Evening star., 1896-09-17
IN CUBAN WATERS.
Experience OF an Engineer Of a Ves-
sci Engaged In the Fruit business.

Experience OF an Engineer of q Ves-
sci Engaged In the Fruit business.
Mr.. L. Mertensen. who during the civil
war in Brazil was an engineer in the serv-
ice Of the Brazilian government and had
charge of the machinery in one of the
gunboats. is at present residing in Wash
ington.
Mr. Mertensen was until recently engineer
Of the steamer Brixham, Captain Durie.
which for a long time was engaged in the
fruit trade and sailed between New York
and Cuban ports. but which is now laid
up at New York because the insurgents In
Cuba have destroyed so many banana plan
tations as to make the carrying trade un-
profitable. In the pursuit Of his calling
Mr.. Mertensen visited Gibara and other
Cuban ports five times during the past
summer, and on his last trip he was in
volved in very exciting incident.
Chief Engineer Carlsen Of the Brixham
and Mr.. MertenSen were out sailing In a
small boat in the bay of Gibara. when they
were noticed by some CT the Spanish off,
GERS at the fort on shore, and boat, man
ned by fourteen sailors. was sent by the
and Mertensen were called upon by the
Spaniards to surrender. but no attention
was paid to the demand, whereupon the
crew Of the boat began firing at the Ameri-
cans.
Mr.. Mertensen said he was for the mo-
ment at a loss to know what to do, and
asked Mr.. Carlsens advice about surren-
dering Let them fire; they can't hit us.
and we are going to get back to the Brix-
ham," replied Carlsen. A race for the
Brixham was then begun, and by the time
the boat with the Americans reached the
Brixham the pursuers were but few feet
away.
The Americans however, managed to get
| on board the Brixham before their pur-
| suers could catch them. The SDaniards
| speedily boarded the Brixham. but mean
while the two Americans managed to Sc
crete themselves from their would-be cap
| tors. Captain Durie Of the steamship was
much incensed at the course Of the Span
iards. but bore himself with as much grace
| as possible, ard. concealing his true feel
| ings for his unwelcome visitors, and de-
| string to get clear of them as quickly as he
| could, opened several bottles of wine for
| them. After partaking freely Of the wine
| the Spaniards left the Brixham, and the
| Americans came out Of their hiding place
| Mr.. Mertensen said that during his last
| visit to Gibara the insurgents set fire to a
house there in which twenty five Spanish
| soldiers were sleeping. and burned the
| building and all the inmates, not one Of the
latter escaping alive. At Barcas. not far
distant, the insurgents destroyed every
| banana plantation and great deal OF
| other property.
Mr.. Mertensen said further that he
| thought the present state Of affairs would
| last in Cuba for a long time. There is, he
| said. no actual fighting; the insurgents
| once in while come out of the bush and
| fire at the Spanish soldiers, but that is al
| there Is in the way of fighting. The Span.
| ish soldiers at Gibara, Mr.. Mertensen said
| were dying with yellow fever at an awful
| rate, and the garrison at that town, orig
| inally numbered 1900, was being decima TED
| at the rate of not less than fifty a day.
During the same period Mr.. Mertenser
| saw two troop ships arrive at Gibara, with
| 5000 soldiers, to take the place Of those
| carried off by death.
AS the Brixham was leaving Gibara Mr.
| Mertensen and others saw two filibusterinl
steamers moving slowly along the coas
| trying to find place to effect a landing
but they were having hard time to dt
| so. as there was a Spanish man-of-wal
only half an hours sail behind them.