Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1896-04-16

udN DuDllontS ilC lOliONlh NOllNbliciANp
ence under date of Puerto Cortez, Hon
duras;
The steamer Bermuda, which was de
tanned in New York harbor on Feb
ruary "a as she was preparing to leave
for Cuba with large and enthusiastic
party of patriots and an ample supply
of arms and ammunition, has arrived
here The story of her voyage ending
in the safe Decentralization of the I'LL
busterers and their armament bristles
with dramatic incident. The log waa
read by one of the officers of the ship
who told his story in Il matter-of-fac
way, which rather served to intensity
than dull its interest.
"I'll tell you the story" said he, "be
ginning with cur departure from New
York harbor. You know that on Sat
urday, March IA, we lay at anchor of
Bedloe's Island. We had some troublf
in engaging crew, owing to the pre-
yious difficulty with the United States
authorities, but after we got our agent
at work the whole thing went beautifu'
ly. Sunday morning following we
weighed anchor and slipped through
the nnrrows During the night of MOL
day, March 49, we went up and down
the coast at half speed and when day
dawned the Bermuda was changed
ship. Men had been set to work i'll the
night TO change her red funnel to
black. This was necessary TO avoid
immediate Identification in case we
should fall in with any Spanish man
of-war. Subsequent events proved that
the caution was well taken
The sun rose brilliantly, as if in IA
vor of our enterprise, and as the sea
was frightening under his first rays
our hearts sank like lead ut the Sight
presented few miles seward
There in tie half light lay a big
Spanish man-of-war,
"SIe seemed not over two miles
away and l do not yet know how 1t
was how she let us so by unchal-
lenged. We did nothing but watch
her apprehensively until she sank out
of our view on the edge of the horizon.
Tuesday morning the Bermuda cast
anchor off Assatefue Island, Va, and
took ON quantity of lumber, eight
boats and four seamen. The seamen
!. were badly needed In the afternoon
she was heading northwald agai1.
Next day the Bermuda came to anchor
early in the morning off Atlantic City.
Here General Garcia came on board
with seventy-two Cubans and among
them was Senior Nunez. In half an
hour she was heading southwark with
her band of Cubans, who were in good
spirits.
III ,,.Nll 4
stiff southerly gale blew up. The fol-
lowing day the gale increased and the
waves ran still higher: the ship la
bored considerably and then a marked
change came over the landsmen-they
were dreadfully seasick. On Saturday
the weather moderatl d, but the engines
broke down twice that day, once ia the
morning and once in the afternoon
This caused a delay of four hours.
During the lull the arms and ammuni-
ton were brought ON deck and dis
tribnted to the Cubans.
y Zine weather and a smooth sea
ushered in the Sabbath and the Gu
bans busted themselves in making into
small packages the munitions of war,
for greater facility in landing.
ON Tuesday, the oath, we hove to
three miles off shore, about seven miles
west of Baracoa, in the southeastern
end of Cuba.
1T was an anxious time for the Gu
bans. "A accommodating party COM
posed OF volunteers from the ships
crew, including the New York pilot and
nye seamen, the whole commanded by
one OF the ships officers, went ashore.
"A signal had been arranged with
the ship. If the accommodating party
found nothing suspicious the signal
was to be given for lowering the boats
and electing landing. Fortune IA
vored the expedition. The discipline
was excellent, and in a remarkably
snort time the cargo and the men were
safely ashore. 1t was 2 o'clock in the
morning when the last boatload left
the vessel.
up in the deep blue sky the moon
was shining brightly and the stars
shone gloriously. The hearts of those
ON shore beat gladly when they saw
each boat come silently and swiftly
from the ship. When the boat unload
ed there was disposition to cheer. but
Inis disposition was checked by those
VINO could not afford to let the enthusi-
asm OF their comrades lead them into
eanser Wnich II was not necessary to
race just then.
s,,or.. US "eh lof US tnat all our
movements at this critical time were
characterized by the utmost silence
ana that no word was spoken as tbe
men and arms We're landed for less
snan seven miles away in Baracoa
naIpor SIX Spanish cruisers were lying.
anu tne slightest blunder would have
imperilled all our lives" 80
me oIncer concluded his narrative nv
Sthtlng that 30 minutes afteh +ba ~,
Dams marched inland and tbe Rern,,da