Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-06-16
BY JAyNEs, sHELoR, SMITH n srEorS

fears were confirmed; almost in our
path was u Spanish gunboat. If we
we were taken it would meau the
cruelest kind of death to the Cuban
patriots that were with us and months
in Spanish dungeons Tor ourselves.
We could not hope for success in
coping with a vessel, ono shot from
which would shattor our frail craft
into ,oU~and pieces. One Cuban
remarked that there was nothing left
to do h't turn and run for Gomez's
camp. | wavered for an instant
between two opinions. TO go b:tS2
meant at least days delay in get
ting important information to our
ships outside, without making us
safe from attack. l thought of the
old saying that one might as we'll be
cooked for goose rs gandcr, had
every oar manned in addition to our
sails, changed the course few points
80 as not to pass too near the stranger,
and our cutter went through tho
water like thing of life. The moon
had set and tho night was dark !;
otherwise escape would have been
impossible. The gunboat just hap
pencd to be exchanging signals with
some signal station, or we would not
have seen her and would have run
right into her arms.
The Spaniards at Cay Frances
knew about out expedition and had
signaIlcd by means of the hcliograph
to the gunboat to be on the outlook
for us. l made them pay dearly for
this the next morning.
Well, to make long story short,
we escaped from the gunboat and
got into the Gays. | had orders to
rcjoin the ship off Frances cay, which
gave me about forty y-fivc miles on the
return trip. Daybreal found us
thirty miles from the shi without q
breath of wind to fill our sales. II.
men had been pulling hard all night
and were almost exhausted. Soon
the tropical sun came out and almost
roasted us. We kept on through the
Gays. When within six miles of our
destination, as was searching every
island with my glasses l saw two
! white sails between the tree tops on
the opposite side of the island from
us. AS we kept on our course and
they did not move, concluded they
had not seen us. They had no idea
that we could be so bold as to pass
out so near Cay Frances. But they
reckoncd without their host. We
rounded the island and attacked and
captured both vessels inside of ten
minutes. 1t was the most complete
surprise | ever saw. The vessels
were anchored very near the shore,
which allowed the Spaniards chance
to escape. Amidst hail of lead
from our guns, they lowered their
boz. =, pulled ashore and went hclter-
sl e''rr through the woods. 1t was n
sight to see them run. After it was
all over, | laughed until got a pain
in my side about a big, fat Spaniard
who was left all alone on one of the
vessels without boat to get ashore
in. lie jumped overheard and | am
almost tempted to say that he was
going so fast that he ran on top of
the water, not having time to sink.
| When he got to land, there was no
doubt at all about his flying. never
saw fat man go 80 fast in all my
life before. We ran alongside the
nearest vessel and | sent q few men
on board to cut her adrift from her
moorings and get her under way and
out to sea at once while I with the
others went to the other vessel, which
was lying within SO yards of the
shore, hoisted her anchor and took
her in tow until we got away some
distance from the land, for I did not
know but at any moment we might
receive a volley from a whole rcgi-
mcnt lying in The woods close by.
For us everything was favorable
the wind and tide were exactly in the
right dircction-and within q few
minutes we we're sailing gaily out to
sea with our prizes. 1t was q blood
less victory for us, as the Spaniards
did not take time to tnrn and fire q
shot. The officer in command even
left his sword, which now have as
trophy. OF the two swords cap
tnred | gave one to Capt. Dclhanty
of our ship. We got lot of highly
priced trophies, not to mention two
Spanish flags.
You should have seen us when we
returned to the ship comparatively
speaking, little midget of a boat
bringing in two large sloops. AS we
approached tho ship we could sce