Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-08-09


Lombard, Parks and johnson lelc
the camp and hid. In their terrible
sufferings they had matured a plan 10
hide until Holmes died, exhume the
body and subsist upon the flesh unuI
they reached the Atlantic coast. On
the thirty-eighth day Holmes breathed
his last and his emaciated body, WIN
his musket alongside. was laid to resi-
on the banks of the river in a grave
followed out with knives and an ak.
Decided to Go Back.
Lieutenant Strain IA now twenty
one days gone, and it was evident that
the sixteen survivors would not live
for his return. They believed he was
dead and a council of the officers de-
cided to countermarch and try to re-
gain Caledonia bay. 1t cost a severe
struggle to reach this conclusion, but
it seemed the only hope. Truxton.
seated by Holmes grave, sadly penned
a letter of explanation to Strain,
should the latter ever regain the
place, and in it he begged him to push
on after the party. Then Parks was
missing and on March 6 a start was
made on the march to Caledonia bay,
the former being abandoned to his
fate. Both Grenadians were very i'll,
but some of the seamen threw away
their arms to assist them along. All
the work was now being done by the
officers. The following day Castillo
lay down to rise no more and his body
was inferred by the river. The party
strayed from the dark stream and was
o lost in the jungle. Despair set
tied upon all. Polanco could go no
farther, and, with streaming tears,
the ragged, torn, starving men were
forced to abandon him to his fate. He
screamed in anguish, but there was
no resource and the unfortunate Gre
madam was left alone. Later it vas
discovered that he had crawled back
to his compatriot's grave and died
upon it. mis- remains yer later found
in that position by Lieutenant Strain.
The following day Lombard asked to
be left behind, as it was clear he could
go no farther. They shared their
remnants of food with him and left
him to his fate. What this may have
been was never discovered. At his
earnest request his boatswain's whis-
tie was left with him. The next day
a terrapin somewhat revived the thir.
teen miserable men. Miller became
delirious and HARDWOOD the weakest,
where all we're weak. So dragged on
the weary days and nights until March
%, when Mr.. Boggs agreed that ne
should be abandoned, although he still
hoped for succor. Mr.. Truxton be.
came very ill and the emaciated band
was forced to halt. 1t was evident
that four or five men would have to
be abandoned the next day and that
not more than two or three could hope
to reach Caledonia bay, if any one
ever did.
Knew Fate Was Sealed.
Truxton, Boggs and HARDWOOD, all
young men, knew that their fate was
sealed. Hunger and toll had reduced
them to mere bundles of rags and
bones. Harrison and Vermilyea were
little better; that evening Maury stood
by the gloomy river. All were wrapped
in the darkest despair. Suddenly
Maury shouted, "Truxton, l hear a
gun; l see white men; l see Strain"
No words can describe the delirious
excitement that brought the despair.
ing, dying men to their feet as de-
liverance appeared at hand.
Day after day the lion-hearted
Strain and his comrades had pushed
their way through fearful obstacles,
much of the path being cut by himself,
Reduced to skeletons, they at last
reached the village of Yavisa, to find
natives as venal as %cowardly. He
managed to reach the ranch of an
Irishman named Bennett, on the Sa.
vana, who gave to him the warmest
aid. The Virago returned from Pan
ANA and boats laden with provisions
were soon on their way up Chuquana
qua river and the rescued men were
brought back. They found Parks still
alive, but covered with wood ticks
and he died a little later. Polanco's
body was found, as described, on Cas-
tilla's grave. Through all McGinness
had chung to the American flag
wrapped around his body. Later it wa:
wrapped around the coffin Of Vermil
yea, who died at Yavisa. The other.
reached Panama, where Mr.. Boggs
died. The survivors crossed the 18th
mus to Aspinwall, all that were lef
of the twenty-seven stalwart youn:
men who started up the Caledoni;
river on January II, 1854. One-thirt
Of the entire expeditionary party per
ished from hunger, or it's effects, ant
extreme toll on that dreadful marcl
that began at the Atlantic and endet
at the Pacific ocean.