Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-01-01

wore their side arms, Inc largest eloleh was
hoisted, trailing from the lofty peak almost to
| the water, and everything was prepared to
render the ceremony ofthe reception of the
rescued crew and passengers of the Virginius
a. imposing as possible. At sos O'Clock a
scow was dscerned just under the guns of
Estrella Castle, towed laboriously and very
slowly by boat pulling five oars. The scow
was crowded with the prisoners, l02 in all.
1t took precisely fifty-five minutes for them
to get over the mile, and to reach the ship.
At $50 o'clock they were within hailing dis
lance, and rose up and cheered-a hearty
cheer. 1t was responded to in our hearts,
but stern silence prevailed on the ship. There
could be nothing that might be construed into
| demonstration against the paltry orjgina-
tors of the difficulty.
Just then came puff of black smoke curl
ing over the hill-sign of English coal, and
instantly following this hint of ubiquity ap-
peared the inquisitive nose of ii. B. M. s.
Niobe. She ranged alongside in fine style
and slowed down, stopping just ahead of us,
dropping a quarter boat as she passed, with
an officer who briefly rendered appropriate
compliments, gave the news from Havana
and the whereabouts of the Virginius, and
then departed, making room at the gangway
for the slow moving launch and its cargo.
Six bells sounded, proclaiming the hour, z
clock, as the Second Chief of Police of San
tiago de Cuba stepped over the side, attired
in the usual cockaded Panama hat, dungaree
undress, unbuttoned, with silver-plated sabre
buckled beneath, and gold-headed cane
He saluted and presented his cartel, or dup
licate receipts for the prisoners, to Capt.
Braine.
An amusing but withal pathetic scene ap-
peared in the prison boat. The captives,
fnsu hIthIpsf
rags, and the quantity of their clothes was
almost as inadequate as the quality. These
they were throwing overheard, with their
mugs, tin dishes, ETC., which they did not
seem to attach much value to as relics. The
boatmen, however, negroes or mulattoes,
Mortified at such waste, were eagerly fishing
for the odd clothes with boathooks, and at
the very earliest opportunity, when the last
prisoner had left the scow, incontinently left
the Second Chief of Police to shift for him
self, cast off the scow, and commenced an ar
dent pursuit for the disjecta nembra OF the
most miserable wardrobes ever worn by any
but small Italians in Crosby street, New
York.
They came over the side one by one,
checked at the gangway from one roll, and as
they passed the Captain from another, COM
pared with those previously furnished from
the Consulate, so that there should be no
mistake, and as they filed past were ranged
aft on the starboard or right hand side of the
quarter deck On the port side were piled
bales of clothing, caps, shirts, pants, drawers,
under shirts, socks, boxes OF boots, soap,
combs, tobacco, ETC., with the Paymaster's
Department, standing like gunners at their
guns, under their chief, Mr.. Theodore S.
Thompson, and his lieutenant, Henry Clay
Wood, ready to discharge their stores when
called npon to do so. The lists verified, one
receipt, prepared in Spanish, and for some
inscrutable reason, possibly to salve their
wounded honor, made out as from the
Police, to whom the military authorities had
the night before turned over the party, had
docket attached, to the effect that Capt.
Braine received them from Gen Don Juan
Burriel, commanding the Department of the
East, was signed by that officer and handed
to the policeman, who did not like the addi-
ton at all, but could not help himself and re-
tired without piping the side or any of further
recognition to his gig. The other receipt was
retained and translation of 1t duly logged
The Commander then passed along the line,
while cornet struck up Hail Columbia
The same correspondent gives descrip.
ton Of the voyage home - follows:
ION the morning Of the 10th the Juniata
passed an American war steamer, supposed
to be the Canandaigua, but could not make
ont her number in the light of the early day,
and scarcely her nationality. As sort of an
amateur emigrant ship, the Juniata was con-
siderably less comfortable than is her won't
The 'Dagoes,' as Jack called them, were
everywhere-in their own way and every one
else; very miserable, poor wretches, and the
source Of very much trouble to others. Ev-
erything was done that could be done for
their comforts hammocks were slung in the
gangways, and awnings stretched over them,
till the very cold, stormy and wet weather of
the past few days, and they were sent below.
As the berth-deck, according to the car
penter's report, has 1886 cubic feet of space,
and over $50 men had to find some sort of
accommodation there, the state of affairs
beggars description. Lying prone in the
worst stages of an incurable NAL dM naur. the
poor fellows were in q shocking condition;
the decks were wet, and dirty, and horrible.
The weather since Tuesday had been abomi-
nable-head winds and heavy seas, culmina.
ting on Friday in gale that was pronounced
by some on board familiar with the typhoons
Of the Chinese seas, as something a little
worse than they had ever seen. 1t is unnec-
essary to describe storm at sea in this place.
That, unfortunately, has to be done quite
often enough to render the veriest landsman
familiar, on paper, with its discomforts. 1t
was very bad.
The wretched o-bladed screw, so strong
ly reprobated by Secretary Robson in his
last report, proved its inefficiency as usual,
and Roadway against the storm was little, if
anything better than in a sailing vessel. The
coal run 90 short, that had the Juniata been
out day longer, she might have been week
or more making the port, and orders
had been issued to use no more coal
for cooking, but to commence cutting up the
'booms'-the spare spars which, in the opin-
ion of most naval officers, are a relic of the
barbaric days before steam, and SO uselessly,
while extensively, cucumber the decks flour
ships. The provisions, too, ran marvelously
low, but one days break-hard- tack and but
little flour-remaining.
On Christmas Day the Juniata had the
pleasure of relieving the schooner Elite Wa
tiers of Boston, fifty-two days from St. Helena,
out of provisions; all well on board; and in
the evening blowing very heavy and black as
pitch, there was quite an excitement over
boat seen by several persons on board. One
or two declared there was q man in it, and
that he hailed the ship. The Juniata was
stopped at once. backed astern, and cruised
round for some time, but the search was ut
terly futile, and the course was resumed.
Sad indeed, il the last survivor of some