Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-11-28
A MOMENT -
~ OF PERIL.
'ee~ a~oo scep oooo .e~~ue SEQ,

Santiago had capitulatcG. Gen. Toral
had surrendered the town, and the
Americans were to take formal posses
some i2eXplicable reason, Gen. Shat
ter declared that no correspondents
were to be admitted with the Ameri
can troops. There were only GER
tain number of selected troops to he
allowed in, and correspondents were
barred. The Americans were natural
ly extremely indignant and spoke Of
lodging a formal protest.
l left that part of 1t to the Amer-
cans. l had formed project, on my
own account, OF seeing the surrender
without disoteying the order OF en-
order to do this l determined to enter
the city, net from the American, but
from the Spanish side. The railway
from Daqreri went round the coast,
passing over the high bridge OF Aqua
dores, and l meant to have try il l
and be there before the Americans en-
tered at II o'clock. Late in the even
ing l started for Siboney, and reached
it about 10 O'clock. l struck the camp
of one of my friends among the Ameri
can correspondents. 1t was left il
the charge of a solitary servant. who
had his face swollen Up and most fear
fully distorted from the hite of a snake,
ne declared, which he had received the
night before. Under the steep wooded
hills some of the few i.ouses which
fringed the beach were being burned
that night on account Of the yellow
fever.
A strange pyrotechnic display was in
progress. The light wooden houses
cracked and Kissed, and sent up
showers of sparks. The servant was
too upset by his accident to prepare a
meal, SO, after some cold coffee and a
few hardtack-as the army biscuit is
called-for supper, lay down on my
blanket on the sand, with the warmth
Of the burning houses glowing on me
On one side ana the waves of the lazy
Caribbean Sea singing lullaby on the
other. l woke at sunrise, and saw
quite near me train with some work.
men who were repairing the line. 1t
was just time to start. Without wait
ing for my breakfast, l got on one of
the trucks, glad to have the chance of
getting lift. The train proceeded
cautiously, passing here and there
blockhouses badly riddled by shot and
shell, until we came to a point where
the line was torn up where the men
detrained for the purpose of repairing
it. Beyond this had to proceed alone.
The sun had risen in a clouGless sky
and even at that hour of the morning
the heat in the confined air CT the
railway cutting was excessive. After
over an hours walking. l reached the
high trestled bridge OF Aquadores. 1t
was built across chasm. at the bot
tom of which torrent surged over
jagged rocks. There was a single line
of rails on top of the trestles, without
fence or balustrade on either side. l
started across the bridge. Between the
narrow gagged sleepsrs there was
loose, rough boarding for the first span
or two, and l strolled along comfort
ably; but suddenly the boarding be-
tween the intervening sleepers stopped
at intervals, and then ] found myself
stepping from one to another of the
sleepers with no boarding between.
The bridge was at an immense height,
and it was giGdy sensation locking
Gown at the rushing water far below
A breeze was blowing on ny right, and
at each gust l instiactively leaned to
windward to balance myself. 1t was
tickiish work going across this space,
and l experienced a feeling of relief
on reaching boarded patch. My high
hunting boots with thick soles were
not the best things in the world for
such an ac-obatic performance and
made matters worse when the sleepers
were loose.
Reaching enc of the bearded GASES,
l sat down on the rails to rest, but
jumped up suddenly, as the sun had
made the iron too unco.;fcrtably hot
for my thin garments. There were
only two more spans to pass | slung
my camera and glasses on my back so
as to leave my arms free for balancing,
and then stepped out along the sleep
ers. They were just at that awkward
width that made it necessary, especial
ly with such breeze blowing, to keep
striding Or and On in q steady swing
without stepping. l could not but look
down through the horrible, yawning
blank below, as at each pace | had to
select the sleeper On which next to put
my foot. Every now and then there
was an awkward loose sleeper that
wobbled hastily as | stood on CT kicked
off from it,
But had only one more span to go.
A feeling Of terrible dizziness from the
height was coming" over me. l felt I
was absolutely alone, and my whole
forces were concentrated in the eXer-
else of the utmost self-control
Every second seemed drawn cut into
an hour of agony. The wind seemed
blowing stronger. The torrent far be-
low dashed and glistened between my
legs among the rocks. The sun beat
on my back and the perspiration pour
ed from re
Left. right; left, right Surely must
be just across. gave hurried
glance ahead, and saw, to my horrer,
that just on the Santiago bank of the