就在我们准备出发的时候,风暴突然降临。在如此波涛汹涌的海上我们不能轻举妄动,但是即使原地等候也同样危险。现在是满月,假如飓风把云吹散,敌人就会发现我们的行踪。但是,命运掌握在我们自己手中。
11点钟我们上了船,天空乌云密布,遮住了月亮,敌人无法发现我们。我们一人掌舵,四人划桨。渐渐地已看不见远去的要塞,或者更精确地说,要塞里的人没有发现我们。我们在水中艰难跋涉,总算没有听到大炮的轰鸣声和机枪的扫射声。我们的小船摇摇晃晃,像个蛋壳,有好几次差点儿颠覆。但水手们熟悉水性,装在船里的压船物经受住了考验,使我们得以继续航行。极度的疲倦,无法摆脱的航行的单调,使我们几乎要睡着了。
不久,一个巨浪袭来,差点儿把小船掀翻,小船浸满了水,大家不再有睡意。多么难熬的漫漫长夜啊!正在这时,太阳从远方的地平线上钻了出来。“快看,先生!”舵手们在喊。一种警惕性使我们顿时焦虑不安。难道是一艘西班牙战舰?如果真是那样,我们又在劫难逃了。舵手用西班牙语喊着,其他同伴应和着。
真是西班牙战舰?不是,是桑普森海军上将的战舰,正向东航行去抗击西班牙战舰。我们长长地松了一口气!那一天真是酷热难耐,谁也睡不着。尽管美国战舰出现了,但是西班牙的炮艇很快就能追上我们,将我们逮捕。夜幕降临,我们5个人疲惫极了,几乎支撑不住了,但是我们丝毫不能懈怠。夜里刮起了风,风力很强劲,波涛汹涌。我们竭尽全力,使小船不至于倾覆。第二天早晨是5月7日,危险总算解除了。大约上午10点,我们来到巴哈马群岛安得罗斯岛的南端一个名叫克里基茨的地方。我们总算可以登陆,短暂地休息一下了。
当天下午,在13个黑人船员的协助下,我们彻底地检查和清理了小船。这些黑人操着古怪的语言,根本听不懂,但是手势语是通用的。小船里装着些猪肉罐头和手风琴。我虽然疲惫到了极点,但依然睡不着,刺耳的手风琴声使我无法入眠。
第二天下午,当我们向西航行时,被检疫官抓住,关到豪格岛上。他们怀疑我们得了古巴黄热病。第二天,我得到美国领事麦克莱恩先生的口信。5月10日在他的安排下,我们获释了。5月11日,这只“无畏号”小船驶离码头。航行到佛罗里达海域可就没那么幸运了。12日一整天无风,小船无法航行。直到夜晚微风吹动,才顺利到达基维斯特。当晚我们乘火车到塔姆帕,又在那里换乘火车前往华盛顿。
我陪同迈尔斯将军参加了一次内阁会议。会议结束时我收到了麦金莱总统的贺信,他感谢我把他的愿望传达给加西亚将军,并高度评价了我的表现。他信里的最后一句话是:“你勇敢地完成了任务!”而我则认为,我只不过是完成了一个军人应该完成的任务。不要考虑为什么,只要服从命令。我已经把信送给了加西亚将军。
安德鲁·罗文介绍
在美国陆军史上,安德鲁·罗文上校创造了一个可歌可泣的奇迹——把信送给加西亚。安德鲁·罗文,弗吉尼亚人,1881年毕业于西点军校。作为一个军人,他与陆军情报局一道完成了一项重要的军事任务——将信送给加西亚,被授予杰出军人勋章。
立功之后,他曾服役于菲律宾,因作战勇敢而受到嘉奖,晋升为上校。从军队退役后,他在旧金山度过了他的余生,于1943年1月10日逝世,终年85岁。罗文的事迹通过《致加西亚的信》一本小册子传遍了全世界,并成为敬业、服从、勤奋的象征。
致加西亚的信英文版原文
&oGarcia
&Hubbard
1899
InallthisbusihereisoandsoutonthehorizonofmymemorylikeMarsatperihelion。
WhenwarbrokeoutbetweenSpaiedStates,itwasveryounicatequicklywiththeleaderoftheIs。Garewhereiainfastnessesofeknewwhere。Nraphmessagecouldreachhim。ThePresidentmustsecurehis,andquickly。Whattodo!
&othePresident,"There'safellowbythenameofRoillfindGarciaforyou,ifanybody。"
RowafiveobedeliveredtoGarcia。Howthe"fellowbythenameofRowan"tooktheletter,sealeditupinanoilskinpouch,strappeditoverhisheart,infourdayslandedbynightoffthecoastofa,disappearedintothejuhreeweekscameoutohersideoftheIsland,havingtraversedahostilefootanddeliveredhislettertoGarcia-arethingsIhavenospecialdesireail。ThepointthatIwishtomakeisthis:MleygaveRowaobedeliveredtoGartooktheletteranddidnotask,"Whereisheat?"
GeneralGarciaisdeadnow,buttherearearanwhohaseocarryoutaerprisewheremanyhandswerehasbeenwell-nighappalledattimesbytheimbecilityoftheaveragemayoruotrateonathinganddoit。
Slipshodassistance,foolishiion,dowdyindifferendhalf-heartedworkseemtherule;andnomansulessbyhookorcrookorthreatheforcesorbribesothermentoassisthim;odinHisgoodnessperformsamiradsendshimanAngelofLightforanassistant。
You,reader,putthismattertoatest:Ynowinyouroffice-sixclerksarewithincall。Summonanyoneahisrequest:"Pleaselookintheencyclopediaandmakeabriefmemorandumformegthelifeio。"Willtheclerkquietlysay,"Yes,sir。"andgodothetask?
Onyourlifehewillnot。Hewilllookatyououtofafishyeyeandaskohefollowiions:hicyclopedia?Whereistheencyclopedia?WasIhiredforthat?Don'tyoumeanBismarck?os;sthematterwithCharliedoingit?Ishedead?Isthereanyhurry?Shan&apyouthebookayoulookitupyourself?Whatdoyouwanttoknowfor?
AndIwilllayyouteeryouhaveahequestions,andexplaiofiion,andwhyyouwantit,theclerkwillgooffaheothertrytofindGardthenebadtellyouthereisnosu。Ofaylosemybet,butagtotheLawe,Iwillnot。
Now,ifyouarewise,youwilloexplaintoyour"assistant"thatCioisiheC's,notintheK's,butyouwillsmileverysweetlyandsay,"Nevermind,"andgolookitupyourself。Andthisincapacityforiion,thismoralstupidity,thisinfirmityofthewill,thisuocheerfullycatdlift-thesearethethingsthatputpureSocialismsofariure。
Ifmenwillnotaselves,whatwilltheydowheheireffortisforall?
Afirstmatewithknottedclubseemsnedthedreadofgetting"thebouurdaynightholdsmaohisplace。Advertisefrapher,aenlyeitherspellnorpunddonotthio。suewritealettertoGarcia?
"Youseethatbookkeeper,"saidtheforemantomeiory。"Yes,whatabouthim?""os;safiant,butifI'dsendhimuptownonanerraaplishtheerrandallright,aherhand,mightstopatfoursaloonsontheway,aoMaiwetwhathehadbeefor。"subeeocarryamessagetoGarcia?
Nothingissaidabouttheemplrowsoldbeforehistimeinavaiogetfroos;er-do-wellstodoiwork;andhislorivi;help"thatdoesnothingbutloafwhenhisbaed。
&oreandfactory,thereisatweeding-oingon。Theemployeristlysendingaway"help"thathaveshowntheirincapacitytofurthertheihebusihersarebeingtakenon。Noodtimesare,thissues:only,iftimesarehardandworkisscarce,thesisdo,aheiandunwo。Itisthesurvivalofthefittest。Self-iseveryemployertokeepthebest-thosewhocarryamessagetoGarcia。
Iknowonemanofreallybrilliantpartswhohasytomanageabusinessofhisowwhoisabsolutelyworthlesstoanyoneelse,becausehecarrieswithhimtlytheinsanesuspithathisemployeris,oriooppresshim。Heotgiveorders,areceivethem。ShouldamessagebegivenhimtotaketoGarswerwouldprobablybe,"Takeityourself!"Tonightthismanwalksthestreetslookingforhistlingthroughhisthreadbareewhoknoloyhim,forheisaregularfirebrandofdist。Heisimpervioustoreasohingthatimpresshimisthetoeofathiber。
Ofcourse,Iknowthatonesomorallydeformedisobepitiedthanaphysicalcripple;butinletusdropatear,too,forthemerivingtreatenterprise,whhoursarehewhistle,andwhosehairisfastturhroughthestruggletoholdinlinedowdyindifferenbedtheheartlessingratitudewhich,butfortheirenterprise,wouldbebothhungryandhomeless。
&hemattertly?PossiblyIhave;butwhenallthewonea-slummingIwishtospeakawordofsympathyforthemanwhosucceeds-themanwho,agaiodds,hasdirectedtheeffortsofothers,andhavingsucdsthere'snothinginit:nothingbutbareboardandclothes。Ihavecarriedadinner-pailandworkedforday'swages,andIhavealsobeenanemployeroflabor,andIkhingtobesaidonbothsides。Thereisnoexce,perse,iy;ragsareion;andallemployersarenotrapadhigh-handed,ahanallpoormeuous。Myheartgoesouttothemanwhodoeshisworkwhe;boss"isahehome。Andthemanwho,wheerfarcia,quietlytakesthemissive,withoutaskinganyidiotis,andwithniionofgitisewer,aughtelsebutdeliverit,;laidoff&quoonastrikefes。