Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-08-11


Capt Morgan's fleet was sighted. In
a moment there was the iveliest sort
of stir and excitement. Flags were |
taken from the ships and hoisted on
the castle and forts, and the guns were |
made ready to fire sa1utes. Everyone |
furnished up his arms and harness, and |
the ships were cleaned and made trig. |
At first the wind was contrary, but !
finally one craft and then another |
beat its way in, and before nightfall all |
had fetched the mouth of the river.
Here a rather serious misfortune hap
pened, for, what with our rejoicing
and their own pleasure and tumult,
the people of the first four of the ships
steered upon the dangerous sunken
rock, and their crafts were wrecked.
The north wind coming on to blow
completed the mishap, and it was only
by considerable exertion that all the
men and contents of the ships were
landed, the vessels themselves being
hopelessly wrecked. At last Capt.
Morgan himself stepped on shore, hav-
ing till now stuck to his ship, and at
once our men broke out in a great
cheer, and, rushing down, caught him
up and placed him on their shoulders
My companions and [ fell into the
wake of the crowd and continued on to
the castle, where at last the painting
and shouting buccaneers set Morgan
down. At the same time a final salute
of all the cannon about the place was
let off. Morgan removed his headpiece
giving a flourish of acknowledgment,
and in a few words thanked the COM
sol
surance of confidence.
There was nothing more Of note
done that day, and I saw no more of
Morgan, though L was once or twice
again on the mountain. In the morn
ing orders were given to build up the
barricades, and all the crews were
mustered and set to work. We found
the chiefs design was to make this a
strong place, that we might have a
haven of refuge in case things went
wrong at Panama.
By the end of the next day we had
the place in very fair posture for de-
tense, whereupon Morgan had US
knock off. and preparation was forth
| with made for the great expedition.
There were at this time in the river
some small Spanish vessels, named, I
| think, chatter, and these, with the four
little ships that had been there at
first. Morgan fetched up close to the
quays and armed with cannon. The
| object was to strengthen that ap-
| proach to the castle. A feet Of canoes
| that likewise had been captured, to-
| gether with the greater part of our
| boats, were then brought up to the
main quay, and when 500 men had
! been told off to garrison the castle and
| $50 more left on the ships, we entered
| the boats and the gun was fired for
starting. Capt. Brodely was still left
to keep San Lorenzo, as the castle was
| called, and looked bit rueful as he
| saw the rest of US so gay1y setting
| forth. Little did he know what was to
| happen to US, or what a desperate
thing the expedition was to be, or he
| had scarce worn so long face.
| Our command numbered just 1903
men, including Morgan himself, and
! for conveyance we had five barges, ten
| ships boats and 80 canoes. However.
| we knew that we were not to cover'the
| whole distance by water, as there must
| be some leagues of a march from the
| head of navigation to the city. Every
| plan save one was carefully made, but
| that one proved of passing Importance.
! 1t was the matter of provisions, which
Capt. Morgan thought we should take
but light supply of, as he conceived
we must be able to find a sufficiency on
| the way. On a bright and not over
warm morning, then, with flags flying
| from the stern of the boats and two
| trumpeters blowing merry blasts,
| while those on shore waved their hats
and cheered, the oars were set going
| and we started up the river.
My companions and [ were still in
| Pradey's command, not having found
| a sufficient excuse for transference.
| though indeed it made little difference.
for all the companies were as one
large one, with Morgan at the head.
That day nothing of special note
| happened. We all greatly relished the
| empowering of the woods and green
cry, after so long dwelling about the
sea, and for time the men sang and
laughed and splashed their hands in
the water like so many joyous chill
| dren.
That day we made only six leagues,
and then, as the men complained of the
| crippling of their legs consequent upon
SO long crouching in the boats, Morgan
gave the order to land, the place being
an attractive little savanna with a
| bend of the forest all about.
| The woods were now dense and the
marching soon grew so bad that Nor
gan made US halt, and after a little
talk with his~captains decided to take
again to the canoes. sending along a
| few hundred men at a time, and this,
though with great labor, was done,
and the reserve force then being
brought up, we were once more all to-
gether. The fourth day a great part
of US marched by land, being faint