Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-02-21

l
was treated by them very courteousiy.
But an American was not a. safe In Cuba
In those days ~ he was just before the
outbreak OF the last war. Civilization
had not advanced to its present state;
slavery existed on the island In all It's
primitive cruelty, and many Of the plan
tations, with their slave drivers, remind
ed me strongly OF the story OF Uncle
Toms Cabin, which had read some years
before, for on them l always cav an Uncle
Tom, Topsy, and pack Of bloodt thirsty,
man eating hounds
| Events were continually happening to
engender bitter feeling in the Spanish
heart against Americans, and rice versa,
The general voice was for war with Spain,
and Gen. Sickies, then American min lister
in Madrid, had already asked to be re-
called, aud prepared to leave the capital
! Finaiiy, however, the matter was ad-
! iusted automatically, Tue two Ameri-
csus shog by the spaniards with Cen
/ Ryan, And Iuumas Ryan were paid Tor
| by spun and tue war cloud blew over
| But ms butter feeling toward Americans,
however, continued, and the lie OF an
| American was unsafe In that country.
| Tine fate of Ralph Keller, a newspaper
| correspondent, after the surrender OF the
'NirslnIus', undou btedly lies at the door
of the Spsuiards. He disappeared as
effectaaiis As II the earth had opened and
swallowed him up. How, why, or when
lac died his friends never knew. 1t is be-
iieyed, however, that he was snot her
| victim OF the hatred which in those DAYS
Influenced the spanish heart against every
citizen Of the United States. Poor Keller!
| | knew him weiI.h
| MIR. Kingsley while In Cuba met many
| OF the famous generals.
| Mr.. Kingsley believes that he is the
only person now living in Maine, and one
| OF the few in the United States, who ever
| travelled horseback across the island OF
Cuba from Cienfuegos to Havana.
| sometimes rode horseback, at times
| rode mule or donkey said Kings
| ley, "bnt I made the whole journey
astride ofa quadruped of some kind.
| journey by two adventures like myself.
| We were little more than three weeks
making the journey. We took rather a
| ctrcuitous route. but we saw the country,
and that was the object OF our trip. We
| didn't see snake, n lizard. nor an alli-
|
| ptons and insurgents, and hardly know
| which detested the more. We saw the
cruel marks war had made upon the sur
face Of that beautiful country as we went
devastation, piiiage and murder. on
| evsrv hand
''rhe railroad had mostly been blown
| aud torn up by the insurgents, but we
followed along the track, whenever safe
| and convenient. About every other day we
| wonif exchange horses, II we happened to
| see any shere 80 could secure thpn with
q - being discovered by their owners.
| We called it swapping horses. One of
| h 90 horse Trades nearly cost me my life.
I've were riding along one day and
| my horse seemed tired, as did the others.
| We were near htg sugar plantation, and
| there were somn fine horses grazing on
| the outskirts. A. we could see nobody
tear. We decided TO sWap horses.
| picked out a spirited looking animal and
| mou"fsf him. and MY companions fol-
| iow"d sn't ! was Just riding away. when
| a rifle crark"d from a th'cket near at
| hand Rnd | fall from nv horse seuaeiesa.
| II was @Hu1n tine before recovered. Ny
| cemuarions opened Dire upon the thicket
| veil h their reviewers. and drove the rifle
| NAV. whoever he was, and then succeeded
| in dragging M" away out Of danger. The
| bullet struck me P'anning blow just
over he istt eve, and have the mark OF
| the wound now. 1t was / he closest call /
| ever had
+ "BafnrA ieavirr Cieufn"gns ] ws4 out in
/ the country accommodating one dav. and
| on NV way hack | eama To a pantaf ion
/ owned ny Spauisrd aud managed hy II
| man who told me he was from Dexter,
| Me. His name | have forgotten. He
told me- that by following Certain
| route across the p'aniatin" | would be
ahie to cut Of som" two miles or more i"
| going tn C"nfuegos. | followed the
| rou'~ the Dexter man suggested.
| "But had not gone very tar when
| began to wish | had gone nv the longest
route. | heard the low having 81 h'o"d
| hounds all about me. and these blood
| curdIing Sounds came nearer and louder
| and more savage. | was being pursued,
| driven into a corner, no donht, TO he
eaten nv these savage brutea. | began to
| believe that the Dexter man was in league
| with the Spsniards to have one more
| intruding American disposed OF fore~er
| and for ave | saw the hounds coming
| through the suear cane and ran it'll all
nv might ! heard them bowling. and
| imagined teit one OF them biting the
| heels OF my pgskins.
! ~ found that they were driving me into
a corral as they did slaves. and as |
| bounded forward, my feet scarcely touch
! ing the ground under me, | soon came
| face to face with high wall or palisade
about twelve feet high, and built OF
| palmetto logs split and with their square
| surface racing OutWHru. lFeTs "HA Hu
way for a person to get over 1t by climb
| ing. Thought Jaw my finish then and
| there. Til" hounds were upon me.
| TT remains mystery to me TO this day
| ROW | managed to get over that fence
But did, or else ! would not he alive to
| tell YOU the story. / was ha'f-frightened
out OF my wits. and l presume that fact
must have helped me. was nerved un
| TO the highest pitch. | came to that high
| fence. | went over--the Lord knows how
and was safe. | have no remem trance
| OF going over that fence. | remember Of
| coming 10 the fence. and the next thing l
knew ! was on the other side running for
dear life. The hounds were left on the
| other side"
Mr.. Kingsiey's journey across the island
| OF Cuba Was full OF exciting and startling
| incidents and hairhreadth escapes. He
Travelled through the very hotbed OF the
| rebellion. and lived upon the country as
| he went, even depending upon he well-to-
fAr nd a