Evening star., 1903-08-18

inch or the way. The ships Win the e4-
ception of the Bolivar did little execution.
and were a signal failure.
The Bolivar won the admiration of all by
her excellent work. she going in close to
the beach and clearing way for her SOL
diers. amid an awful rife fire. still she kept
pluckfly on. never stopping until she had
performed her mission. and then slowly
steamed out of range. firing all the time.
II was grand and imposing sight and her
captain deserves a great deal of credit for
the manner in which he handled the vessel
under his command.
Toward evening the battle subsided some
what, the fighting being almost altogether
on the south side of the city. and later in
the evening the fire of both sides became
desultory. The chimes of the cathedral
were ringing and they, combined with the
cracks of the Mausers and occasional
heavier reports of the larger guns, made a
terrible din and filled one with feeling of
awe.
About 10 o'clock signal was hoisted by
our consul asking for aid. causing not a lit
tie excitement aboard. All hands rushed
aft and volunteered. almost fighting to CO.
stili always orderly and disciplined.
The steam launch was Immediately called
away. containing besides the crew of five,
four men detailed. the doctor. his assistants
and medical emergency supplies. This little
expedition was commanded by Lieut.. Wells
and was really very dangerous. the night
being extremely dark. lights burning
anywhere except those in our launch, the
opposing forces on either side Of the shore
and the excited state of those concerned
made 1t a perilOus trip. and it was won
der that they were not fired upon.
They returned In about half an hour and
brought OF some treasure. the consul and
hts people still remaining in the city over
night. coming on board in the morning and
staying until after the trouble was over.
The firing continued deSuftorily all night,
and not until the next morning tMonday.
July f0 at about 10 o'clock the firing again
became heavy and we heard several ma
chine guns in action.
The fighting took place all over the city.
and was being waged almost hand to hand.
Again and again did the Bolivar run close
to the sea wall. and pour shot and shell
into the city. at times having to retire on
account of the heavy rifle fire from the rev.
olutionists who were concealed behind every
possible nook and shelter. but always COM
Ing back. sticking to her work until the
city was taken.
The Cemetery Captured.
The government again tried to take the
cemetery. and after several unsuccessful
charges at last gained the day. and In place
of the white flag of the rebels planted their
own yellow standard. the battle emblem OF
the government troops. that of the revo-
lutfonistS being white.
The cemetery now in the hands of the
government troops. they started to force
their way into the city, and were success
full: the lighting soon being in the center Of
being driven out of your own home by
hated enemy, house to house, tree to tree.
the rebels StubbOrnly contestng every inch
of the way, fighting like mad men, barri-
cading at every suitable place: but the re-
suit was inevitable. the government troops
could not be checked. and at about mid
night the city was in complete possession
of the government and quiet restored. and
thus ended the struggle and revolution
which had so long existed in Venezuela.
About Z o'clock the next morning we
weighed anchor and proceeded down the
stream to position just opposite the
American consulate. Upon securing our
ship. MIR. Henderson, the American consu-
lar agent. impaired the information that
the city was in a bad state, and upon hear
ing this the doctor and our hospital staff
went ashore to give all the aid possible.
Soon after almost every man volunteered
his services and went ashore to assist In the
work. and do wha atever they could. working
like Trojans: some of the sights they saw
will be pictured upon their memories for
ever.
Temporary hospitals were improvised in
public buildings, the doctor and his assist
ants from our ships assisted by two sur
geons from the French gunboat Jouffrey
began their good work. which lasted far
into the next morning; all hands being well
nigh exhausted with the terrible strain, 1t
being past O'Clock the next morning; they
having worked increasingly. not even TAX
ing bite to eat, sleep being a thing un-
thought of.
Even then we could see men half drag
cling, half carrying their unfortunate COM
rades to the temporary places of relief;
some being able to walk. looked haggard
and dying. some with hope still shining in
their faces, others despairng and hopeless.
The numerous cases which were treated
by our piueky surgeon and his assistants
would be difficult to describe, some of them
being pitiable in the extreme.
Just imagine If you can. men with arms,
legs parts Of body and faces gone, large
wounds in their bodies mostly in the
shoulders, In abdomen-some cursing their
fate. others bemoaning it. on the whole
terrible. morbid and CHASTITY sight.
The dead were lying about in the streets,
every corner and tree having their little
stacks. some Of the expressions being terri
BILE to behold. Faces that were hideous
enough In the living were terrible in death
In some cases the agony. rage and dis
tortion depicted upon the faces of the dead
were fearful to gaze upon, and 1t took a
very strong man to look upon them at ALL
A Terrible Sight.
Altogether 1t was a terrible sight, and
one not to be forgotten once seen.
The government or city being devoid OF
any medical assistance, left the city In A
distressing condition. The wounded were
left in the sun to die; not even a friendly
hand was thrown out to assist them until
relieved by our men. and II Is certain that
the death list would have been greatly de-
creased had there been any aid at the
proper time.
The killed amounted to about twelve hum
dred and the wounded at about four hun
dred. no official figures being given, most of
the latter dying through the lack or proper
care.
They were also very slow in removing
their dead. and the city was in a frightful
state. the odor from the bodies of men,
horses and mules being nauseous in the
extreme.
Some of the bodies. almost stark naked.
lay In the hot sun until they had swelled
to enormous sizes and shapes. and were a
repulsive and CHASTITY spectacle
Later they began removing the dead for
which they employed a small two wheeled
cart. which was all but falling apart, put
ting eight or ten bodies in each load, and
then trampling them down to make room
for more.
They carted them to a place just be-
yond the cemetery and piled them In stacks
on top OF some dry timber. where they were
to be burned. the line reaching almost a
mile.
In some places we could see individual
bodies BURNING. and In some cases the fire
did not perform its mission very WELL leav-
ing arms. hands and feet lying along side
the debris.
The people themselves made no effort