The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-19
A NAVAL BATTLE ON HORSEBACK.
How 400 Venezuelan Cowboys Cap
tured n Fleet OF Spanish GunbOHts
From the Phfladelnhia Tina

HOW dOO venezuelan Cowboys Cap
tured a Fleet OF Spanish GunboHts
From tho Philadelphia Tines.
Venezuela has been appropriately desig-
mated as the Hungary. the Poland. of
South America. Her lot has heen an I'M
happy one, whether from her own mis-
takes. or from an unfortunate chain Of
circumstances, Il matters not here. A
hundred years of intermittent warfare
produces scenes and opportunities for Won
derful adventures and escapes, and II one
IL in need OF stories founded upon facts
he should turn to the pages Of Venezuelan
history.
When Simon Bolivar, the "liberator,"
waged war against the Spaniards in South
America the iron rule OF the mother coun-
try extended over a large part of the
territory that Is now divided into the
small republics OF Venezuela, Bolivia, Pc
ru and Colombia. II was within this re-
gion that the ancient Spaniards located
the mythical city OF ManOah, the lei Do
RADIO which attracted the Adventures of
Europe to the mouth Of the Orinoco.
Strange stories we're told OF this opu-
lent city ruled over by a king who was
sprinkled every morning with gold dust
by his slaves, and his fabulous wealth al
lured many a stout-hearted Spaniard to
his death in the fever-stricken forests
along the banks Of the Orinoco and Anna
zon. The nuggets of gold that were car
ried back by Sir Walter Raleigh, and
which intensified the general belief about
the city of Manoah. came from the now
famous gold mine of Ell Callao, the dis
covery OF which has helped to bring mat
ters to a crisis between Venezuela and
England.
on the banks OF the Orlnoco the Span
iards fought the Indians in many bloody
encounters, and later under the leader
ship Of Bolivar these sanguinary battles
were renewed. The rank and file of the
army has been largely composed OF In
dams, negroes and half-breeds, but some
of the fiercest battles the world has even
known have been contested by them. They
are faithful and obedient soldiers, while
the officers, drawn from the best fami-
lies of Venezuela, have always been
proud, good-looking, courageous and well
constant occupation, and they take nat
urally to 1t and enjoy II.
Probably the strongest and the hercest
battle recorded In history was fought on
the Upper Orinoco during the struggle of
Venezuela for Independence In that des-
perate war scenes were daily enacted sim
liar to those reported from Cuba to-day.
The Spaniards largely preponderated, and
had all the machinery of war, but the
Venezuelans were stubborn, determined
and energetic. They carried on for a long
time a guerrilla warfare, unwilling and
unable to meet a superior force in a
pitched battle. The tactics Of Bolivar was
to harass and wear out the enemy by pet
ty engagements, and so well did he sue
coed in this that he finally achieved his
desire.
The Venezuelans were familiar with the
mountain Businesses, and the hiding places
in the almost impenetrable forests, and
when they took shelter the Spanish army
could not follow them. The Orinoco river
was a strategic point, and the Spaniards
kept it open by fleet of gunboats. These
gunboats paraded up and down the river
continually and kept the enemy from
crossing, thus separating two parts Of
the native army.
Bolivar wished to cross the upper Grin
oco to proceed into the Interior and his
army was encamped on the banks Of the
river for weeks, vainly striving to elude
the gunboats. The latter, with their
heavy artillery, easily kept the army from
venturing across the water. Once or
twice attempts were made to cross, but
each time the soldiers were driven back
by the gunboats. The army was divided
once to attract the attention Of the gun
boats further up the stream, but even
then half the gunboats seemed sufficient
to hold the larger force in check.
Bolivar had no gunboats nor heavy ar
tilery to return the heavy shots from the
enemy. He could not cover his army 3
movements with batteries from the shore,
and he felt himself almost helpless in the
face of these disadvantages. Eant in his
army was a hardy set of llaneros, or cow
boys, all mounted on good South Amerf-
can ponies. These rough soldiers of the
Dlains were the best fighters In the army
and about 600 of them, under the COM
mand of Gen. Paez, had accompanied
Bolivar's forces in their marches The
llaneros, like our fast-disappearng vest
ern cowboys, were brought up in the SAD
die. and they could fight better on horse.
back than on foot. They made the finest
cavalry troop that ever accompanied an
army. The horses We're animals accus-
toned to the wild. rough country. ana
they, like their riders, were ready to meet
any emery
Cen. Paez became so exasperated At the