The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-12
THE LANDING OF THE BERMUDA
Good Luck Favored the Voyage From
Beginning to End.

New York. April 1o.-The Herald this
morning publishes the following CORE
spondcnce. under date OF Puerto Cortez
Honduras:
The steamship Bermuda. which was de-
tanned In New York harbor on February
"a, as she was preparing to leave for Cuba
with a large and enthusiastic party OF
patriots and an ample supply Of ammuni-
ton and arms. has arrived here The his
tory OF her voyage. ending IN the safe
decentralization of the filbusters and their
arms. bristles with dramatic Incidents
The log was reeled by one OF the officers
OF the ship. who told his story In a natter
of-fact way which served 10 intensity
rather than duh its interest.
I'm tell you the story" he said, DE
ginning with our departure from New
York harbor You know that on Saturday
March II. we lay at anchor of BedlSa ISL
and We had some trouble in engaging a
crew. owing TO the previous difficulty with
the United States authorities. But after
We got our agents to work things went
beautifully. On the Sunday morning fol-
lowing. at o'clock. we weighed anchor
and slipped through the Narrows Dur
ing the night OF Monday, March lf, we
steamed up and down the coast at half
speed. and when the day dawned the Ber-
m1da was changed ship. Men had been
set to work during the night to change her
red funnel to black. This was necessary
TO avoid immediate Identification In case
we should fall in with a Spanish man-of-
war, and the event proved that the precau-
ton was well timed.
THE sun rose brilliantly as IL in favor
OF our enterprise, and as the sea was
frightening under its first rays our hearts
sank Ike lead at the spectacle presented a
few miles to seaward. There, in the half
light. hung q big Spanish man-of-war
She seemed not over two miles away and
do not yet understand how IL was that
she let us 20 by unchallenged. We did
nothing but watch her ap2rehensively un-
I'll she sank out Of our view on the edge OF
tho horizon.
ION Tuesday morning the Bermuda cast
anchor on Assateague island Va. and took
on quantity Of lumber eight boats and
four seamen. The seamen were badly need
ed. BY o'clock in the afternoon she was
heading northward again. Next day the
bermuda came TO anchor early in the
morning of Atlantic City. Here Gen. Gar
ella came on board with seventy-two Gu
bans, and among them was Senior Nunez
In half an hour the Bermuda was heading
southwark with her band OF Cubans. who
were In the very best OF spirits.
IAN went well until March 10. when a
stir southerly gale rcughened the sea. On
the following day. Friday. the gale In
creased; the waves rose still higher; the
ship labored considerably. and then a
marked change came over the landsmen-
they were dreadnllly seasick On Satur-
day. however the weather abated. but the
engines broke down twice that day, once
In the morning and once In the afternoon
This caused delay Of four hours alto
gether. During the lull the arms and am
munition were brought on deck and dis
trihuted 10 the Cubans.
Fine weather and a smooth sea ushered
in Sunday. and the Cuhans husled them
selves in making into small packages the
munitions of war. for greater facility IN
landing. The Bermuda passed Turks ISL
and on the morning OF the I'D. and on Tues
day. the Goth. hove 10 three miles OF shore,
about seven miles OF Baracoa, in the south
east end OF Cuba IL was an anxious time
for the CubaDs A reconnoitering party
consisting OF volunteers from the ship's
crew. including the New York pilot and
i've Cubans. commanded by ore OF the
ships officers. went ashore. A signal had
been arranged with the ship. II the recon-
noitering party found nothing suspicious
the signal was % be given for lowering the
boats before making landing. Fortune
favored the expedition. The discipline was
excellent and In a remarkably short time
the cargo and men were safely on shore.
I. was o'clock In the morning when the
last load LEFT the ship.
up in the blue sky the moon was shin
ing brightly. and the stars shore glorious
ly. The hearts Of those on shore beat high
when they saw each little cargo come 81
lently and swiftly from the ship 20 the
shore As boat after boat unloaded SIS
cargo there was a disposition 80 cheer.
but this WAS checked by the officers. who
could not AFFORD 10 let their comrades lead
them into danger.
1T waa well for Us that all our move
ments az this critical time were character
ixed with the utmost caution. Not a word
was spoken as the men and arms were
landed. Seven miles away. IN PARAGON
harhor, lay SIX Spanish cruisers. and the
slightest hlgnier would have imrerlled all
| our lives
Tho officer concluded his narrative by
| stating that thirty minutes after the Gu
| bans marched Inland and the Bermutr.
got under way again. a Spanish man-oS-
war came from the harhor and began
throwing her searchlight across the sea.
Again fortune favored the Bermuda. ant
| she escaped unnot;ced.