The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-10-28

and have a hand. But my services are
not wanted. Younger men, and men
without families to put forward impor-
tunate claims in the event of unpleas-
ant contingencies, are to the fro0t.
Thus am shelved.
But all things come to him who waits.
And the other day my opportunity
found me out, all on the jump. Few
people, even in Kingston, have any con-
ception of the frequency of the open
boat maitland other service-that is
maintained between the Cuban insur
gents and the Jamaica junta. Now and
then an inward boat is caught and its
occupants quarantined; and occasional
ly one hears rumor of the police hav-
ing nearly captured an outward expedi-
ton. But that is not all. In point of
fact scores of boat loads of ammuni-
ton, medicines, clothing, and even
arms, have been safely shipped hence
to Cuba; and only on two occasions
have the police effected capture.
OF course, for obvious reasons, l do
not propose here entering into details
of how the oracle is worked. Suffice it
to say that one day recently was noti-
tied-after frequent applications and
many favors done-that if pleased to
take passage from certain outport on
boat that was shipping cocoanuts to a
Boston fruiter at Port Maria, the
| chances were even that | would either
see Cuba and an insurgent camp-or
fall into the hands of the police.
So, in broad daylight, within sight of
the police station, stepped into huge
punt-like craft, and, before a brisk
breeze, started for Port Maria. The ves-
| sci, an ordinary coast drogher, was
heavily laden with cocoanuts. A few
miles down the coast we landed. A
| quantity of nuts were cast ashore and
replaced by several packages, and the
native crew exchanged places with a
dozen Cubans. Then HE for the open
sea! But not before a squad of be-
lated policemen came tearing through
the bushes. The expedition had been
| discovered, but too late to stop it-as
| usual. But the cocoanut racket was ex-
ploded, and some other dodge would
| have to be invented. For every one of
these cocoanuts, except the decoys al
ready thrown away, had been carefully
scooped out and filled with rifle car
tridges.
Whilst kept out of sight, the Cubans
returned derisive replies to the calls OF
the police to return to shore. The in
spector snapped revolver at us, and
the bullet whistled over our head as the
sail was tapping to catch the breeze
Instantly a dozen rifles covered the as
tonished policemen, and Cuban yelled
that if another shot was fired they
would blaze away. 1t was sight tc
see how those policemen vanished into
the bush.
The escape proved good augury
and, without sighting the smoke trai
of any of Spain's viglant cruisers, early
in the moruing of the third day we had
the Cuban shore high ahead of us.
now found that our destination was al
point along the Santiago coast, anc
that we were carrying 100000 cart
ridges, a small lot of clothing, medi
cines and delicacies for Calixto Garcia
aud important mail and later cable dis
matches from New York. What {
scoop for the Dons if they had caugh
us! And they very nearly did, too. a!
the sequel will show.
1t was late in the afternoon when W,
made the shore, through verita bl'
labyrinth Of coral reefs, and beechet
the unwieldy punt on long stretch o
sandy beach. Instantly all hands com
. menced to tumble the cocoanuts ant
packages ashore, whilst the leader o
the party sent up rocket that traile'
high above the trees that grew densel.
. to within a few hundred yards of tn
: sea- By the time the cargo was lande'
some so Cu3ans were on hand, and