and tackle, to
haul the canoe over such terrible passes as can
only be found in the Sierra Maestro to the sea.
The bottom was all but ground out OF the craft.
Arrived near the point Of embarkatOn the cracks
in the boat.were filed with cotton, and a varnsh
Of copa ashes and grease boiled together was
poured into the cracks. new false keel was
fastened with wooden pegs, a clumsy, un-
Manageable rudder, with impossible hinges, was
fitted on. The sails, which were formed by sewing
hammocks together, were on hand, so were
four oars and paddle. The oars were made OF
badly shaped pieces OF cedar board fastened by
single nail and tied with string to stout pole.
handed my pocket compass to the oifcer who was
to command and we were declared ready to en-
bark.
DIFFICULT JOB.
1t was q Iaughable but sorry sight to look upon
our old canoe ard contemplate the patched mp
figure she presented. She rested in the river, sep
arated from the tide by about thirty yards OF
gravelly beach, beneath whose sands the stream
pursued It's subterraneous way to minge with the
great waters OF the ocean. II had been raining all
the afternoon, and we were wet to the skin but
at sunset the clouds cleared of and the falling
waters ceased The water cask was in the boat,
and the several little bags that contained saltess
broed beef and sweet potatoes for each man dur
ing the voyage were ready. And now came the
excitement OF the struggle. The oars were placed
a few feet apart across the way we must shove the
boat 10 launch her. Every man with a will
lent his might to force the canoe over the ridge
OF gravel and stones that separated 1t from the sea-
The craft topped the little ridge but smashed the
paltry Reel that had been fixed toit. Nevertheless,
it was now too late to recede, and the boat was
pushed forward. Looking towards the sea, all
seemed calm aud quiet In the distance, but on the
beach broke with laundering roar and mighty foam
crested pillows that rolled along the strand. had
misgivings that the canoe
WOULD NOT LIVE THROUGH THE SURF;
but the navy ofcer told me. 1t was all right An
other good shove dipped the Prov Of the craft in
the surging tide. Some confusion now occurred