The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-08


turesaue industry. Many resident OF
kss West and Havana Laid the formation
OF bis fortune ~ means OF the secret sx-
change Of rum and tobacco. for nssaf. ars-
arms and ammunition, at midnight on
board Of swift calling boats that nss mid
way In the Florida straits. and we're hack
home again tn "A few hours Sitn their car
goes Of contTabana goods.
In the spring Of lsss the writer Sas TAX
ing = .sisueiy trip among the Florida keys
with Key West as headquarters. HE had
heard that smuggling was going on. He
knew that certain elgarmaksfs OF Key
West and Tampa were undertaking the
market In certain lines Of cigars. made
from Cuban tobacco. Ruuacr had II tsfaf
Cuban rum WAS popular poor mans
drink on account Of its cheapness, despite
the fact OF a high United States revenue
tax. But inquiry was az first frui:iess.
Smuggling Oh. no. Look at that rev.
enue cutter out yonderi She's bere TO put
= stop To anything VI that kind"
But IL 40 happened that a cestaln BAHIA
man guide and spongsr. with whom the
writer had established confidential reia-
tioas on recent fishing trip tn Meta
Cunba and cudjo's Keys, turned oracle.
You want fin out hos 10 snlngg.e. en-?
Well. seh, you come with me tomorrow.
We go see Stingaree Ben. RTIns long bot
tie good con whiskcy. Itsr get tired OF
rum now and then
50 I went with him. He called himself
BILLY Key West, and he owned ainsy
sponsing sicop In which we two set forth
the following morning. heading westerly
and favored by fair Wind. Key West,
tts hafbor. and the clustering shipping
were soon left behind as we crossed the
broad channel. beyond which were strung
few isolated sand banks that terminated
finally al Dry Tostugas. sixty miles away.
firerhours sail brought US ia -stingaree
Ben's headquarters. Like Crasoe. be
seemed to he monarch OF all he surveyed.
bnt. aside. from salt water IL Was not
much. A small hut made OF stray lumber
washed up by the sea, stood In the center
Of u small. sandy key. which WAS entirely
destitute OF any vegetation whatever. A
small sloop rode at anchor within an outer
line OF surf. while leu himself. Ratchet In
hand. was diyeatiua large green turtle
OF iss shell. was introduced by Billy Key
West as lone OF them northern Yankees
and q mighty good Judge of ruUi.'
Al first Ben was dubious as regarded my
accompanying him, but the corn whiskey
conquered He cooked us q good dinner.
consisting of turtle steak. stewed muiet.
ho1a4ay. slap Jacks and the inevitable black
cofyee--how they do love coffee down
there! Then Hen insisted on my taking
NAP.
I'VE win start at moon up said he.
'and you won't get much saesp after that
I slept several hours When woke up
and went out 7 found the two men trans
ferring packages OF ammunition from
Hlily's boat 10 Bsn's sioop. A false bot
tom and forward lockers had hitherto con-
ceaiad them from my eyes. This task ae-
conpiished. the two came ashore In
dfngy entered the hut and raised Up some
Of the flooring. disclosing quite cellar
below. Prem this place they brought forth
more ammunition. and a gosstilY number OF
repeating rides In eases. There were also
bundles OF maehet.s, together With a
Eooiiy store of reviewers. The Cuban
revolution was then In fua swing. and FIRE
arms and ether munitions Of war were in
corresponding demand.
After hearty supper We hoisfed sail
3sasf as the moon rose. and So forth. iaav-
ing hens Possessions and Esils's boat to
take care of themselves as II seemed.
Nobody bother EN- auoth silly. Il
don't know OF a house on the Keys. out
side OF Key West. that has locks on the
doors"
whsch Mas true enough These denlxfns
Of tha Keys. eoncherw. sroagsss and wreck
erS win cheat you IN, trade or plumber
n wrecked dcrelict. vet they viii not steal
at least not from one another.
I6e night was tasaFttSasN SiDuUS. WITH inc
wind sufsciemtty forward 90 put uS or a
close haul Hut Ssingaree Hen's s.oop had
. centeraoard and was geoa saier on
the wind FoY several hours We hes tsd
south Ny southwest into th. waste uf WA
terra ana the writer bsgan 10 wcnsser how
n was possible. under such esrcaus-
staneea for two boats. rrorstns toward
each ether. To ever meet unsess hy acct
dent
1t ~ 1sas.
p'anasorisy sweii. when she drops cut ot
Sigh. behind as. we'll catch a xssnpsc ~
M~nrnass Hight ahead. Its on n Key 81
tho coast az c'sstsa. THEN show tight
ard II that san't work we IRE o1 red
rocket IL tother beat fatchss Alligator
asare we 40 Meneries. she does the ~aHae.
We steer by compass and We aim "a meet
about midnight. and we generally do. II
the weather 10 shsSk or bal VS. Tag OF ana
on and walt for t'esasr haat. 'fasn't oftaa
Wa miss fsre and have to 50 hack without
seesu' each ether"
Halt an hour later - fa3at. distant, red.
aisa flash sese sfp ia ~ ssssa&-csFvls eff she
ssashoaxa bow. f8tlty Key West drew
forth a iong ssins object. ~hsea ne g.,Aatai
In holder forward Of TIE taas1- II WAS a
racSes
.'Tsas felier's ahsaa Of Us" ssl8 Isea. rs
Hsliy touched The rocket cTg 'Ne wot'
have 90 wal, toat&hi"
A sight was displayed ~ taa masthead
and after several ga auius fssf her NasssnE
Ne couta a similar ssgn1 hosss ~ UTsea
tire SSH tnvaSIAse heat sass Vas approach
lag. Aaa2s the Same time We Fetla tssSs
make oasf tNe revolving fash 1sEST cn ksy
ainneysiaK ga xAa sssSsheTB ksssFa, T'sn
rAtmasas LATER the tao hs#ts ~ere a3ssse-
sAss each GfA@f. ant 8 taFsstesi sraFsger =.
carEDeS vas lsseu aTss accomplished s.s,
der eetne tllsnaIisY cwfrE - she rs8xa
water a saast private s>SssSos w8z tAse
hsssA tsEwx@n 1en @"1 the s'gstsan eers-
rAassagaw gA~ cEhFg srCAJ. ssrssg a71saa sns
esiiak or gssasl was tssslas - aEs4sass As&S-
tnst we east ~ ans ts~sAtt osaF TvEssss Yssy-
age. Rh$le tae s<sat fyosa kessA sI@ssssy
fa3ea Ernsn sEsat
sas;na thas ws Sgrs raw taa4es Nsfh
rssza. sn tes~Esliea ssxS. alta s<xAsx n
A~Ezsseg 5e8tIy sealed sssxs. aEss sssE9szsss1 20
hscsa 81 sfsssH sAzles pzF e@sasTa eaFss
WAS nush hllhSes tkSn tar uss @x ast
taken eat.
'-rasge'e money sn s." sAs3 Saaz. '~T'azi
rum Is wessa s.~se = GAVIN u Asy West