The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-11-15
A Strange South American War.

l
Very early in this century the Draaiiiaus were
convinced that In the Argentine nation they had a
aetGrmlnea foe to their plunderlng policy, and for
putting forth all their feeble energies in operations
oy 'ahu anu se1 TO- crush their troublesome neighbour
nnill ls!s, when they finally abandoned the contest,
during th!s war the lmperalists conceived the idea
OF capturing the Patagonian settlement of lei Car
TSrse w sh,n " vas known - be quite
diers, were sent out TO effect this insignificant
conquest, and IN due time reached the Rio Negro.
Ohe VI the snps came to grief on the bar, which
Is very difficult, and there IL eventually be-.
came total wreck. The other two succeeded in
number Of 500 men were dsembarkcd and sent on 10
capture the town, which is twenty miles distant
from tiie sea Le ships at the same time proceeded
W lhe RIVER though II WAS scarcely thought that
their cooperation would be required 10 take 80 weak
a. place as the Carmen Happily for the colouisia
the Imperial armada found the navigation difficuit
anu one OF the ships ran on TO a sandbank abont
na,l way 10 the town. the other proceeded alone,
omiy 10 arrive when twas all over with the land
reached the Carmen, and ali able bodied men within
cal were quickly mustered In the fort. They mum
oered only seventy, but the PataROnans were lie.
termned to defend themselves. Women and chill
dren were brought into the fort; guns were loaded
HAPPY inspiration, aud all the strong women were
made 70 display themselves on the walls in male at
. ,.,aa,. Dummy soldiers, hastily improylsed from
olocks OF Wood holsters, and other materials were
also placed at Intervals. that when the Brazians
arrived 10 sight they were surprised to see four or
1--WE hundred men, as they thought, on the ramparts
before them. The day had been oppresslyely hot.
without cloud, and that march Of about ihriy
miles oyer inc wateress desert had exhausted the
men. rome Joy aud Amusement OF the Patagonlans,
their formidable enemy left without liring a shot,
another happy Inspiration came to the aid OF tho
COMMANDER and as soon as The Braziians had dis.
appeared behind the rising ground his seventy men
were hastily despatched to collect and bring I'm nil
me horses pasturing In the valley. When the In
vauers had been about three four hours on their
splritless return march the thunder OF Immune rabe
noois was heard behind them, and looking back,
they Deheld great army, they Imagined in their
terror, charging down upon them. These were their
seventy Toes spread In an immense half-moOn, in
heinz lrWs ~ , Mcn over thousand horses were
received their eqiine enemy with o discharge of
usnGtry; nui, though MANY horses slain or
wouiueu me frantic yels OF the drivers still urged
ihen on, and In few moments, blind with panic
they were trampng down the inaydcrs. IN the,
fused masB of horses and men; and Inv n singniar
snauce-n miracle j. was held Ia be al the lime
m n, queer commanding the imperial troops shot
ucau ny stray bullet; then The men threw down |
Their arms and surrendered at discretion d,sci
pncd soldiers OF tho empire to 10 poor Palagonans
honor OF the empire was very little TO those fanish
lng wrelches crying out with frothipa mouths for |
Wa,ts ,ds an o. quarter Leaving their muskes
thelr captors down TO the river which was about
i lou nes on and reached II al point Just where
lne Dank slopes down between the PARROTS Gin on
que size ahl Tue house resided In ON the other
lake q heri OF cattle maddencd with thirst, They
their haste, so that many were smothered. while
o,ners pushed too far out by the surging mass be-
liii., were swept from their feet by the swift cur
fenl and drowned, When they hail drank their MI
ney were driven Ike cattle to tho Carmen and shut
Up within the fort. IN The evening the ship arrived
more ON the opposite SIDE ran aground The men
n ner were quickly oppriscd OF tho disaster which
iau merlaken Inc land force; meanwhile The reso.
ule lata9onlahs, concealed among the trees on The
more, began TO pepper the deck With mllsket balls;
ne Braziians, In terror for their lives leaned iuto
nc water and swan TO land; and when darkness
Ell, inc colonsts had crowned their brave DAYS
s so by me capture OF the imperial war vessel
lapaIica. No doubt II was soou pulled 10 mecca
,ood building material beng rather extensive on
ne no Negroi portion OF the wreck, however,
MI lies IN the river and often, when the Tide was
ow and those old brown timbers came up above Inc
nrface like the gaun fossil ribs OF some gigantic
,iocene monster, have got out OF my boat and
abstraction. 7 vs. e's'"