The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-09

bodies, feeling much pity, and some sat
lstaction, too, that the Maine had been
again so well remembered.
About this time the Suwanee came up
and sent the famous Lieut.. Blue ashore in
her whaleboat to look. for survivors Of
the crews of the Spanish vessels. and take
them prisoners. We determined to fol-
low, though we had neither lifeboat nor
Hfe-preservers, as the Suwanee's boat crew
had and though the surf was running
high and strong on the rock beach. But
deciding to swim for IL if we were upset,
we dragged OFF our clothing and headed
our jollyboat for the shore.
Lieut.. Blues boat was some twenty yards
ahead of US when we saw a huge breaker
lift it forward and throw the lieutenant
overheard into the white froth of the sea.
| guess we would have turned back then
if we could but 1t was too late. We were
in the breakers. one after another the
huge breakers broke under and over US,
and lifted US high on their curling backs,
and shot US al the shore. When the tirst
scrape of gravel sounded under our keel
we jumped out and dragged the boat on
The beach.
Lieut.. Blue had been safely hauled
ashore by his crew. and was interviewing
a band of Cubans. who were also looking
for Spaniards. But as Spaniards there were
none, the lieutenant pushed out through
the breakers, boarded the Suwanee, and
put to sea again. We joined some dispatch
boats and headed for the Infanta Maria
Teresa, further along the coast to the east
ward. This vessel is not in quite bad
condition as the Oquendo Blackened by
fire and battered by shell she certainly is,
but her after military mast still stands,
her bridge. though much bent and twisted,
is recognizable, and she has not such ter
rible shot wounds in her hun as the
Oquendo has. Nevertheless, she was the
first of the Spanish ships yesterday to give
up the fight and head for the shore. In the
fire the cartridges still popped as though
sun feebiy endeavOring 20 keep up the
fight.
1 scanned the shore for Spaniards, and
finally saw some score of figures huddled
together in one corner of the beach. We
shouted IS them. and made a demonstra-
ton without firearms, and the poor, cowed
fellows waved a white handkerchief or
shirt in token of surrender
Most Of them were wounded, and had
been 10 the heat of the fight, and we
learned from them how the gunnery of the
Americans had become fercer and more
deadly, until the Spanish crews had de-
serted their guns, and had been shot down
| by their own officerd and as the conditions
of the battle became more and more des-
perate the fine liquors of the officers mess
had been handed out TO the crews, so that
with drunken courage they would fight on
the hopeless light and how at last the Of
ticers themselves gave up, and, scutthng
their ships, drove them on the shore. Six
teen were from the Vizcaya, six from the
Oquendo, and seven from the Maria Teresa,
making a total of twenty nine. We took
them aboard the Silvia and headed for the
fleet.
Admiral Sampson thanked us very cour-
teously and asked us to deliver our passen-
gers on board the ST. Louis. We did so,
| receiving a receipt in due form from the
officer of marines in charge. While aboard
the st. Louis we met Capt Eulate of the
Vizcaya, whom [ had seen in New York
some months ago under very different con-
ditions The captain expressed his grief
at the sad turn affairs mad taken, but said
he had done his best and could do no more.
Admiral Cervera was also on board, and
we spoke few words TO him. The old gen
tieman is a fine. imposing figure as he
stands, still proudly, in his full uniform.
with all the gold braid and several decora-
lions of his rank on his breast. The full
effect is somewhat marred by the fact that
his trousers are very damp from wading
ashore, escaping from his burning and dis
abled ship. But only the irreVerent would
take notice of such things.