The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-04-06
TRAVEL In COLOMBIA
DRUMMER TELLS OF SOME Ex-
CITING ADVENTURES.
The story OF Stolen Fleet and Ma
val Battle on the Magdalena--Where
the Revolutionary Spirit Is Ram
pant.

Charles IL. Millett, a drummer, who
is now in New York on his way back
to Chicago from tour of South Amer
lea. tells some exciting stories OF his
adventures in Colombia during the re
cent instruction of the liberals.
Il started" he said, Ito go up the
river Magdalena In a small river
steamer. There was only one other pas
scngcr-a quiet, amiable young man,
who afterward turned out TO be n
liberal leader in disguise.
when we had gone two days up
stream we found that trouble was
brewing. Every one on the banks had
taken up arms on one side or the other.
and was stealing his neighbours cattle
and horses for the good OF the cause.
We heard that in a town just ahead
the liberals had risen in obedience to
pronunciamento and had seized six
steamers and gone up stream.
"Our skipper was an American and
wanted peace. but that commodity
seemed just as unlikely TO be found
dean stream as up. so we kept on our
course. The result was that at noon
next day We fell into the hands OF
three revolutionlst steamers which
we're ambushed round a bend OF the
river.
Their crew swarmed aboard and In
vited us with rifles TO join them. We
Joined. and had three days naval ma
ncuvers. which consisted Of pillage. |
I t,,l
were so interesting.
After three days we, having the
faster steamer, lodged round another
branch Of the river and escaped; and
when we tied up for the night we
thought we were safe.
"Our delight did not last long. for my
amiable young fellow passenger, who
had assumed command of our captors,
came after us with thirty truculont
bandits In canoes and retook our ship
| during the night.
AT my own request he kindly put
me ashore at woodplle In the lonely
forest: at least II was lonely except
for two elderly colored ladies, who
owned the woodpile.
"The ship. with lights out. dropped
down the river to join the rest Of the
fleet. having left me rations for a
' couple of days-two tins OF lobster,
! two Of sardines. a pound OF bread and
half a pound OF chocolate.
after they had gone an Indian
sneaked out OF the bush, and | man
aged TO bribe MIN % put me across
: the river 90 village where many ca.
noes were kept. There ! hired two,
. loaded my traps into them, and with
I've men, led ell that night In a pour
ing rain and oil the next day under
a blazing sky 10 Puerto Benin. the
nearest place where food was obtain.
able
THE officer in command OF the gov
eminent troops there. when he heard
my tale fitted out an expedition. con
verting some river steamers into arm
ed cruisers by the use OF railway met
ais for armor plates. With these he
| went down the river 10 meet the
enemy, who by that time had gathered
eleven steamers.
Those eleven were net enough.
There was a regular trafalgar, and
the revolutioaists nad the worst II IL.
"All Their boats were sunk or gap
tured. and they lost over $50 men. Ny
amiable fellow passenger got bullet
! through his brain. and our Skipper
who took no pnrt IN the affair. got two
through his arm as he was quietly
reading Under Two Flags which had
lent him. In his cabin."-New York
sun.