Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-08-11
Running The Gauntlet.

l found myself, a few years ago, in
port on the west coast Of South
America during one Of those revolu
tons which seem so characteristic Of
the South American republics. l was
then an assistant engineer on the
United States cruiser San Francisco
The port was still in the hands Of
the forces of the recognized govern
ment; but the revolutionists had been
making recent gains in places not far
away, and our admiral, in order to
protect American interests, had
brought his little fleet, consisting of
the San Francisco, the Baltimore
and the Pensacola, into the harbor
English, French and German men
of-war were also present.
The city lies on the shore of a
broad, deep bay. Across the harbor
lies a summer resort, once very pop
ular, but at the time Of which I
write little freouented.
The distance from the city to the
summer resort is only four or five
miles in a direct line, but twice as
far around the coast Of the bay. A
railroad connected the two places
and it is Of a remarkable ride that
took on locomotive over this road
that l wish to tell.
l had considerable leisure while we
were in port, and as wished to &C.
Quire a knowledge of the Spanish
language, l spent as much time as
possible ashore, mingling with the in
habitants and soldiers, noting their
accent and idioms. Among the men
whose acquaintance / made in this
way was William McDougal, better
known as "Scotty," a grizzled, hard
headed, muscular and we'll preserved
Scotchman, who, although he had
been in the country twenty years,
still spoke Spanish badly. He was
engineer in charge of one Of the loco
motives running between the harbor
and the old summer resort.
I had frequently ridden with him
on his engine, and had derived con-
siderable amusement from his gruff
talk and the picturesque vituperation
he showered upon his native fireman,
who, however, understood not a word
of it ALL
For several weeks there had been
daily fright on shore over the ex-
pected attack by the revolutionary
fleet, which was known to be only
sixty miles away. The troops were
drilling, and gun had been mounted
on point commanding the harbor.
To restore public confidence the gov
eminent officials decided upon a
grand review of the troops, to be held
at the old summer resort, and on the
appointed day / rode over there from
the port with Scotty, his engine slowly
pulling a long train of fiat cars
crowded with soldiers.
The men were good looking fellows,
we'll uniformed, the very flower of the
government army, many of them be-
ing veterans of an earlier war. l re-
marked to Scotty that they should
make a good fight.
a guide fight, dye say?' replied
Scotty, Eye dinna ken the cattle. If
tha' Donna Maria shows her nose
aroun' yon point" Indicating the
northern entrance Of the bay, ''there'll
be great scattering"
The Donna Maria as we'll as nearly
all the other vessels of the re-
public, was in the possession of the
revolutionary party.
After the review in the afternoon
was over hurried back to the station,
and caught Scottys engine just as it
was starting back to the port with the
first train-load of returning troops.
On the engine was government col
onel and some of the field officers of
his regiment. I was in civilian cloth
ing, and as l swung up into the gang
way, the colonel, in a pompOus and
bombastic manner, inquired of Scotty
why l was there.
amigo de mio,'-friend of NINE
said the laconic Scotty, and further
explained in very poor Spanish that
I was an Official abordo ell buque de
guerra San Francisco
At this the colonel relaxed. He and
I were soon engaged in conversation
an opportunity of which he awaited
himself to impress on me the absolute
absurdity of any naval force attack
ing with any hope of success place
garrisoned by soldiers SO brave as his
own, especially when commanded by
an officer so valiant as himself. All
his fierce gesticulations and grandilo-
quent expressions were closely fol
lowed and tacitly applaude6 ~ his
fellow officers; but while these terri
BILE warriors were Boosting of their
valor, Scotty sat silently on his cab
seat.
The pull was upgrade for the first
two miles. and the train moved
slowly. The track was but a few feet
above the water of the bay, which it
skirted all the way to the port station.
Looking seward. I noticed the smoke
of q steamer rising from behind the
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