The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-10-30

| President Bazelais and mt my suggestion he
was appointed General, with the pay of an
American Cavalry Colonel.
There were now five Generals, besides Baze-
lais. who as President was Commanders in Chief
to 4S men. Williams, Hudson aud I could get
such money as we wanted from Col. Iemarque.
the Paymaster of the party. and we had avaied
ourselves of it, and had our uniforms made in
Kingston by friends of the revolution, cloth
and epaulets having been brought amongst the
stores from New York, which accompanied u.s.
as well as belts, sabers and pistols. had also
purchased pair Of field. glasses, pocket-compass
aud surveying materials.
We landed at Inagua March 20 with our
stores, and on the 22d the Tropic arrived from
Philadelphia with the rest Of the
ARMS AND AMMUNITToN,
and we went on board. Tho next day we sailed
out to meet the Atlas steamer coming from
| Kingston which was to bring the rest of our
men, and after speaking her outside lnagua
Bay she refused TO transfer them but landed
| them at Inagua.
The English war-ship Griffin was in port and
tho Captain made inquiry regarding the stop
ping of the Atlas steamer by the Tropic He
also consulted with tho Governor of tho Island
| OIL which wo were anchored, and detained the
men part of the next day. But receiving a
hint that they would not be interfered with,
Capt Williams went ashore in one of the
Tropics boats, hired n small schooner and
brought the men off. Then we got away again,
aud once clear of Inagua Bay, commenced the
work Of organization.
The four pieces OF artillery were brought up
aud mounted, and an artillery company formed.
| The rest of tho mon were drilled ms infan-
/ try, and as most of them had been in service
they were not much trouble, Arms, equip
ments aud ammunition was issued to them, so
everything was complete for landing when
we entered Mragoanes at midnight on March
81
! and some Of SaIomons troops who were in
town fled when we landed in the boats aud
! took possession of the village, which is about
90 miles from Port au Prince, the Capital.
Next day the artillery, smal-arms and
! ammunition was landed, and tho Tropic sailed
away TO Port Antonio.
RECRUITS CAME FLOCKING IN
from all sides, aud courers were dispatched to
| Jacmel, Jereme, Aquin. Aux Cages and other
points to distribute the Bazelais proclamation
| over the Southern peninsula. Some Of the doCu-
ments were also sont TO Lagune, and number
reached Port au Prince and were read in the
streets. creating considerable excitement, aud
! causing Solomon to issue his proclamation de-
claring martial law. and ordering all insur-
! gents captured to be mediately shot.
Gen. EPaminondas DesroChes organized tho
! Bureau OF Action, and soon opened commumiCa.
tion with revolutionary bodies in different
! parts of the island. Gen. ". Perrine was sent
out with q scouting party and met with some
/ OF the Solomon forces under Gen. Paul Emile
| near Lagune, defeating them aud capturing an
! officer aud several men. These Bazeais held
for exchange, notifying Solomon that no in
! tended 10 retaliate for any outrages
On April the stea!ner Liberto came down
aud commenced shelliBg Mirngoanes. We bad
| thrown up small earthwork. aud mounted
! our four guas in il, but We could not got the
steamer 10 come in close, so after firing few
shots she withdrew.
Regiments and battalions were formed Of the
recruits aud
FORTIFIED CAMP
established when word reaching us that reyo-
lutionaFy committees had been formed ln
| Jacmei and Jeremie, force was sent TO the
! former point under Desroches which accom-
| panied, and OTIS 10 the latter point under
| Legross. This was near the beginning of May.
We obtained plenty of provisions at the camp
at Mirngoanes. purchasing from the surround
! ing country. but mostly they were brought up
| in goletas from seaboard points below.
| We started for Jaemel with $50 men on
beautiful morning in May. the distance being
about 30 miles, with the back Eone of mountains
between. We were preceded by men with ma
chetes, who cleared up the old trails The
machetes also came in handy 10 draw rRtions
OF sugar.eAne from the plantations as VIC went
! along, as we'll as TO slash wild ereeper with a
! juicy stem which grows along tho raountains
and affords refreshing draft of wholesome
water.
| As we travelled along the foot Of the mount
| aims we disturbed the game and stirred up
small droyes of monkeys occasionally. Ma.
eaws Of most beautiful coors were occasionally
seen. ana parrots aud other birds Ia numbers.
We passed beautiful ferns. some Of them 20 feet
high, and found quantities of the thatch- palm,
whose handsome fan.like leaves are used TO
cover tho cottages of tho poor. We saw also
the wild pineapple with it's large spike Of pur-
pie flowers and pink calix. On the rocky
points we're magnificent cactus. and flowers
everywhere. Jt seemed like iairyland Here
aud there we came to plantation In charge
of Government oYeFscer. and obtained all
the bananas and other fruits that We wanted.
These plantations were developed and cult
waited by French owners until the revolution
drove them away, aud the remains of tho
SPLENDID MANSIONS
and buildings frequently serve now for tho
black laborers to build their thatehed rooted
shantcs against.
No more romantic places for an artists study
could be found than amid the grand ruins Of
! this extinct civilization magnificent villas
with their pillars, balconies and Rrooved walls
/ OF stone overTun by the luxuriant vegetation
OF the tropics in some of which are growing
| the ful-szed cocoa and banana. Along the
| banks OF the streams the bamb boo probably the
| most RfhcCiui OI the WOOdfhtu productions,
| grows in beautiful profasion. hugo hollow stems
| with the leaves all punched at the top; and
nothing can be prettieF than Il grove Of oranges,
! from which We frequently RECALLED ourselves.
! We reached Jacmei after dark the second
| night, and sent ia demand for its surrender
| The commanding officer, Col Latrobo said be
| would answer In the morning, upon which we
! advanced in line Of battle on his men, who
| 10 the number of about one hundred were
drawn up in the plaza. Some firing ensucd,
| but when the people built fires In the streets
| ia the rear OF the Government troops and com.
nenced firing On them from tho houses, the
Colonel surrendered and we put guard over
his men In the church for the night after dis
armng them.
! Next day we held a consultation with the
| Revolutionary Committee, and found the town
well supplied with stores and munitions of
war. Then ] laid out defensive lines for tho
town, to protect il on the land side and brought
| two Of the guns from the fort commanding the
harbor. aud placed them in fort called st.
Jean, which commanded the plain back Of the
| town.
We constructed a new battery 10
! DEPEND THE ENTRANCE
Of the harbor, and the Citizens Committee be.
| ing confident of thoir ability 10 defend the
place, we returned towards Lagune after few
days, the Revolutionary Committee promising
20 send word Of any movement which might
traDspire To Miragoanes by courier These feet
footed cOuriefs travel very fast, aiding them
selves with two long sticks, aud can beat horses
crossing the mountains. They generally take