Evening star., 1909-02-14


senor Is practically assured of the success OF
his mission. The lonely spots on the shores OF
South American Republics are many, and
none of the Governments has a sufficiently
large naval force t. main tain efficient coast
patrol: Detected and interrupted landings are
the exception.
Honduras Krupp- Guns
OCCASIONS when rebel bands of censpra,,
- tors haye received not only rifles and
swords but artillery which disnayed and de-
! fled them to transport. mount, and ttandle,
| have been numerous and funny. One such IN
cident might take the title of Little Hon
| duras and Her Two Big Guns
They were krupp make They were pur-
| chased in regular fashion by the Government.
| This had in itself something to do with The.
starting # the revolution for the purchase OF
the guns had long been denounced as wildly
| extravagant and wholly unnecessary eXpcndl-
ture There were other causes of discomfort.
| and while feeling WIS running hot two Anerl-
| can journalists arrived. The assignments OF
one Of them have been such that he Is known
| in almost every South American port. he was
well known in Honduras. His companion was
| a Scandina Wan Baron. but an American jour
nalist by profession In early days at home
he had received some military training.
lust for fun. and wholly unforeseelng the
complications to arise. his friend introduced
| the Baron to the leader of the rebel camp as
| military man Of rare accomplishments and the
disma we'd Baron found himself handed zen
erals commission on the spot and assigned to
do what none Of the other rebel commanders
| knew how to do.-1lrect the firing OF the
Krupp guns The ponderous artillery had
been seized by the rebels and removed from
the palace yard after a short. vicious fight with
| the regular soldiers. Rebels had enthusiast
| callv dragged the guns to the top OF a hill from
| which under proper guidance they could read
| ilv sweep the city This done, they had paused.
| una bic to en- JOY the splendid advantage gained
The Baron knew much about krupp guns
as he did about making an oyster cracker lie
would have stepped modestly aside; but SO
earnestly did they plead and urge that he IN
spected the big weapons, concluded ne mad
solved the manner Of firing them, had the dozen
or more shells that had been captured with the
guns brought forward and two OF them m
| serted He pointed the guns at an angie de-
signed to send the shells over the city. the cop-
spirators having declared it would not be nee
| essarv to kill anybody: that as soon as the
| President and populace below realized that they
| could fire the cannon. surrender would lmme-
diately follow. Then in his best military voice.
| the Baron gave the order to fire.
OF the three hundred and fifty rebels IN the
| vicinity when the word was gwen, some three
| hundred and forty-one were able to recall the
incident The Others stretched on the
ground The guns had gone off in all drec-
| tions.-eaSt, west north, and south, and III the
| air.
The new general" found himself surrounded
| by a mob clamoring for his lite. He took to
| IIliSIlt-d1lu ile "dS a S)ou ~ .''S
| him until he plunged into a marshy Jungle
| His pursuers stopped then and shrugged their
| shoulders and lit cigarettes and walked away
srnilinglv Persons touring that marshy jungle,
especially strangers. seldom come out of it
with their lives And for fourteen days the
! Baron roamed about in it. plagued by insects
| threatened by deadly snakes burning with
thirst. yet not daring to drink the stagnant
| fever laden water and with only here and
| there rank. wild fruit to stay starvation.
When he did find his way out, 1t was with
| the certain belief that tie Government OF Hon
duras would catch him and assassinate him for
his blundering work with the guns. He found
shelter in little village where he remained
| for weeks before he found that he had come
out on the Costa Rica side of the jungle.
Then he told his story Public officials waited
| on him They were smiling. They had come
| to lionize him He was taken in carriage in
state to the Presidents palace and quartered
| there.
| Costa Rica you see. had long been afraid of
| Honduras for other reason than its possession
of those two krupp guns. They had nothing
but gratitude and honor for the man who had
DESTROYED them Costa Rica did all it could to
honor him. and when he tired of being feted
and said he'd like to go home. they engaged
the finest steamship suite available tor his ac-
commodaton, and ne left the country with
bands playing. down rose strewn thorough
| fares.
| Assembling the Army