CHAPTER XXIX.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 179, 31 July 1896, Page 6

CHAPTER XXIX.

BIEQX AT GRANADA.

Al tbe little steamer Virgin Bay glUsi Over tho historic Nicaragua Lake, the recruits to Walker's filibustering > *pedition gathered about iv groups on tho deck to discuss the situation. One group wai eomposod of Claude, Tom, Missouri Jack aad BioTenyards,

•IlNa state ot affairs of which wo wero wholly ignorant when wo started,' Claude declared. ._.»■• * Do yea suppose they knaw it ia San St auciseo V askad Torn. Eleven-yards quickly answered t * B_OQwod it! Of course they knowed it. That old Dock Thomas had ft cloud on hia physiognomy while ho wus assurin' ue all wuz so serene an* peaceful* on theso classic shores, aa' I ji«b felt all th' time thab he wuz a-triflin' with tho truth.' * Well, I don't caro,' Tom declared, with on assumod * recklessness. ' They aro going to furnish us « litblo excitement. Bo fat as danger is concerned, I have no foan. There aro Americans enough ia Nicaragua to whip all Central America.' Tho eighteen recruits had been furnished with Mississippi Yagers, cartridge boxes, and ammunition at Virgin Bay. Tho only uniform tho men wore wero white Panama hats and white duck trousers. Tha eighteen recruits wero fearless Californians who had little regard for danger, end thought cowardice the won* of ell vices ; nevertheless, tbey were greatly surprised on learnintr that, instead of all being peaceful and ■arena, aa represented, Walker waa besieged at Granada. ... Walker waa responsible for thia Inst revolt. He waa » men of violent temper end original views en liberty. Ho awore he was not going to be made » cabs-paw to pull Commodore Yanderbilt's cbeanubs oub of bhe fire, aud a sberb time after he was elected President of Nicaragua be became involved in a quarrel wibh the steamship company. He confiscated their property, and revoked the charter by whiohib managed the interoceauic transit route through NiceZftgua.* On September 25th, 1856, ho revoked by decree bhe prohibition of slavery, which bad been in force ia tbab country for thirty-two years. • In vaia General Henniagw aad other friends advUad him bo take heed of the coarse he was taking. He plunged from one folly into another, and culminated tht whole by an attempt to attach Honduras to Nicaragua. The Central American provlnoes wero already jealous of him, aad thia effort caused them to suspect that hia tltiaaate plan waa tha subjugation of all the Central American States, tinatemala and Honduras, aided by other provinces aud the steamship company, and favoured by tho f-ngtit-h Government, suddenly rote against the iavader, and be found himself plunged lato * 4eap«rabe war. ' At tha time our friendi leaded ab San loaa Del Sor, Colonel Fry, one of Walker's officers, was at Castillo Rapids, with a force ef serai hundred men, en the Nicaragua River;- There was a small garrison at San foan Del Sut, another et Virgin Bay, twelve miles from it, and a force at Leon, betweea Gfawkda aad Virgin Bay. Tom Col-teßr-had grown vory eerioua since ha learned the real state of affairs, and eeetned to have loet much of his enthusiasm. ' 1 don't believe I exactly understand' it Claude,' he said, 'lam afraid that Don Martin Fredrico ia not wibh Walker, after all."

•Why?' •Tho Guatemalans are against him, and ia tho las* lot tor I bad from Teresa she said they ware in Guatemala,' * Thai would certainly seem to indicate that bhe don did not approve Walker's tourao.' _ '"■■"..:. 3om pawed hisf.ngers through its auburn .ecke, while his faca expressed doubt and distrust. As for Claude, ha was wholly indiffarent to his surroundings. Ho baa ■over objected to the expedition on account) »fd-H.g.r. His pnly objections wero con•Ntonttosa scruples against) the lawlessness j_f ___a Insasion. Now that bo bad embarked in It, too gave no mora thought to 9be responsibility of tbo act. He aught bo killed before tho day waa ended, yet death iron Id only bo a release front misery. It was about half-past two p.m. when tboy reached Granada, Tbo town seamed as peaceful and quiet as when they left it. Ik seemed mora so, for, as tho little steamer draw near**, ** *** tht» •PPwaoce •f being deserted. There wore no sounds •of abrifo. Not • single shot was heard. There «rew.*M> natives by she water, and the broad, sandy beach was white and ionflly, nntil two or three of Walkers soldiers -were seen coming from tho cathedral to tho lake. Thoy saw tbo little vessel steaming into tbo harbour, and gave It a cheec The boat run in close to shore, and they waded to tbe saady beach. General Walker, with his staff, camo down to meat them. Hie face was grave and axpres-danJee*, but an bis brow a cloud •Only eighteen!' he muttered, as they marched ashore. * That is not as many as deserted last night/ ' Ho recogaii«d CJ*Bde and Tom,- aad hastened, to take their bands and welcome thero. •I hardly expected you, but I dont know any parsons I would prefer seeing to yonneivee a* this moment/ be dodared, >Wa are lorry to ee# ye* WMirtged. aanerai,'said Claude. ♦Ob, it will amount to nothing; we will soon drive them away 1' *Tbeo yp» *r« w* «»l«mfd at m HPrising?.'

*Not atoll. 1 •Qieude M d Tom took their places in the fypnt rank, and marohed away to the Urge Wttbedral in which the forces of Walker wore besieged. General Heuningsen in•peaked the new recruits, and* with an approving tmHe, said: •If we had a regiment of snch men, we need net fear ell Central America and half ef the West India Islands thrown into the •Where are tbe enemy!' asked Tom, gaslng oub from the windows of the vast adobe c&bhedial into tbe deserted otreeta of the town. • Tbey are hiding now, but we shall ccc them before many hours,* said Henntngsan. Tern steed by the deep window in tho fronb part »i the cathedral, trying to make oub bhe house of Don Martin BVedrico, and wondering where the fair Teresa was. He saw two or three women and some children going aboab bhe streets, but they were too for awe; for him to see their facet. •What are yon looking for?' asked General Henniogsen who was at the young man's side. •General, do you know Don Martin Fredrico?'

' I have meb him.'

•Is he in the city?

'Ne. He became offended at General Weik«r, and wenb to Guatemala.' ♦Offended! Then he .8 not supporting tha c&yue of Walker.'

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•No.' ' At what was he offended V

A frown came over the face of Henningsen, and he answered iv a low. bub severe tone.

•It was Walker'e folly. There is a freebootet in Nicaragua named Son-osa—' * Souoza V cried Tom. , * Ye*. Do you know him ?' ' I have heard of him. It ia aaid that he tl a hold robber.'

* You are correct, and one ef the worst cat-throats ia the world. Ho haa the impudence of Satan, and visited Walker in California, representing himself aa an exiled chief of a former insurrection, and offering many Inducements for him to come to Central America.'

Tom started, gazed at the General, and thought: • By Jove, he was paying Welker a visit When I saw him thab night in Auburn.' Tbe affair was assuming, an interesting form, but Tom kepb his thoughts and auspicious bo himself. ' Did Somoza join Walker!' he asked, •Yes.' . «When T' 'Before we marched on Granada. He oame with us, and as aoon aa Don Martin learned that he was one of Walker's supporters he declared be would bavo notbiug to do with a government which had such allies, and lefb the city. Walker was a fool. He drove away Fredrico and General Cartabona just to curry favour wibh a thief.*

' Where ia Somoza now ?'

' Oh, be deserbed ab the first sign of trouble. He is in the mountains, I suppose, carrying on his unholy business of robbing and murdering.' Tom and the General were in one of the small apartments of the cabbedral alone, aud as tho General seemed in a talkative mood, Tom determined to get some information from him concerning their present situation.

' How many men have you in this cathedral, General ?' he asked. • Between four hundred and fifty and five hundred.'

• I learned there were eight) hundred in Granada.'

• Yes. We numbered a thousand at first, but they have been deserting.' ' Deserting I You don't mean to say bhab the Americans are deserting V cried Tom in astonishment.

' Yes, the Americans are deserting, and some are even turning our guns againsb us. Captain Frank Stuart, one of tho best soldiers Walker had, deserted him, and took one hundred men with him.'

• vThy did tbe Captain deserb V 'It was all on account of the arrogance and folly of Walker. His men are only half-hearted in the cause. He has done nothing but blunder since he captured Nicaragua.' . Tom was gazing from the window, when he saw a dark form creeping down tho street, keeping well behind the bouses. ' Some of them are approaching,' he said. 'Yes. Seme sentry will see that fellow, and bring bim down if he cornea in range.' At this moment thero rang out the sharp, clear report of a rifle from, one of the windows abore, and the dark form dropped in the street. From half a dozen windows and corners ef houses there came reports of guns, and ballots sbrnck the side of the cathedral. One entered the window whero General Hennlagsen and Tom were sitting, and smashed an image on the opposite wall.

•They are going to make another assault,' tho General remarked, atr coolly as if he wa*. -merely gir>°ff orders at tt parade. Half a dozen Mississippi Yagers rang out from the windows of the cathedral, and the firing became brisk from both sides. 'Now, young man, the fight is on,' said General Henningsen, 'If yon want to take a hand, seize your rifle and take your place at one ot tbo ports.' ' Tom obeyed. By this time tha enemy could be saen pouring dowu tho street, or flitting about.from house to house in great number.. Those Mississippi Yagers cracked incessantly, and the Guatemalans, who led the assault, fell in great numbers, while theirsoopats seldom did anydamage, though their ballots whistled thick ac bail about the ears of the beleaguered men.

Tom found himself at one of the porta or barricaded windows, loading and firing and cheering, as did the ethe.B, though ho hardly knew why he was doing so. Sioce he had learned that Don Martin Fredrico and his family had abandoned the cause of Walker, he felt a strong inclination to do so himself. Bnt there is a strange exhilaration about battle. The timid becoming daring, the weak strong, and men seem bo seek death as a pleasure. Ton was forced to admit that there was little patriotism in this conflict, He was not defending bis native land, but invading the land of another. The firing had been sharp all alone bhe front for a quarter of an hour, whoa the eagle eye of General Henniogsen discovered thab the enemy were massing in fronb to make an assault.

•Steady, steady,' rang out the clarion voice of the old warrior, as with sword in hand he flew from one part of the cathedral to tbe other, exhorting tho men to coolness. ' Reserve your fire and be ready! to mow down the yellow dogs whon they come in close range I' With loaded Yager, the beleaguered men waited, while the Gautemalans and Hondurane poured down upon the cathedral in one vast body. Showers of balls came whizzing into bhe building. • Lay low—lay low, I will tell yon when to fire,' cried General Henniogsen, mounting one of the deep-embrasured windows, iv full view of tho attacking forces. The bullets struck all about him, and bits of dust and stones frequently fell upon bis uniform. He never moved from his post until tbe enemy were within easy pistol shot; then, in a voice like tbunder, he ebouted : 'Up, boys t Fire J*. A volley shook the ground, and a vast cloud of smoke rolled upward. When it had cleared away, a score of forms lay writhing on the earth in front. Some were quite still, ethers groaned in agony, and a few were creeping away on hands and knees. The enemy had disappeared. '• A few scopat shots rang oub from the cover of the houses, bub for ten minutes nob one of tbe Guatemalans showed himself. Then here and there one leaped oub to drag a fallen companion out of sight.* The beleaguered men fired ah occasional Bhot at them, bnt not more than two or three were struck. At last Henningsen ordered the firing to cease, and they oarried off their dead and wounded, and there was another 101 lin the assault.

Walker had commenced throwing up rifle pita in front of- the cathedral, and as soon as the enemy had retired from tho assault this work was again resumed.

'We have beaten them off once more,' said Walker to Henniogsen.

* Yea, general; but ib is only for a little while,'

*We shall soon have reinforcements enough bo drive them from the country.' Heeoingsen gave Walker a enrioua look, and, shaking bis bead, said : ' General, our men desert faster than recruits come in.'

Walker's brow grew dark, as be answered:

• If these desertions do not stop, I shall make an example of a few of them.' Tom Coleman, who had overheard the conversation, thought:

* I will talk with Claude about this. It seems to me that these Guatemalans and Houdurana art. going to be too much for us.'

(To be continued.)