Evening journal., 1897-01-06
ARMS FOR CUBA LAND led
Insurgents Get Fifteen Boat
loads Of War Material.
wEATHERBD AsEvERB GULF STORM

Voyage, but Finally succeeded In Es-
Gaping the Fury of the Elements and
Outwitting the Spanish Patrol Boats.
NEW YORK, Jan. 6.-The Herald's cor
respondent sends the following from the
uorth coast of Cuba, via Key West:
My last dispatch, dated on New Years
Jay, written on the eve Of our departure
from Pine key, one OF the chain of islands
extending from Cape Florida to Tortugas,
was cabled TO you, as this will be, via Key
West and detailed the fright which the
arrival of two small steam vessels gave us
while we were engaged in transferring the
cargo OF arms and ammunition from shore
20 the steamer sent TO convey MS TO Cuba.
Still another sensation awaited us before
getting away. Just before sundown the
lookout aloft reported that steamer was
rapidly approaching us from the eastward.
To add TO our dismay she was announced
as a sidewheeler, and 1t was believed she
was the revenue cutter Mclane
Knowing we could easily run away from
her, we made preparations TO slip anchor
and under "A full head OF steam make for
the gulf, when it was ascertained she was
a passenger steamer bound lOr Key West
From her we learned however, that the
cruiser Newark was at Cape Florida, evil
IDENTIFY searching for us.
Upon the receipt of this information, as
the arms, ammunition and AZ men COM
prising the expedition were already abonrd
and everything in readiness, we hurriedly
hoisted anchor, and, with strong gale
blowing from the northeast headed for
the gulf via the Bahia Honda channel
Then we steamed west southwest, giving
the Florida coast wide berth 20 eyade
fI..s 20
intercept us. We had already evidence that
our whereabouts, while in hiding on the
keys during the past week, was known to
the inhabitants of the latter city
The awful experience we had passed
through on our previous trip was renewed
and even intensified on this voyage The
elements appeared TO have combined
against us. Shipmasters who have navi-
gated the waters of the gulf during the
prevalence for several days of a northeast
erly gale can alone appreciate our miscra-
bic condition.
The waves ran mountains high, while
/ the seas constantly swept our little steam
er from stem TO stern. Every timber creak-
/ cd, and il was feared that the great vol
ume of water washing over the deck and
pouring into the hold would certainly
swamp us.
Sunerings of Those on Board.
1t will require no great stretch Of the
Imagination TO picture the deplorablo con-
dition of the ~ inexperienced persons
aboard our little tug, huddled together
! within the close confines of her hold, toss
ed about with the heavy cases Of ammuni-
tlon, suffering the miseries Of nal de NOR
and expecting every minute to be sent TO
| our doom without the possibility of any
| assistance reaching us. The lights aboard
had been extinguished to avoid discovery.
Such was our experience during the
l night of Jan I. The dawn of morning,
which was never more anxiously awaited,
only tended to reveal the terrors we had
passed through and to show the manifold
dangers that still threatened our little
craft Tho wind kept increasing, but We
continued on our course throughout Satur
day. Occasionally rift in the cloud.
would reveal the sun, looking like bis
red Opaque globe in the sky.
Some Of the most venturesome of oul
party, at the risk of being washed over
board, would crawl up on dock and olimt
up to the pilothouse, only to return
drenched and dismayed from their efforts
Thus Saturday night closed on us and
Sunday morning came without any per
ceptible abatement of the storm Every
moment the water threatened to ingull
u.s. We had eaten nothing but cold can
ned meats and crackers We had not ever
been able to light fire to make coffee.
Matters continued this way until nool
on Sunday, when the pilot stated we were
abreast of the point on the Cuban coas
where we were 90 land. A sudden turn o
the wheel brought the bow OF our steamCi
around, and we headed due south.
] ,f.., g.
moderate, almost ceased as the outlines p
the land appeared in the distance The ea
gine was slowed down, and we cautious j
approached the shore, but rememterin'
our previous experience, several glass
We're kept leveled up and down the coaf
while the lookouts aloft scanned the hoi
zon TO detect the approach of any intruL
ing steam craft.
The Place of Landing.
The place selected for our landing ir
barren beach extending for several mil.
to the eastward and westward of MS with
ont tho least vestge of vegetation obstruc,
ing the view a short distance back is
I dense forest, behind which can he seei
the green SUBMITS of the hills, whe
many hard struggles have been wage
during the last few months between Span
iards and insurgents
Satisfied at last that there were ut
; spanish coast guards in sight, our ancho
was thrown overheard, and preparation
- were made to effect q landing. We ar
: within few hundred yards Of the heacl
+ as write, one of the boats has been low
cred, and the leader Of the expedition
with four men, has gone ashore to recon
noitcr He returns shortly and report
4 everything favorable for Successful land
o ing
s Tho big Eat hottomod boats, made ez
e pressly for the purpose have been launche