Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-06-18
aetistsllansous 8eaains.
EXPLORING THE INTERIOR.
A SOUTH CAROLINIAN DISTINGUISHES
HIMSELF IN CUBA.
WENT TO COMMUNICATE WITH GOMEZ.

Lieutenant Blue, referred TO In tEe
Washington dispatch last Tuesday, is
South Carolinian from Marion county
His father was a member of the Wal
lace House. He had already distin'
guished himself in Cuba before his last
trip. The newspaper correspondents
failed to learn of his first exploit; but
in a letter to friend in Marion, he
told the story himself. His letter un'
der date of June 2, was published in
the Columbia State last Sunday, and
is as follows:
"This part of the coast is dotted
with thousands of little islands, called
Gays, and a large, deep-water bay sep,
arates the Gays from the mainland OF
Cuba. 1t was in these very Gays that
the Spanish pirates of former times
used to escape through the tortuous
and narrow channels and hide their
stolen treasure in the many caves that
are found in the islands. While hav'
ing the experience which l will short
| ly relate I was forcibly reminded o1
the piratical adventures which l de-
lighted in reading when I was boy.
"It was necessary for US to commu'
nicate with the insurgent general-in'
chief, Gomez, whose army was on the
main land. The Spanish gunboats had
free access to the deep water bay be,
tween the main land and the Gays, and
as our ship could not enter this bay
on account of the shoal water in the
Gays, the Spaniards could patrol this
bay and thereby prevent our having
communication with Gomez. l under,
took the task of running through the
Spanish lines with an armed boat crew
in order to reach Gomez's army. The
boat crew, consisting of myself in com
mand, and twelve men, left the ship q
little before sundown on the 2lst in
stant, at Santa Maria cay, which is s
miles eastward of Frances. SenoI
Jova, O Cuban commissioner and Gu
ban pilot were included in my crew oi
twelve men. AS we left the Suwanee
on our ioruney of 80 miles the crew
of the ship manned the rigging and
gave us three cheers. Many Of them
had volunteered for this expedition
but l made judicious selection, be-
cause I wanted none but the best.
"After told the men that 1 would
disnerse with official etiquette, they
spun their yarns and cracked their
Jokes with one another to their hearts
content. When one of them counted
noses and said there were thirteen in
the boat, 1 realized for the first time
that this had not occurred 20 me when
fitting out the expedition. I also real
lied that it was the 31st of the month,
another combination but knowing the
superstition of sailors, said nothing
After the remark was made there was
silence for minute when one, true to
his colors, spoke out that there are
thirteen stripes on our flag, and what
could be better emblem of prosperity
and good fortune.
ave finally reached Gomez's out
posts at 1.2O a. M, after having ex-
changed a great many private recog'
milton signals leach party wishing to
be sure that the other was not an
enemy and were received with open
arms. 1t was weird sight; but one
which caused enthusiastic applause
when 1 stepped ashore and planted
the American flag on the mainland Of
Cuba. 1t was an enthusiastic sight to
see our sailors mingle with the Cuban
soldiers, in waving their hats and Civ:
ing hearty cheers for the stars and
stripes as it foated in the glare OF the
camp fires that lighted the dark forest,
l remained at the camp only about
half an hour, as deemed it to be OF
the greatest importance to get across
the bay again and into the key (cays)
before the break of day. When we
had been sailing for about an hour one
of the men sang out, "A light over the
port bow, SIR" Every one involun-
tarily grasped his rifle. 1t was only a
moment before my worst fears were
confirmed. Almost in our path was a
Spanish gunboat. If we were taken
it would mean the cruelist kind OF
death to the Cuban patriots that were
with us and months in Spanish dun
geons for ourselves. We could not
hope for success in coping with YES
sci, one shot from which would shat
ter our frail craft into thousand
pieces. One Cuban remarked that
there was nothing left to do but turn
and run for Gomez's camp. / wavered
for an instant between two opinions.
TO 90 back meant at least days de-
lay in getting important information
to our ships outside, without making
us safe from attack. I thought of the
old saying that one might as well be
cooked for a goose as gander. Had
every oar manned in addition to our
sails, changed the course few points
so as not to pass too near the stran'
ger, and our cutter went through the
water like thing of life. The moon
had set and the night was dark, other
wise escape would have been impossi-
BILE. The gurboat just happened to
be exchanging signals or we would
not have seen her and would have run