Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-03-28

met the officers.
ave must take you ashore, captain" re-
marked one OF the soldiers in English.
For whats" demanded.
THAT the captain viii learn when we reach
thereH-was the only satisfaction that I got,
and uncerernoniously they hustled me out Of
the vessel and away--but not before had a
chance 10 tell my mate to inform the Amer
lean consul early in the morning Of what had
taken place
On leaving the bark was surprised to see
that they did not take the course for the city,
but kept away to the westward.
Where are You taking mef' I inquired, in
dismay.
See, bmeby," was the only answer, and
held my peace
f;ooa tine dark outlines of the shore arose
before me, but tine formation of the outline
as it broke upon my view caused a shudder
TO creep over me and almost froze the blood
In ~ veins
1t was the fort that we were approaching,
AM the sharp angles and lofty turrets stood
out grim and threatening against the star lit
sky IN the west.
All the tales that had ever read OF the
Spanish inquisiton and the manner in which
they administer justice q in Cuba rushed To
my mind, and again the fate Of poor Capt.
FRYE was SILL ffcSn IN my memory.
Still | was sure that they could only pur-
ish me with Il fine for smuggling tho bag
ashore; yet, suppose that the bag contained
something OF Importance to the Cuban
patriots, What if 1 had unwittingly been
the bearer Of valuable messages to the in
surgentsi
The thought almost unnerved me.
IL it was so, and the government had found
the packet, could expect no better fate than
fell to the lot of SO many of the crew of the
Virginus.
When the keel Of the boat grated upon the
coral rocks at the foot Of a flight of stone
steps, was ordered to disembark, and be
tween two soldiers with muskets, and pre-
coded by an officer, the ascent was began up
the damp, shiny stoirs
We had not taken many steps when we
were hailed by sentry, who was answered
by the officer in whose charge | was---we then
resumed our way soon bright light shone
in our faces and we could see an open door a
little above IA.
Through this door we passed and as it
swung 10 AGAIN upon its massive hinges
found ourselves between Two rows of soldiers
with drawn swords, the apartment seemed to
bo a sort of guard room or keep
A few moments after our entrance, during
WHICH tlinc We llalh fflllllilt1 Summing WILL
out u word being spoken, door in the fur
Their end of the ruuG o,cncd and an officer
gayly bedecked with aold lace, entered and
approaching our party took some papers
from the soldier ia charge and began to read
them very carefully
When he had finished be waved an adieu
to those who had arrested me, and they at
once turned and LIT the apartment by the
same door through which we had entered.
Then at tho word Of eoIunand, two sol
diers stepped from the ranks and began to
search my pockets and clothing, t.iilns every
thing that they could find, even to my land
kcrchief.
| was next ordered to fall into line with
the lulrd and was marched OF through long,
gloomy passaseways, down flight after fight
of damp, moldy steps; past strong ircn doors
which was easy eaoo for INC to imaginc
were closed upon sU.lu poor mortals VINO
were destined never 1t rain to breathe the
pure air of heaven, but to lie entombed
within this dismal pile of masonry until wei
como dcath should release them from their
suffering, perhaps years after their very
names had been forgotten in their own
! homes
| Once | heard--or thought heard-a low,
| distinct moan that seemed to rise from the
| stone iir- ing beneath our feet.
Naffo"Vr gre" tae passage as VIC ''u-
Nahc'"i' ana u? '"e i'e''e rays vi '"e 'ins,'
torch carried by one OF the guard | could
sec nuuberless lizards, scorpions and other
creeping reptiles sc;luper away Mt our APP
preach
At length. after journey which seemed
to have led Ere into the very bowels of the
! carth we were halted before one of the nu-
| merous iron doors, which the officer unlocked
ana opened ana WITHOUT idl'oFr ceremony
was thrust INTO ''hai'' oainp' ie'"' cell
Nl'h bare stone "ah'' moor anu rooi'
/ Ey the light OF the torch' which s'f'aiiied
/ into the apat,-icHt before the heaNF uoor
was swung ~ ''''d sec 'ii"V II was e'''i
empty, save y '"uitleSs nuhoer OF 'h'so
loathaoa'H creatures "hich mai dart''i across
our pathway Is W. can'c down The c rridor'
Ola, what "a feeling Oh despair came over
me when found myself alone in total dark
+ ness. entombad in TIL, inathap,nc. subterra-
moan dungeon
Slowly the remaining hours of the nirht
wore away, giving lie plenty of time to think
over the incident, of T." ra,t fc,v weeks and
sec If had done anything to deserve such
treatment.
/ Easy it was to trace my trouble to the
strange youth who had formed my acquant-
ancc in Boston, lU: had committed no
crime in delivering his Effects to his family.
save in the act of smu,rling them ashore.
and that in itself was a trivial o.Fense.
The more my mind dwell ur,o7 the matter,
the more was convinced that had allowed
myself to become mcdinm between the
Cuban patriots and their s7upathizers in the
United States. and the information or what
ever it was that | had delivered must have
been of great importance to call forth such a
reward from Gon-alel Yes, there was no
doubt but what was in for it, and knowing
the iraScihe temper Of the Spanarcls | felt
that my death WIS well nigh certain
After what SEEMED an age from the time of
my commitment To the prison, faint streak
made is appearance uron one of the walls of
my cell 1t was the iir't break of day.
The small afprturP thrnuc-l which the liCht