The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-09-02

done in the mountains, and
wait for the friendly cloak of darkness.
When night came, we made long, care
full detour, away out around the suburbs
of the town, and at last had the satisfac-
ton of again reaching the river bank,
below the town, where we found good
shelter among the dense grapevines and
drift-wood. BY this time it was nearly
morning again, and, like beasts of prey,
we betook ourselves to a safe hiding
place.
During all the time we had been in
the vicinity of Columbus, we had heard
q constant, gathering sound, as of hum
dred workmen with hammers. This
noise came from near the river, where
there appeared also to be great light.
When daylight came the noise still con-
tinued, and we were near enough so that
We could see that it was caused by a
large number of workmen engaged on a
vessel, which they were covering with
iron.
The boat appeared to be very large
and of great strength, and evidently was
intended fer warlike purpose. On
closer inspection, the following night, |
found that she was a powerfully-built
gunboat, which they were evidently in
great haste 10 complete, as the hammers
Of the workmen never ceased on her,
night or day, nor for single moment
This gunboat was none other than the
rebel ram Chattahoochee, formidable
iron monster, built as an engine of de-
struction for the blockading feet in
Apalachicola Bay. The first knowledge
the Navy Department had of her was
through Wood and myself The ram,
on her first downward trip, blew up, near
the mouth of Flint River, and never
reached the gulf.
Our great anxiety now was to secure
another boat. Wood was so lame he could
not walk, and / was not much better
This delayed us here two days and nights
During the nights was proving about
up and down, trying to discover some
sort of craft that would float In my
accommodating about the gunboat / had
discovered an old skiff chained to a
stump, quite near and in plain sight Of
the workmen, to some of whom, no doubt
it belonged.
SECURING BOAT.
1secured stout stick for lever. anc
crept TO the stump TO which the boat wa
chained, when, watching my opportunity
/ got pry in such manner as to breaE
the lock on the chain. The lights shont
30 brightly that / could plainly see The
mems eyes, and livery much feared the,
would notice me. However, / worked
off with the boat carefully, and half az
hour after | had Mark aboard, and W,
were pulling rapidly down stream. w,
found our prize to be a leaky old con
Germ, and one of us was constantly bus,
keeping her bailed out.
After we had drifted down some miles
We spied three boats tied to the shore OF
the Alabama side of the river, and a
We had been giving our attention entirel
to the Georgians all along, We conclude,
TO trade boats on that side Of the river
provided we could secure better boa
Just as we had got loosened the one "
selected, three men with pack of dog
came down Inc hill towards us, and th
head man, evidently the owner, bega
hallooing to us, and calling us SANDER
,,1l al -
We did not stop to handy words wit
the fellows, but speedily showed all til
boats into the river, and took a cours
up the river, as though we were goin
toward Columbus. They rent the al
with curses upon our heads. In til
course OF 10 or 20 minutes they ha