Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-19

changed for one of our friends. Carajo!
there are more than enough of them rot
ting in the government jails.''
Then he started to converse with me in
very bad English asking many questions
about the United States. He sent one of
his officers to fetch some claret which had
been taken from the train and brought
along by our party.
Where are the glasses?' he asked as he
knocked the neck Of the bottle Off with his
machete.
THE last glass was broken the other
day. general, replied the officer.
Il must apologize for our poor accommo-
dations." said Castillo to me. pouring out
the wine into two small gourds. Here Is
to your health, sir! OF course. you under
stand that you are not prisoner. My men
did wrong to capture you. I will take the
first opportunity of sending you back with
an escort, and my sincere apologies
In the meantime the men had made some
cakes and we had a very fair meal.
"These cakes are excellent. general,
remarked How do you manage to get
such good -four up here in the mountains?"
Il believe it was taken off the train" he
replied.
May 1 see the bag?'
1t was brought, and 1 showed him my
name on 1t.
He offered profuse apologies that his
fool men should have made such mis-
take to confiscate my property.
But it is scarcely worth while risking
the lives of my soldiers to take the bags
back to San Jose, he ADDED. 'WlIl YOU
accept my receipt for it?'
Seeing no chance of getting the flour 10 a
place where | could sell it, I took a bit OF
paper, and still have it.
I'VE will certainly pay you" said Cas-
tillo. earnestly. LAS soon we win the
| revolution you have only to present this
! voucher at Bogota and it will be paid at
once, and you can put your own price on
the flour.
1 had to look pleased. but in my heart I
knew that the revolutlonists had no earthly
chance OF winning and that nearly every
body in the country was in the habit Of
lighting his cigarettes with such receipts.
An Odd Use for Flour.
I stayed in the camp for four days and a
half, recuperating from the fatigue of the
journey and getting rid of touch of fever
which l had contracted while passing
through the swamps.
Most of my -four was used to build in
trenchments. as most of the bags had got
wet on the journey and their contents had
gone bad. Castillo expected an attack by
the government troops, and fortified his
camp.
Il can't let you go just at present" he
said The chances are that the govern
ment troops would shoot you on sight. Be
sides, / can't spare men for an escort"
But what IL they attack us?'
"Oh, then you just flee up into the
mountains anu wait lHeTe until you nave a
chance to slip away to San Jose"
AS l knew nothing Of the country this did
not sound very hopeful: but there was moth
Ing to do except make the best of it.
There were about 800 men in the camp.
The officers had three tents, while the men
lived in shacks roughly constructed of cac-
tus and branches. All were full of fever
and fight. and all were used to suffering ter
ribe hardships. Some of them had even
| marched all the way from Panama down
into the Canca-a distance of over 1000
miles through country which has been
officially declared impossible for troops to
cross.
There was a trail from the camp to a
place called Piedra Grande, situated on the
San Jose mule track. From that point a
jungle path led in continuous trail right
up to Panama. 1t was along this trail,
which Is known to few people, that the
guerrllas had made their tremendous march,
living on pamela" Cakes of rough choco-
late) and what little game they could shoot.
Some died of hunger, thirst and fever. and
others fell prey to snakes and wild beasts;
but the majority got safely through, after
performing feat which has probably never
been beaten by any soldiers In the world