New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-22
LETT. ROMANS RISKY TRIP.
.,ou NE LANDED IN CUBA. SAW GARCIA
AND RETURNED UNHURT.
,ono,Sa THE SPANISH COAST PATROL IN A
FISHING sAACK-sAILING BACK IN

,oDcISG THE SPANISH SOASI PATROL IN a
FISHING sAACK-sAILING BACK IN
AN OPEN BOAT.
,veoN A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.l
ran,pa. Fla. May 21.-The fortune Of war has
-, 20 now given the Army little real service. so
lieutenant A. 5. Rowans comrades are envyng
rim FOR his exploit in bearing messages TO and
,,on, General CaiXto Garcia. in the Province OF
santiago de Cuba 1t was an undertaking full OF
,.rl. and as the Geographic dispatches have in
dIcated. completely successful
When Lieutenant Rowan reached Tampa on
NJ. way back to Washington he looked mis- part
~ A Secret Service man. His clothing OF
thin material wrinkled. and not especially we'll
S,ting His hat lent a sinister cast 10 his feat
ures II was panama. with the brim dropping
INTO a semi-circle His dark eyes and complexion
are all the darker in the shade of his hat-you
are not quite that you see his eyes at all
The face is broad at the forehead and cheeks
hut narrows sharply to the chin. The jaws are
promirent Altogether, the Lieutenant looks
much like a stage Secret Service man that it is
surprising be should be able one in real life
The time hasn't yet come TO describe Lieuten-
ant Rowan's trip in detail. To do might en-
harrass similar expeditions. He was stationed in
the Bureau Of Military Information at Washing
amen; in surveying a route for the Interconti-
mental Railway. in Central America. had given
him knowledge Of Spanish which had some
thing 70 do with his selection. His departure
from Kingston. Jamaica. on April % Three
sailors. s;anch Cuban patriots took him in A
little fishing smack. Their captain vas making
hi, thirteenth trip to Cuba in behalf Of the in
surgents. AS they neared the coast they kept up
sharp lookout for the Spanish lancha which
was patrolling that section Of the shore. These
,anchas are tiny st .arnboats tugs. mounted
with guns on the search for hlibusters. With
SPANISH forn1ality and stupidity they cover their
route at regular intervals. The Cubans have hg-
ured out jus, when they are due at given
place. and govern themselves accordingly OF
course there is always a risk Of the lancha's ir-
regularity. and calm may upset all calculations
OF the sailhoat's captain.
Lieutenant Rowan and his crew had simple
plan Of what they should do II sighted by
lancha. They would loose the sheet and conceal
themselves in the bottom Of their boat. with re-
yolvcrs and rifles cooked. When the Spaniards
came alongside TO investigate four men would
have leaped up and certain number or the
enemy would ave been out OF the way. There
was no use In calculating the outcome, whether
the surprise would have enabled them. or some
Of them. to get board the lancha- Capture
meant death and IL was Just we'll 70 have
company. That was all.
This time the lancha was at another part OF
her patrol Furthermore the first persons met
on shore were Cuban patriots engaged IN ex-
tracing salt from sea water for Garcia's men
The boat was dsmasted and hidden in man
grove swamp. A Ave days search. on horses
furnished by Cubans brought the party 10 Gen
eral Garcia who had just entered Bayamo. Bust
ness with him transacted. the Lieutenant start
ed on his return to the United States. With him
came two of -Garcia's officers and three sailors
On the north coast an open lfeooat about nfteen
feet long. doubtless lost from some passing YES
sell was obtained. Two sails were rugged up out
Of canvas hammock canopy and food was Sc
cured The boat was showed on al II o'clock one
night her prov headed for Nassau About q
a. m twelve vessels Of Admiral Simpsons feet
were seen to the south. bound for the lombard
ment Of San Juan. Had the lifeboat sailed an
hour later. her occupants would have been
picked up by the war vessels.
As il was they continued their voyage north.
Most of their food spoiled and had to he thrown
overheard They managed TO subsst on baked
sweet potatoes and water. on the fourth day
they came upon a sponging schooner with
crew Of thirteen Nassau negroes. These would
have been pardone6 some surprise and Few
Questions Of inquiry about what six men were
dong out al sea in a rowboat with improvised
sails But they showed absolutely no curiosity.
They took the party board just as farmer
would give a stranger lit on country road
A hiding place was found for their boat on
coral reef ard day later Nassau vas reached.
The journey was made musical with two accor-
dons of so atrocious a nature that Lieutenant
Rowan almost lonsed for the open boat and the
sweet potato diet.
From Nassau his Journey 70 Key West Tampa
and Washington was easy. He hopes soon 10 re-
Join his regiment the 10Th Infantry. and have a
e. al the Spaniards.
TWO YEARS WITH THE INSURGENTS.
TWO YOUNG BALTIMORE MEN HAD SOME Elk