The Indianapolis journal., 1898-07-04
SIX MEN FROM GOMEZ
HUNGRY CUBAN ENJOYS PICKED
UP AT SEA REACH KEY WEST.
Reports from Daring Scouts Who Are
Able to Visit Havana With
out Being Captured.
Copyright. 1898, by the Associated Press)

KEY WEST, Fla, June 29.-Naval officers
on ships in the harbor are not hopeful of q
speedy movement against Havana The
bockadng fleet is to be strengthened by one
or more monitors. which will coal from the
collier Pompey off Cardenas. Two tugs will
keep a lookout about Cardenas, revenue
cutter will patrol the shore between Bahia
Honda and Port Cabanas, one or more ships
! will lie off Havana always. and the others
viii move along the coast between Havana
and Matanzas. Blockade duty is very dull
work; the officers have fancy names for it,
such as threading the cinder path
An idea of the equipment of Gomez's army
may be gained from looking at his officers
and men who were towed into port the
other day in little sail boat by the tug
Uncas, which picked them up off Cardenas.
Their boat had been captured from the
SpanIards and converted into a dispatch
boat. Some of the men were barefooted,
some wore canvas clothes that had been
patched with cloth that did not match, and
all were hungry looking, shaggy and un-
kept. Hardly day passes now without the
arrival of one or more messengers from
Cuba The Cuban scouts go into Havana,
Santiago sCardenas and Matanzas. They
slip away from the most carefully watched
coast and row out to our ships.
"a A Cuban in Key West wished to send
parcel to his cousin who is operating with
small band Of insurgents close to Havana
city To-day he gave the parcel to Gu
ban officer, who is going to row ashore from
one Of our ships at a point one hundred
miles east Of Havana and who will pass 1t
on to it's destination. The messenger ac-
cepted the parcel as postman would have
taken it. Probably messages could be sent
49, oifxr uvor
Recently a Cuban lieutenant, carrying dis
patches, after long waiting on key near
Cardenas, sighten a small American war
vessel, rowed out to her and asked to be
taken to Commodore Watson, who, he said,
AYouId give him transportation to Key West
mo. sir, you can't come aboard. How
DO know that you are not Spanish spy?
the commander Of the war ship said. The
lieutenant, who spoke English very well.
sxpostulated and argued, but all in vain
T1e was compelled to row ashore and wait
till the next day, when another war ship
hove in sight. Her captain knew him and
got him passage to Key West.
The six ENJOYS from Gomez had stuffy
little cabin on their boat, which was about
fifteen feet long. They had rude cooking
apparatus in which they roasted sweet pota-
toes. Their provisions were bag of sweet
potatoes and a large bottle of fresh water
that must have got very warm on their voy-
age. They had few sticks of wood to cook
with. When they arrived here they were
taken In charge by the local Junto and quar-
tered in rooms over the Ell Polaco restau-
rant. Here all the Cuban couriers and spies
makeatheir headquarters while in Key West.
The rooms are small and hot and the beds
Z not look very inviting. After man
Mas 0een slsepiEg in the bush a few months
sais place. with white sheets on the beds,
aaAslsls like the Waldorf to u.s." one of the
N.r.van messengers saiu to reporter.
TIE Cuban conriers complain of the heat
here and say that the hills in Cuba are
much cooler. Every one who has been in
Cuba says that there are no places in that
island that compare with Tampa and Key
West for heat.
The Christian commission of the Y. M.
G. "A has opened headquarters near the
naval store for the express benefit of sailors
and marines and in giving away tracts and
testaments. The commissions rooms are
pointed out by large signs but are not
thronged with men from the ships. who find
entertainment elsewhere. The well-known
fondness of blue jackets when ashore for all
methods of travel. except walking. crops
out even mere, WDere the coral ROADS are
rough and dusty. Riding about in carriages
driven by CubaBs is inexpensive and allur-
Ing to Jack and BscsxIe lilsAAig is also a ia
. vorite sport. TherS are 49, sIaDs~s where
horses are kept for ;sre else the sailors
would undoubtedly turn G1uestrians and
gailop about the little islauQ. The colored
boot blacks are well patronlpu0 by the man.
of-war's men, who take ssv~I satisfaction
IN gruz1y instructing the bsvs now to shiDe
shoes The saloons which bid for the sail
ors' patronage are tough and ill-smelling
es any one In New York Bowery and get
a good deal of money out of poor Jack.
Some of the sailors who have shore leave
owe. night are either without means TO hire
a room when 1t is time to turn in. or else
consid1r such expenditures needless. These
gather about the base of the soldiers monu-
N ment IN q triangle opposite the naval stores
ard sleep on the grass. 1t is the monument
that draws them there. not the grass which
Is ie:d Nth coal dust.
Tie disorders in Key West last month
which gavs so much pain TO English cor
respondent, were due to Colonel Hunt
ington's marines. who have just been fight
ing so yalantly at Guantanamo. These ma
rfnes had been cooped up on the Panther
fcr several nscaths and when they went
INTO hot camp ashore were restless. When