Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-05

Just then the moon came out from
behind a dark cloud, and lighted up
the scene around me. Jumping, Jost-
ling, yelling, smelling, the barefooteo
crowd surged along; men, and straw
hats, women with shawls. and children
with-perhaps only smile. Ahead
trudged the heroic home guards" in
white straws, a bag of ammunition
over one shoulder, and a gun with
barrel cleaning white in the moon
light over the other, f1anken by the
officers on muleback without saddles
Ahead was the band playing some stir
ring march; and l for a moment al
most forgot my mission, so enthuseo
was Literally carried away by the
crowd, and unconsciously l found my
self keeping step and yelling viva!
and Viva Estrada" in reply to theil
Viva Americano." when they saw me
Even in that dusky night and thai
dusky mob l was easily made out, as
l was in white and head and shoulders
above most of them.
Abreast the consulate I broke
through. found the consul. received di-
rections. returned and landed stores
L
and a hospital improvised where our
surgeons could begin work.
The river steamer arrived with It's
cargo of $50 prisoners. Sc wounded
and two dead, these having died on the
trip down. The wounded were at once
ordered to the hospital and carried
there by the townspeople. Their groans
were fearful: never before had heard
any such wholesale Spanish cursing
and grooming. Most of them had been
wounded for over "a hours, and had
not had any treatment other than that
of checking the flow of blood.
The prisoners were turned loose, and
a pitiful sight they were. Not a shoe
not a hat. and only a few shirts among
the whole $50; while they were en-
days all they had had to eat was green
bananas and salt. Many of them We're
lads of about 10 or II years of age
pathetic sight, surely. The towns
people took them up and carried them
home and filled them up and gave
them the softest board in the shack
to sleep on.
AT the hospital the shattered frames
of the wounded We're patched togeth-
er, and they We're put to bed where
they doubtless dreamed of home, re
3olveG from there never more to
roam" These wounded were mostly
conscripts from Rluefelds and outside
the hospital there was weeping and
wailing and crashing of teeth" as their
families tried to look in to see them
np1 fn., ilyv
treated, as the men were in such an
exhausted condition. There was blood
there that night. Talk about slaugh-
ter house.-when I left the hospital
they We're sweeping the blood and wa
ter out of the operating room.
Word came that from 100 to 200 more
wounded would be brought down the
next day. So we negotiated for an
empty hotel building where he could
establish navy hospital. In this town
Of 500, the condition of these men with
out our assistance would have been
serious
After a session at the consulate, |
left about 8 A NJ, with cablegrams
FOR the state department, etc. to make
my report to the senior officer pres
playing, although now supplemented
by the growing of the towns roosters
Returned III time for breakfast and tC
go on the days duty.
According to President Roosevelt s
orders, our 50-mile walking test must
be completed before Jan. /. AS we have
not been where we could have chance
ashore, it is up to us to walk on deck
The captain has asked the navy de-
partment several times to be ordered
where we could take the test, but
nothing doing" This small ship pitch
ing and rolling out here affords a very
tedious promenade site; and, too, ii
takes 10 complete turns around it tC
make a mile. The test is to walk the
80 miles in 90 hours. Some of us did il
last week; but we of the landing force
expecting to pc called upon to land
at any time. We're not allowed to start
in. Now that the war" is over. | SUD-
pose it is UP to us to walk the chalk
| shall wait until after Christmas
day though, FOR then I shall try tc
sleep all day to forget where l am. Nc
mail for long time. and no prospect
Of any for a long time to come. &c
cruel war;"