The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-08
news of any beleaguered ones was recel

news of any beleaguered ones was received
until late in the evening.
/ The course pursued by the fleet was
| comparatively free from trees bushes
| wire fences and other aggravating OBJ
structions and the current and breeze
being favorable unusually good time was
made The boats kept together very well
/ during the afternoon with the exception
I of one skin very inaptly named dewey,
which behaved very badly aud fell rapidly
behind until 1t was learned that by weight
{ ing her bow and tanning her nose into
the water her speed could "a greatly ac-
celebrated. Another boat-that manned by
Shaw and Thompson-went wide OF the
course as a result OF misunderstood or
der from the Flagship and did not ar
rive al the gin house until some time
after the remainder of the fleet
| The scenes along the route were prac-
| tically the same as those which have al
ready been described in The Post, Utter
devastation were everywhere There were
ruined homes and suffering animals on
all sides. Efforts were frequently made
to rescue dumb sufferers from precarous
positions on hCusetops. on logs and fences
and in trees. but most of them seemed to
prefer to brave the dangers of the bound
less waters, of which they had already had
a taste, rather than trust themselves I,
their natural protectors and thus in their
animal opinions. fly to woes If which they
knew not However. several cats. dog
or two, numerous chickens and a turkey
were captured and placed in the boats
An were rayenously hungry ana ate with
extreme avidity almost anything offered
them in the way OF fond
Other than these frequent illustrations
Of The sufferings OF animals and few in
terruptions caused by unlocked fog coll
lisions with sunllen objects, the trip TO
P1us Gin was prmctically without incl
dent. About sunset large barn on the
ridge pole OF wNoch hell had been placed
for the puspose. probably, of calling the
laborers TO their meals. was passed. Think
ing that this might prove Of service IN
attracting attention the largest skiff lay
alongside and the hell was sounded vigor-
ously. There were 10 results.
And then, at sunset, when Mr. Bennes
was beginning to express the opinion that
the presence OF several feet of water OH
the bottoms had considerable effect on
the knowledge OF n guide, the roof and the
smokestack Of Pauls' gin appeared. be-
yond was the store Of Messrs. Bassett &
Winston and the surrounding houses
which made up the hamlet OF Simonton.
The doors OF the upper story of the gin
house were seen 10 he crowded with
negroes and a cheer went up from the re-
lief party when they realized that the OBJ
iect Of their Journey was about TO be at
tanned
The negroes stared stolidly and In sill
enco as tho feet approached.
do you want to go to tho prairie?"
hailed the pilot.
"Yassuh. "Nossuh." were the mingled
replies. Neither the negatives nor the
ALTERNATIVES betrayed any amount OF feel
ing in the matter.
When the room was entered by the re,
lief party some eighteen or twenty men,
women ana children were found in va
ate o n,,If A
large vessel OF chicken meat was simmer
Ing on an improvlsed stove and the refu-
gees seemed 10 be well supplied with food
or the bunch only eight decided TO al
low themselves TO be taken 10 the prairie.
The others. for various reasons. preferred
TO wait until morning. thus causing the
boats another trip. Nothing short OF a
brace OF sixshooters would have altered
this determination. Moral persuasion went
for naught, and, there being nothing else
to do. the eight reasonable people were
loaded into two of the boats which started
for what Is known as Little Prairie.
about mile and a half distant, leaving
the remainder Of the fleet TO proceed to
the Bessett & Winston store and establish
a camp for the night.
The lower story of the store building,
which Is the most pretentious in that sec
ton. was found to be only partially inun-
dated. the stock Of groceries, etc, being
oN HlEn sntlft9 hut vi the Ttdtu Oh
the water. Mr.. BasGett's pretty two story
residence, only short distance from tho
store. was found TO be in very bad con-
dition, the lower foor being covered en-
tirely with water. All OF the furniture.
with the exception OF a fine plano. had
been removed upstarA The piano had
originally been hoated on barrels, which
bad however. filled and allowed their bur-
den to sink In two or three feet OF water
Mr.. Bassett is one Of the largest losers
in the bottoms. his plantation. aggregat-
ing some 5000 acres. being completely in
undated. His yearly contribution OF a
bale OF cotton to the De Pelchin Faith
home has made him very well known here.
and his misfortune is greatly regretted by
his numerous friends He went to Full
shear with his family on Wednesday and
Is now confined TO his bed by an attack OF
illness
On the return OF the boats which had
gone to thu prairle the relief marty ata "a |