The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-05-31

to Halifax, N. s., in the summer of 1875, to
have her decks strengthened and mounted
with rapid-fre guns. We returned early in the
fall to find that the smoldering revolution had
burst into flame and that large force was
marching on Santo Domingo City. The presi-
dent and his brother were vehemently but
vainly advising each other to be brave when
/ reached the palace.
what shall we do? What shall we do?"
demanded the president as entered the door,
1T strikes me that it might be a good
scheme to fight" I replied with no attempt to
conceal my disgust at their attitude.
They told me there were about 5000 men
in the attacking force. We had more than
1000 men under arms. The city had no de-
lenses worthy the name, and l insisted that
the thing to do was to 60 outside and fight
it out in the open The president, who had
apparently regained little of his nerve,
agreed with me and, against the continued OBJ
jections of his brother, We went out to meet
the attacking army.
General Baez commanded our center and
right, while commanded our left flank. With
the firing Of the first gun he began to give
way before force that was inferior in both
numbers and discipline, and fell back so rap
idly that before realized it my command
was fanked and almost cut of, with the sea
on one side Of us and the enemy on two others
and rapidly closing up the fourth.
In a few minutes was captured along with
about hundred men who were SO numbed
by fear that they could neither run nor fight
and had not enough discretion to join the en-
envy. / was furious over the cowardice of
Baez and put up the hardest fight was cap
able of, with the satisfaction of putting six or
eight blacks on permanent peace basis, but,
with my revolver empty and my sword brok
en- was overwhelmed by the inky cloud
General Baez galloped back to the city, and
he and his bewildered brother, the president,
had barely time to board small schooner and
sail for Curacao before the capital was in the
hands Of the rebels. General GAMER d'Aton,
tool of Pimental and Cabral, was at once
proclaimed president and hailed by the popu-
lace with the customary acclaim.
Instead of being killed at once, as had ex-
pected, was taken to small port on hill
near the town, where, on the altogether false
charge that 1 had fomented trouble and
brought on civil war, I was tried by drum
head court martial and sentenced to be shot
at sunrise. The verdict was, of course, die
tated by revenge, and execution of it was de-
layed because they wished to gloat ove,rme
for while.
This was little the most serious predica-
ment l had ever been in and with the idea
of taking every chance that was open to me,
rather than with any distinct hope that it
would be answered, gave the grand hailing
sign OF powerful secret order which I had
Joined while in Caracas. l thought l saw g.
sergeant raise his eyes, but, as he gave no
further sign, concluded that If there had
been any movement 1t had been one of sur
prise and not of recognition
I was placed in large sala with windows
opening on the courtyard, and blank walls
on the three other sides.
Along about three o'clock, just as l had
about made up my mind that in couple of
hours l should be due to start on IN indef-
mite exploration, l heard a short scuffle at
each end of the path the sentries were
patrolling, and gurgling noise as though a
man were choking. The next moment To-
rensen's voice came softly through the door:
Are you in there, captain?"
l assured him that I was
Stand away from the door," he said, and
l obeyed the order with pleasurable alacrity
Three blows with log Of crutch mahog-
any, taken from pile. in the courtyard.
smashed in the door. Lorensen seized my
arm and, led by the sergeant who had, after
all, recognized the sign I had made, we
climbed down declivity back Of the fort and
made our way to tho shore. where two boats
were waiting for US. g.
AS soon as 1t was day l sailed close In and
bombarded the fort where my execution was
to have taken place.
At Caracas found Guzman had been elect.
ed president. He was inaugurating public i'm.
provements, and induced me to go upon q won.
derful journey of exploration up the Orinoco
through the unmapped interior Of Venezuela
After a six months river journey Of 2.oe3
miles, we reached Manaos, Brazil, on tn
Amazon, that great river and the Orinoco h1T-
ing common source. From Manaos We
sailed to Rio Janeiros and from there to Eng.
land on the Elbe, commanded by Captain
Moir, commander Of the Trent when Mason
and Slidell we're taken on. On the way I
wrote a full report to Guzman, promising to
return within few years. At London joined
50 Rr,< 1a. Et1s-&