The Topeka state journal., 1898-07-21
FOOD GETS IN
To Havana by Way of Batabano on
the Southern Coast.


New York, July 21.-On the Norwegian
steamship Uto, which arrived from Mexi-
can ports We're Captain Hans Christian
son and his wife and the mate and seven
seamen of the Norwegian bark Sterling,
which was wrecked off the Cuban coast on
June 20. Three other seamen, the rest of
the bark's crew, engaged berths sail
ing vessels at Progreso.
Captain Christianson said a Spanish
schooner landed him. his wife and men at
Batabano, on the south side of Cuba,
whence they were carried by rail to Ha-
vana, where they spent three days. They
returned to Batabano and put to sea on
another Spanish sailing craft. which made
the trip to the Mexican coast without
sighting an American warship.
Captain Christianson declared that sup
plies We're reaching Batabano from Yu-
catan and were being shipped across the
island to Havana The railroad over which
the provisions were sent was guarded by
detachments Of Spanish troops.
Captain Christianson sailed from his ma
tive land in the Sterling six months ago.
The trip TO Cape Town, South Africa, was
his wedding tour.
Discharging his cargo. he started for
Apalachicola, Fla, where he intended TAX
ing q load OF lumber for England In a
dense fog the Sterling was driven on the
outer edge of a series of reefs, five miles
pounded heavily against the reef and all
on board abandoned her in two life boats.
They sighted the Spanish schooner RO-
sario, well out from shore, and were taken
on board and carried tCazBatabanO.
Misery and poverty were seen every
where in BatabanO. Scores of men, wo-
men and children surrounded the stran-
gers, crying for bread. Their clothing was
in rags and all looked as if they would be-
come victims Of starvation if food was
withheld from them much longer.
1t was impossible to heed the cries of the
distressed multitude. and Mrs. Chris
tianson and the seamen passed through
the streets the supplicatfng tones gave
way to harsh shouts of -AmericanOs."
Captain Christianson decided to take his
wife and his crew to Havana because
smallpox and yellow fever had become
epidemic and they We're afraid of con-
tracing one or the other. At every sta
ton on the route were seen bodies of
Spanish troops, who peered into the train.
Arriving in Havana on June % Captain
Christianson sought the Norwegian con-
sui. who told him that the blockade was
strictly enforced and that his best chance
to leave the island was from BatabanO.
Accompanied by member of the con-
sulate the skipper made a tour of in
spectiOn about the capital. Evidences of
the besiegement were everywhere. Busi-
were sold at outrageous prices. Bread
could not be had. In it's place hard
crackers were sold. At restaurant Cap
tain Christianson paid 50 cents for two
eggs. Other provisions were even higher
in proportion. The streets were overrun
with troops and there was a drill every
day in the Prado.
Neither yellow fever nor smallpox had
broken out to any extent in the city, but
both were raging in outlying districts.
The wayfarers learned that small sail
ing craft. with experienced pilots. were
plying a lucrative traffic in carrying pas
sengers to Batabano, whence they We're
shipped by rail to Havana Having once
reached the Cuban coast from Yucatan
in safety, the small vessels hugged the
shore, the pilots using their knowledge of
the reefs and shoals to keep their craft
where a warship would be unable to fol-
low.
Another Spanish sailing craft was found
at Batabano ready to land Captain Chris
tianson and those with him on the Mexi-
can coast. The voyage was accomplish
ed as easily as if there had not been an
American man-Of-war within a hundred
miles of Cuba. Before Captain Christian
sons bark went ashore she was held up
by the auxiliary cruiser Yankee.