Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-02-20
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cfuisi Of thu revenue cut or hav
ing elsafgc ofihis ground makiaa il
exceedingly hazardous; set occa.-
ionly hold craft ventures in max
ing ran, aud it was only yearago
that tie NcLaas was so fortunateas
to make an excellent haul. The cut
Ter was standing over late one af Ter
noon in the vic nifty of Punta Rassa
on the southwest coast, when the
spars Of vessel we've oh, erved in
TIE distance above an intervening
key. To one not familiar with the
southern waters the mere sight of
masts would simply have indicate d
the pres nee of a YES el and nothing
more The McLaDe'S officers. how.
ever, smell. d very suspicious oh
iect in yonder We. sci. aud particn-
larry from the fact that she was on
| that part of the coast Running
quickly in tow rds the key, and in
such way as to be unobserved un-
til osc at hand, the McLaue sud
q My rounded off to The mouth of
the entrance, and dropped cutter
full of armed seaman under he com
mand of Lieutenant Ubenoth A
few m mems only sufileed Tor the
cutter to pull alongside the strang-
er, which on a hasty glance at the
stem was found to be the Spanish
schooner AnsoHitq. The Spsniardis
deck was full of red-capped Cubans
aud Mexicans all armed With saw
age-looking knives, an shouting
and jabbering to one another Ike so
many monkeys Without any ado
Lieutenant Uberroth and three or
f ur good men swnrg themselves up
over the dnSoalta'S side and de.
manded to see the captain. Tie
scowling Cubans st this made way
for big burly fellow, who had Just
assembled from tn cabin, and was de-
handing, in gruf broken English.
the cause OF he WISH.
Your papers," was the quick re.
join er OF the hoard NO offer.
There as at once eyiden good
deal OF hesitancy, and it was appar-
ent that the Spaniard r cogniz d he
was caught. M papers could be
pr dnced, and the boarding officer
was about to return TO the McLaRe
with this information for his com
mandinl officer. when sud- n
moN ement among the Aasopitd crew
showed that they meant fight The
dc Lanes blue jackets we're equal TO
the emergency, and covering every
one on deck, the Spanish captain
was tumbled into thu cutter at the
point of revolver. Once aboard
the McLane, he was kept there, and
orders issued to Lieutenant Ober.
roth to pick prize crew, and con
vey the captured prize to Key West.
This meant run Of 100 miles. Re.
turning TO the Ansonita, the Cubans
were quickly secured. A few
though, were put to work on the
capstan bar, blue jacket standing
| by in the mean while with cooked
rifle, and the anchor was run apeak,
the jib hoisted, and inside Of ten
minutes the Ansoalta passed under
the McLdne's stern under jib and
main, all, the blue jackets of the lat
ter giving a good-by cheer to their
| comrades.
The AnsoBita had cleared port but
an hour when one of those ugly
southwest blows, so peculiar to the
gulf, suddenly sprang up Here was
a fix, indeed, for young officer. 1t
is bad enough to Lave gale OF wind
on ones hands, but G., have in addi-
ton lot of prisoners, outnumber-
ing the prize crew, was an uncom-
Portable thought. However, the
prisoners not needed were secured to
| the pinrail around the mainmast,
and TWO seamen on guard stood
close at hand \ few of the pris n
ers were stationed about the decks
to haul ropes, but always under
guard. The ARsoafta, on the first
appearance Of the gale was quickly
gotten under close reefs. and with a
mere handful OF tn jib showing, and
the ast reef in the mainsail, siihtte
foresail slowed. she continued
thou bout the night, DESPITE the
high sea and the water continually
coming aboard, TO log it of TO the
| southwark.
1t was trying night. but might
have been worse with less staunch
craft. As daylight broke The gale
began rapidly TO subside, the last
reef II the mainsail was shaken out,
then apother. then some Of the fore
sail gotten on her, until, when well
on Ia the forenoon, the AnSontsa APP
peared off Key Yves harbor with
only one reef IN foresail and main
sail. That afternoon she was lying
snugly alongside the government
wharf her prisoners in the hands Of
the United States marshal, and her
prize crew sleeping as only tired and
exhausted msn can sleep Twelve
hours later the McLane followed
into port. her commanding officer
not having deemed it advisable to
force the cutter against the gale