The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-11-24


alongside Capt. Breen at the wheel. (
The engineer and fireman had their or
ders, which were 20 get every bit of /
speed possible. The Cubans came UP /
and lay about the deck. talking in whis- /
pers. The Rover was headed for the |
coast and went ahead al full speed. The
full moon rose an hour after dark,
which was in our favor, because it en-
abled the pilot to make out certain land |
marks along the shore by which he had
TO steer.
"The scene, as we raced down the
coast was a grand one. On our right
rose the dense Cuban forest, black as
night, IN the distance. To the left a
smooth sea stretched away to the hori-
zon, and under the clear moonlight it
looked like great lobe of solid silver.
The Rover was throbbing like thing
Of life, and we seemed to be flying
through the. smooth water. Lookouts
were stationed fore and aft to keep
watch for Spanish gunboats, although
the Cubans had assurances that this
part Of the coast was not patroled, ex-
cept at rare intervals.
ut was nearly ten o'clock when we
entered a narrow channel between the
mainland of Cuba and a low reef or
key. For a few miles the vision OF
moonlit water was broken, and at times
we were blowing along in the very
shadow OF the trees on shore. Accord
ing to our charts and pilot we would
pass narrow inlet at the end of this
channel, and five miles beyond would
enter the bay where we were to land
the expedition. The Cubans assured us
that If we got out OF the narrow and
dangerous channel safely we would
have nothing more TO fear.
eve were an hour making this in
shore tack to avoid the greater distance
around the reef. and when we reached
the open again the wind had freshened
end there was long, rolling swell COM
ing in toward the shore To the right,
beyond the inlet we had to cross range
of low hills forming a dark and grew
some background to the picture around
us. A shadow from these hills seemed
to be reflected back across the water
by the moonlight.
"When we were half way across the
inlet / heard the Cuban pilot talking to
the captain in a wildly excited manner.
Before I could gather what it was about
The captain called down to me from the
pilot house:
"'Jack, see that all the lights are put
| out, and then come up herei'
1--WE carried only one light on deck.
put that out and ran up to the pilot
house.
"'What is it p asked.
Look over to your right there,
away up in the shaded part of the inlet.
and see if you make out anything said
the captain.
II looked in the direction indicated,
and saw what appeared to be a dark OBJ
| ject on the water fully mile away,
and moving in our direction.
"'There seems to be something there,
captain. What do you make it2'
| asked.
Before he could reply there was q
flash from the dark object, followed
moment later by the sharp report of
small rifled cannon, and then we hearc
the splash Of the ball as it struck thu
water 300 yards short and 100 yards
astern.
ga Spanish gunboat. We've got t.
run for itp said the captain, ans
whistling down the tube he ordered tn
engineer to let out another notch.
"There was no use turning back, be
cause the gunboat was now as near tn
narrow channel through which we ha
passed as the Rover. The Cuban p lot
who kept his head fairly we4, assure
the captain that if he kept seraigh
ahead to the point of land then v.sib.'
and rounded that he would he IN the en-
trance to the bay, where we were I
land. and once in the shadow ther
could give the enemy the slip.
! Acting on this suggestion, we forge
ahead, and the old tug went faster tina
; she had ever gone before. by this tim
, the stokers knew that Spanish bof
was after us, and kept the boilers re-
r hot. The gunboat fired score OF sho'
/ after us, but none of them CAME clost
5 than 100 yards. and it was soon al
: parent that she was not more than
| ten-knot boat, and that we could on
G run her.
: "We rounded the point that markS
+ the enhance to the bay, with the spa
ish gunboat nearly three miles aster
a and were beginning to breathe cas-
d when a series of yells from the Cubal
l. ON deck startled everybody. They we
r. crossing themselves and pointing
d the port bow. looked in that dlrecti'
T. and III confess ! felt Il bit shaky for
l. time, because T.saw Two more boa
{. heading right into the bay, as if 10 c
u lis off.
/, "'Boat off the starboard, sir!' shout
Il one of the crew on watch.
q "'Two boats astern, sir!' cried the Q
u watch.
If ''For answer the captain began
IS swear like pirate as he rang the b
u to slow down.
" 's'Boat dead ahead, sir! Three bo;
st off the port bow, sir!' cried the forwa
rs watch.
ID "By this time the Cubans were il
complete panic. Some were crossi
u. themselves, some praying and 9th
re swearing. The men of the crew ba'
ne scared, but kept their wits well enou
ne to obey orders.
of "The situation was certainly alal
is ing. We were now well into the moi
in of the little bay, and, looking arou
yh we could see three boats on each sid'
de us, two dead ahead and two astern,
h tween the tug and the gunboat that
he been shooting at us.
at "The strangest feature of the sit
TX. ton was that not one of the ves'
ew showed a light. they had not fired a 5