Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-08-23

the Dack yaru. Inc most serious Ell
feet Of the bombardment was the pre-
mature confinement Of the wife OF one
OF the white merchants, but this was
not intended by the gunners, as she
lived more than mile away from the
town and the shell fell within fifty
yards of her house. This inability to
hit anything has marked all the bonn
bardments. and II is not the fault of
the guns, many or which are excellent.
One of our first acts on board was TO
secure a shore boat so as TO spare our
own men rowing backward and for
ward under the tropical sun. 1t was
manned by two niggers rejoicing in the
sobriquets of John Bull q Morrell.
We aftcrward found that Morrell's full
name was Morrell Mackenzie called so
no doubt by some indignant German
after the late Emperors English doc
tor. John Bull was a perfect type OF
the Haytian negro, lazy, always beg
ging and always lying. He was, how
ever a great favorite with the ladies,
and as he landed on the little wharf.
was at once surrounded by bevy of
dusky maidens listening TO the honey
ed words from his lips compliment
which he generally repaid by turn ing
prone on his stomach and going 10
sleep. Indeed, at times he would
snooze comfortably while rowing out
10 the ship. He was OF course,
soldier liable TO 60 on duty now and
then and his descriptions in broken
English OF his proves in the field
were terrific. Then according TO his
own account he had necessitated the
o4. 81 To a,.l
slaughter. had he wrought. OF course
this Haytian war is not TO be taken too
seriously. il is like one Of Otfcnbacn's
military operas, when there is little or
no bloodshed. After n hard weeks
fighting not far from Gonaives, the
loss on one side was two and on the
other three killed. The latter met
their untimely end by taking refuge in
a hollow tree when they were seen by
their opponents, who opened a brisk
fusilade the rough bark of the tree
which lasted until they had riddled
their victims with bullets.
The Haytlans are great fellows for
shooting spies. One morning bright
and early we saw six poor devils
marched down to the beach close 20
our ship and blazed at by file Of sol
diers until they were all dead. Such
an execution, however, takes up con-
siderable time as each man firmly be-
lieves that he can only be mortally
wounded in one particular place, and
when il is the left ear or the little fin
ger OF the right hand ii takes some
time for the Haytian marksman to hit
that spot. As rule these men are
more or less surrounded and fall 10 the
ground and then the soldiers advance
and placing the muskets against the
quivering wretch blow him into king
dom come. They meet their deaths
with remarkable fortitude, indeed il is
difficult TO see why they should not be
glad TO escape the horrors of n Hayti-
an dungeon. In the town of Gonaives
martial law prevailed and at all the
roads leading out into the country was
a stockade of old -four and Goldfish bar
racks with a few sentries to sing out
"Qui va la and TO insist upon the
answer stranger" Everyone, how
ever seemed to go backwards and for
wards as they liked and every after
noon. as soon as the sun got low, we
started on horse back along the magni-
ficent roads which are almost the sole
remnants of the French occupation.
Along these roads one would meet hun
dreds of donkeys bringing in log wood,
for which Gonaives is famous, and cof-
fee, but the burros were generally
driven by women, the men being all
away making-believe fighting or asleep
like John Bull. For the first few days
that we were at Gonaives we saw
II ha hot
their guns TO the south at La Grande
Saline and St Mare. One morning we
saw the Dcssalincs appear around the
southern point OF the bay and recon-
noitre. OF course, according TO all
rules Of international law We hid a
perfect right 20 be where we were for
there was no effective blockade when
we entered but il is difficult TO argue
with Haytian whose only answer is
you must come to Port au Prince. y"
Now Port au Prince is a regular hot
bed OF yellow fever, even more danger
Gus out in the harbor than on shore,
rs was shown in the cases OF the men
of-war Yantic and Boston. 1t WAS
therefore with considerable satisfaction
that a few hours later we saw the
American cruisers Galena and Ossipee
come 10 anchor between US and the
Dessalines. We soon had visit from
the Galena TO find out whether we had
any spare provisions or coal on board,
it being almost impossible to procure
either in Hayti. Ice, of course, is al
most an unknown product and when
it can be procured costs five cents q
pound. Meat and poultry are poor
and scarce and the L. ;. men-of-war on
the station seem to spend most Of their
time looking out for steamers from
American ports which may have some
spare provinGer for sale.
The loading and unloading OF a
/ steamer at Gonaives is tedious bust
ness. A fresh sea breeze blows during
\ the greater part of the day and the
/ darkies are too lazy to pull out the
! lighters against it, So line has TO be
run from tho ship to the shore and
along this line the lighters are pulled
| hand over hand. OF course this is q
very slow business and there is always
q long conversation before work is be-