The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-22

was under military law, and every road
was picketed, SO that escape was next to
impossible. ] had been compelled to sell
my horse TO pay expenses while sick. get
ting but SIS for an animal worth at least
500, and was walking along the levee
little disconsolate when ! saw a little
steamboat called the William Henry, and
Immediately went on board of her.
Looking around | saw the carpenter at
work on the bow, and ! stepped up to
him and inquired he wanted any help,
telling him / would assist him down to
Napoleon for my fare. To this PROPOSE
ton he readily asSented, remarking that
he always liked to have help when there
was work TO do
While was talking to him he stuck the
foot adze into his foot, and cut the big toe
almost loose from his left foot The blood
flowed profuseiy, and at once set myself
TO work and bandaGed up the wound in
the presence of the Captain and Mate,
and he was sent to the hospital immedi-
ateiy- As soon as this was done the Cap
tain turned to me and said
Young man, a you ship carpenter"
They call me one, replied.
'Do you want to shipf" was his next
question.
YES. for a while" was my response.
Then go to work, said he and I'll
give you SIS a month and fare in the
cabin
III do it," was my response, cas- long
as like the boat, and III tell you how ]
like It at Napoleon"
GUERRILLA LEADER.
He was satisfied, and turned away while
] went on shore for my outfit. At the
tavern / found no one but q negro clerk
to whom paid my bill and as he had too
much manners TO be inQuisitive ! left
the house without being reported to the
police: the hotels being required to re-
Is IF 70 no
military authorities.
Once more on the boat, she soon showed
out, and began TO feel tolerably safe I
found there would be plenty of work all
the time, but as j had never been a car
penter, never having worked a stroke on
either house or boat in my life, ] was a
little afraid j should not be able to sus-
tain myself in that capacity
"A still tongue makes a wise head ."
was my motto then. for ! did not know
the technical terms used by carpenters or
boatsmen. ! did not know, even, all the
names OF the tools furnished me to work
with, so II was manifestiy to my interest
10 preserve silence. I went 10 work. how
ever, with confidence and energy, resolved
u they found out how little knew il should
be by observation and not from anything
j might say. The work must have been
creditabiy done, for I heard the Captain
boast TO the pilot that l was the best
chip he ever had.
u
officer named Harrison, who come down to
see me. he was a reckless man, a
planter, who seemed to care little for
money, and | may add for anything else.
He SAID he wanted to raise a company of
gueHliias for the purpose of carrying the
war into Africa" and that he wanted
young men who were not afraid to follow
him., and intended TO go right into the
Northern States.
This boast may be a little amusing, but
MI Harrison was not the only one who at
that time INDUCED in such Authorizations
and who entertained such wild hopes
he intended, he said, when he got into
the Northern States, 10 go for all that
was in sight, and let the tail go with the
hide told him he was lust the man TO
suit me, bat ! WIS engaged on the boat
and could not quit her; his was the sort
OF service ! liked, but | could not 90 into
1t now, at least, until the Captain could get
another chip but in the event that
enlisted would have preference for his
company, and TO make him believe was
serious took his address,
He was one OF the men who accom-
panied Lopez to Cuba, and said he had
been IN two fights on that island in an
hour ana a quarter. He was satisfied 10
take my name as | gave it-Fitzhugh
he would stand and talk TO me and the
other boat hands by the hour, and often
puzzled me by his sudden and almost in
ex iicable questions.
At Napoleon | sawed out FIVE large