Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-07-22
ATALE PORTO RICO
Curious Story of the Haunted
Sentry Box.
LIGHT ON THE OLD LEGEND

i Nt'S " NV tNaNf tl@~~A~~A- 0A~N
pearanees, From Fort San Crissehai
Accounted Fer BY tho Revelation Of
the lest One Himself.
Writing Ia the Journal OF the NH.
tary Service Institution. Captain Ar
thur L. s Hyde OF the coast artillery
tells this curious story OF "thc haunt
ed sentry box" OF Fort San Cristobal
the ancient Spanish built fortress
which guards the entrance TO San
Juan. Porto Rico:
~ number of picturesque sentry
boxes huilt OF masonry and appearing
Ike s=lnssets are placed at points OF
vantage in and around the fort One
OF these ON the sea front. ana reached
only through long ana dark tunnel
| from the interior OF the fort. Is pop.
ularly known as In Garita del Diablo.
or the devils sentry box. usually al
/ though Incorrectly. translated the
1 haunted sentry box. This name was
given to it By the Spanish soldiers FOR
the reason that number OF SentrieS
/ stationed there disappeared IN a most
/ again heard from.
AN American officer was once on
duty that took him into the remote in
terror Of the island. and while spend
/ ing one night In 4 small settlement he
engaged in conversation with a nun
Der of the Inhabitants OF the place.
One old man. on learning that the Of
| ficer was stationed at Fort san Cris-
! tobal. became especially Interested anu
! in the course OF The converSati ton told
/ The following story:
IL used 20 be soldier IN the Span
ish army and was stationed at Fort
/ san CrlstoboL \ number OF soldiers
I while on sentry duty had mystericusly
disappeared from the sentry box down
/ hy the sea. and we had al become
convinced that It was haunted hy thc
/ devil. who. we thought. used to comc
and steal the soldiers away.
lone stormy night IL zen 10 ms.
/ lot 10 30 on duty In the devils sentry
box. rs we called it. AT midnight. and
/ Il was with some doubts and mlsgiv-
, ings that went with She corpora, OF
i the guard ard relieved the former sen
! try. When they lcfi rl.' listened 10
the sound Of their footf Us rcverbcrat-
4 ing from the walls and ceiling OF the
dark and narrow passage. crcr GROW
/ ing fainter and fainter rs they reccd-
cd. until finally the noise or tho storm
ana the sea completely drowned II.
/ and was left alone with the mad elc-
/ mcnts.
1T was mad niyht aud one we'll
calculated 10 add 10 the feeling OF = =
that the devils sentry box always Ia
stillci into the man on duty there at
night
Presently my attention was at
/ tracted by some lights IN small tav-
ern on the shore below the fort where
many OF us were wont 10 80 when or
/ duty FOR n glass OF rum Then I be-
gan TO think that / might be able 10
/ climb down over the rocks 20 the
shore. get glass OF rum ~ the tav.
crn and return 10 my post
The more ! though; Of Il the more
/ determined was to 20. 50 finally.
/ leaving my ride and belt In the sentry
box. climbed over the wall and down
: on TO the rocks and 50 made ms way
with great labor and di.iculty and no
little danger To the little house. where
the occupants were making merry
with dancing ana drinking. soon
fell TO and enjoyed myself with thorn
When one Is dancing with 70 fair
senorita he sometimes f0rgctS th,. pas
sage OF time. rs / did on that ratal
night and not until long after O'Clock
did begin TO think OF returning To
my post. Then. realizing that the cor
poral had made his Inspection AMI had
/ found me gone from my post AMI
with my rifle and belt left behind.
saw only court martial and the gar
rote staring me In the face. for Ia
those days for 4 sentinel In the Span
iSh army to quit his post meant sure
death. even In peace
"'ro so back was out of the ques-
ton. There was only one thing LEFT
for me 10 do. and. that was To desert
My heart sank within me. II should
be captured. the same fate would he
meted out TO me; but. I reasoned. II
were to go back the fate woald be q
certainty, whereas II deserted az
/ least / had chance Of keeping ont
OF sight of the authorities l deserted
and before morning WAS out OF the
city and on the way TO the moan
tains
81 have lived In this little hamlet
for years and have never been back to
the capital since that day. nor have I
ever told my story to single soul IN
ill tonight, but now that the Spaulards
are gone 40 longer fear for my llfc.
THUS we have the story OF the dew
lis sentry box from one OF tbs. very
men who so mysteriouSly disappeared
from 1t, and it would seem to be prob
able that the other disapDearances
could be accounted for In similar
manner were the truth known QuIen
| slbe?"
Captain Hyde mentions an interest.
ing fact that, although for centuries
Porto Rico was considered the legiti-
mate prey of freebo0iers ana was at
tackled ut various times by regularly
organized expeditions of the I,ncsish
and the Dutch during times of war
with more or less success. Fort El
MORO has never been captured bv an
enemy. and its only surrender was To
the Americans, together with the sur
render Of the whole island.
Gravity is only the bark of wisdom.
but 1t preserves it.-Ccnfucius.