McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-02-05
COLOMBIA.
A Captains Experience I'm the Civil Wars Of o
South American State.

is possible to go to sleep under one
form Of government and wake up a
subject of another" said Capt. Peter
Letournau, punctuating his remarks
with puffs of smoke from Guayaquil
cheroot. Capt. Letournau has just re-
turned from the Pacific coast of the
United States of Colombia, where he
has filled the position of commander
of q war steamer. He left Whining
ton, Del. Jan. 8, 1884, in command of
the Boyaca, built there for the Colon
bian government. Among his officers
were Capt. Charles Miller, Jr.. first
officer, and Miller Moore, second en-
gineer, both Baltimoreans. On his
long passage the ports of Trinidad,
Pernambuco, Rio Janeiro, Montevideo,
on the Atlantic. were touched at. and
passing through the straits of Magel-
Ian, Valparaiso, Callao, Ghauaquil and
Buenaventura were taken in on the
Pacific side. At the latter port the
Boyaca was turned over to the author
tiles, and her name changed to the
Colombia. Then Capt. Letournal and
his officers were commissioned, but be-
cause of the absence of any law to en-
force naval discipline the officers de-
cllned to wear the livery of the Colon
bian government. Up to October last
the Colombia was most of the time at
anchor off Buenaventura. This forced
idleness arose from the inability of the
government to buy enough coal to
keep the vessel cruising. In the early
part of that month one of the chronic
revolutions of the coast was evolved
from the ambitions of several generals
of the state of Panama. With the con-
sent of the general government the
Colombia was placed at the disposal of
the Panama authorities, and the most
important factors in the expected
naval engagements were two pieces of
ordinance on the steamer, for which
there were neither powder nor shell.
Previous to the Colombia's arrival at
Panama the steamer Avaralla had
been taken possession of by the rev.
olutionists and started on an expedi-
ton along the coast. Another vessel,
the Moro, was sent after the filibuster,
but returned defeated to Panama.
The Avaralla put into Aqua Dolce,
landed her handful of revolutionists,
returned to Panama, and surrendered.
The Colombia then prepared to capture
the revolutionists. Capt, Letournau's
material was of the most primitive
character, and his fighting strength
was about fifty Colombian soldiers and
a number of generals.
Upon the arrival at Aqua Dolce the
revolutionists consented to surrender
conditionally if paid sum of money.
Payment was promised, and the rev.
olutionists embarked and were landed
at Panama and so ended another of
the typical revolutions. One morning,
shortly after, the citizens of Panama
awoke to find that the Avaralla had
taken her departure in the night,
loaded with revolutionists, who were
to attack Ecuador. She was next
heard from as having had an engage
about Nov. 20, off Tomaco. With the
proverbial good luck of the average
South American revoIutionists, the
Avaralla came out victorious, and
made the legitimate authorities seek
safety in the Guayaquil river. The
Colombia, under Capt. Letournau, was
again alive with preparations for a
naval fight. Her orders from the
Panama government were to drive the
Avaralla out of Colombian waters or
destroy her. Upon her arrival at
Tomaco it was learned that the
Avaralla had landed her men in the
Guayaquil river and was then Destroy
ed. At the latest accounts the rev.
olutionists were waiting to be bought.
Returning to Buenaventura, Capt.
Letournau resigned, and Capt. Charles
Miller was commissioned commander.
The Colombia returned to Panama,
and as the vessel had burned consid-
cradle coal in her two cruises, it is
supposed she will lie there until the
country collects some taxes.
81 was glad to get away from that
part of the Pacific coast which is owned
by the Colombian government" said
Capt. Letournau. ''At Buenaventura.
where we laid most of our time, there
is almost a perpetual rainfall. The
climate is full of fever, having much
the same effect as Chagres. TONNAGE
and Buenaventura, excepting Panama,
are the only places of Importance on
the Pacific coast of Colombia, and the
only ports visited by the vessels while
under my command. Buenaventura
has about fifteen hundred inhabitants,
of whom fifty probably are white. 1t
has a dozen stores, and derives its
prosperity from the market it affords
to the vast country lying back of the
mountains which wall it on the east.
A railroad is being built from it to the
interior. Nineteen miles have been
completed, and the work is progress
ing very slowly. The enterprise is in
charge of a Mr.. Connolly and his son,
both of Wilmington, Del, where the
rolling-stock and bridges were built.
The exports of the place are dry hides.
india-rubber, ivory nuts, and cattle to
Panama. The whole coasting trade is
done in British steamers, which are
making money by their extortionate
rates. For example, they charge $40
in gold for a passage between Buena-
ventura and Panama, distance of
three hundred miles. Salt, on which |
81 cents per pound import duty is paid,
is brought from Peru. 1t is sent to
the interior On mules. The quantity
of American goods furnished along
the coast struck me very forcibly. The
principal articles are hardware, canned
goods, soaps, candles, coal-oil in cases,
dry goods of very loud colors, ready