The evening times., 1896-09-19

anil strength, and advaptegeousiy located
upon u hill, would have cut off our line oi
communication had the Spaniaris occupied
IL and mounted cannon. Had 1t been Gen
Maceo's o wn it would have gone in the same
way.
CROSSING THE TROCHA.
''what do think OF the trocha? Icrossed
In by way Of the swamps OF Maiapa. near
the southern coast. There were six Uf
Us 10 the party. including the practice, or
guide. One was n Havana la wyer. who car
ried discriminating papers, aud would have
been shot if captured. 1 was dressed IN
the uniform of my office, wore side arms
revolver and officers machete-and had
important documents about my person.
Through this great swamp the trocha Is a
double-decked platform, upaa which the
soldiers patrol and communicate with the
small forts that are located about GOO
yards apart
The first deck of the platform, resting
upon timbers and posts set into the nire, is
about even with the surface. The other
deck is four or five feet above it, and makes
a very substantial boardwalk. For fifty
feet on either side of the platform, through
the entire swamp, a distance, perhaps, of
a dozen miles, the brush and tall grassy
growth, as well as the palms, have been
cleared away.
struggling through the mud for sew
eral hourS we reached the edge of the
clearing. 1 could hear the Spanish soldiers
talking on the trocha, but could not see
them because of tie swainpy growth. The
guide peered out and watched and waited.
Then lie motioned to US to follow, aud we
pushed our way through, crossed ditch
three yards wide filled with water, clam
bered over the lower deck OF the platform
and made for the thick brush heyond. We
were not seen, and in q few hours more
were out OF great danger, and several
days afterward arrived at a point on the
northern coast. just a few miles west OF
the city of Havana.
STARTED ON THE TRIP.
Here l was met by Col. Acosta. Of
the Cuban army, and he informed me
that a boat was obtainable in a nearby
little port for our purposes. Before reach
ing the swamp and for several days
after leaving Gen. Aaceo 1 had searched
in vain for a boat along the Pinar del
Rio coast. All the boats bad been de-
Ol tUt Gpdui5D sONcIh-
lnent. So Acostas Information that
boat was at hand only & few mics away
was pleasing news, but when l saw the
boat 1 was Mortified. 1t was flat-bOt-
toned affair, very old, andi in places rotten.
Its owner had used it for years fishing
In the little bay and along the coast, but
had never vcntured more than two or
three miles away from land with it. 1t
was not fitted with a sail, and when the
fisherman received orders from Acosta to
get it in shape he became suspicious. We
told hint, however, that We desired 10 take
but IA short sail for pleasure, and seeing
he did not believe this, Acosta said to
him: 1 will tell you frankly, these men
desire to he put aboard vessel six or
seven miles ava from the coast Then you
may return with your boat
still the fellow did not believe, and
said he would do nothing of the kind.
So Acosta took different measures and
placed guard OF two men over him
to see that he repaired the boat and that
he might not go to Havana and inform
the authorities. At length sail was
hands with Col. Acosta. believing that
should never see him again
When a few miles outside, the fisher
man began 10 inquire about the light on the
slip we expected to see. He was then in
formed that we were bound for Key West