Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-07-17

The three vnlises were filled with linen
and few old suits Of clothes of Hunts; !;
but in one was Russia leather satchel,
with straps to sling IL over the shoulders,
and IT was full of something. There was
also a leather writing-casc, similarly
fixed for carrying. Hunt had money
belt around his waist. The only weapon
saw was bennington revolver,
which Hunt carried.
"On the tJo April, sixteen days
out, we wcat..crcd Cape Maysi, and be-
gan To think Of the end of the voyage.
had never been 10 Santiago dc Cuba, so
| overhauled my book Of sailing direc-
! tions and we held council of war.
I'VE found from the book and chart
that there was little river cmptying
| int the sea. about four miles from San
| tiago harbor II is n lovely place. only
| visited for fresh water by occasional
ships. There Tweed determined 20 20
ashore, so we ran for that point. We
had head winds and nm ugly sea, and did
not raise the coast until after dark on the
! first Of May. ! ran in as close rs dared
and cleared the boat which had been
| housed on deck for lowering. We were
/ laying to at the time and the night was
very thick and black indeed. Tweed
and Hunt were below packing the few
things they intended 10 take ashore into
/ one ynlise.
Suddenly the seaman who was bail
/ ing the boat out of some water she had
shipped in launching, called to me that
he could hear the noise of paddles beat
I ing the water. Tweed must have had
! sharp ears, for hc was on deck at once
/ At the same time light showed on our
/ lee bow on the scaward side of us, and
we heard the splashing Of the paddles
/ distinctly. 1t came nearer and nearer,
and other DINNER lights became visible
/ in line lower down toward the water
/ 1t was not long before made them out
Ia be- the port fires ofa man-of-waI.
alerwlrd found that the vessel was the
sloop-of- war Conquistador. which was
patrolling the coast 10 cut off an expected
landing of revolutionary Cubans who
were coming across in sloop from
Jamaica.
we lay quiet AS mice. The cruiser
slid by Us. rs ii seemed 10 us like the
slowcst sort Of a snail She did not per-
cciyc us. though. and we saw her lights
fade out and heard thcnoi-e Of her pad
dies die away.
lit WAS midnight 10y that time. Hunt
had brought the valisc on deck Tweed
had the satchcl slung TO him. Hunt
carried the writing-case. They spoke
together in low voices on the opposite
side of the deck from me. Then Hunt
went into the cabin and called me down.
He had n roll of something in his
right hand. He put his hand out and
grasped mine. felt the bank notes
pressed into my palm and hc said. Stuff
them into your pocket, captain, and
say no more about 1t. Is the boat ready P
at is
e" Here's ffty dollars. The old man
wants you to share IL among the crew.
You can have those two yaliscs. They
are of no use 20 US
This money was in gold five dollar
pieces. He laid it on the cabin table
and lcft IL there. We got into the boat
with two men nj the oars and pulled for
the shore.
THE schooner was laid to within n
mile Of the shore. but though we could
hear the sea breaking we could not see
the land. A sort Of fog was drifting out
from the manCrovc swamps ashore. and
between 1t and the wind II was so chilly
that IL made us shivcr. Tweed now had
a coat on which gave him. Otherwise
lac was dressed "a he had been when he
left Concy Island. He was very quift.
but uneasy and anxious Hunt, on the
contrary. seemed to bc MS cool as ever.
He spoke now and then to his compan-
ion ina whisper.
Guided by the sound OF the breakers,
we pulled down the coast till found n
current settling steadily TO scaward. 1t
was the little river we were in search of,
and turning the boats nose into IL. we
Towcd in. There was "A suit 81 sand at
the mouth ofthc stream. on the Santiago
side. The stream was mere creek,
not fifty feet wide. but deep. aud with =
strong current Of ice cold. fresh water.
We landed our passengers on the
sand spit with their valisc Tweed
stumbled in getting over the gunwalc
and caught ducking. lie only laughed
nj II, though. All his good spirits
seemed 10 return the minute he felt the
land under his feet.
Hunt shook hands with me. when
stepped ashore after them. 'Good-by.'
hC said.
60 hope you will have n fortunate
stay here, | remarked. DO YOU know
how long you will be here ?
THAT depends. Wchopc for a long
time. believe
e. DO you intend to settle. thcn?'
don't know. Everything depends
on our reception
Here Tweed interposed as If 10 cut
US short. and shook hands with me. L
am Obliged to you, Captain Bryant he
said. I'm sorry our voyage wasn't a
longer one; but you'll be back here. and
You may meet Uncle John Secor again.
Good-byr
"One Of the men called, 'Good-by.
sir and he said. 'Good-by. boys. good
by lie walked up the beach. then.
and we pushed of. The darkness hid
them in an instant. but could hear the
grinding Of the sand ~ IL some one was
walking up and down.
"It was now nearly four O'Clock.
got sail on the schooner at soon rs got
on board. When day broke the land was
a mere loom on the sky.
- had seen my last of Bill Tweed.
What happened to him after that | only
know from hcarsay and the papers. II
had been arranged between us that he
was not To show himself 10 any one
ashore till we were out of sight, as our
praaenra On tho Iuhan coast xyliia pur