The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-06-01

to Key West OF Hampton Roads iu
short order after getting official in
formation from Washington
GsptaiA Clark had no official know
ledge Of the situation sitter :eaying
Rio Jsneiro on April 80 During
4 The entire trip the crew expected
nomentarily to meet the Spanish
Only once. however, was there call
90 arms This was shortly after mid
night on leaving Rio Jsneiro As
the Oregon was pluughing through
the black equatorial sea dark object
wss discovered ahead. apparently
giving chase The call to general
qcarteie vss sounded. fhe men rolled
oct OF their bertks with the enthn
siasm of boys on circus day. and
almost instansly every gun was man
ned The Oregon left her course
and circied around her black pursner.
only to find it . harm cps bark Instead
os q Spanish warship
Back 10 their berths ctept the men
with mutterings Of Disappointment
and diagnst.
At Rio Janeiro Captain Clark was
told tha the Spanish torpedo boat
Temerario was following him This
report gave new iaseres, to the trip
tofa day and night. but at the next
port Of casi he was informed that the
Temerario had gone into dry dock at
Rio Janeiro just after the departure
of the Oregon.
The cruise through the straits OF
Magellan was most Interesting. II
was at this far southern point of the
AreIican hemisphere that the crew
expected to receive visit from the
Spaaiards In many places the chan
mel was very narrow and crooked,
with hidden bays and coves. and
back of them mountains towering in
the clouds on either-side Moreover
they were in the land of icy winter
For more than month they had been
], sailing under tropical skies, aud now
the cold blasts whistled among the
crags above them aud the ice at nigh.
lay on the decks
But the Oregon did not lag Cap
tain Clark had no idea of giving the
Spaniards. if they were there. a
chance to icstch him mapping Il
the great battleship were to be
caught II should be catch pn the
wing The engines were warned up
80 their best work and wheuever it
was safe aud possible the Oregon
borled along at Is knots an hour
The machinery worked well. and on
oecasions the speed was increased
three knots in few minutes. A
stop of three days was made at Sandy
Point where coal was taken on aud
other supplies secured
!. The Oregon's 25 officers and her
crew Of 425 seamen were welt and
happy when the battleship cast
anchor of Sandy Key lighthouse at
$50 this morning The Oregon is
iD 6rst class shape and ready for an
other cruise as long as the one just
ended The excellent condition OF
the men after their sc days voyage
is perhaps more remarkable
Throughout the entire trip there were
no cases of serious illness on board.
and the men are as esger for imme-
diste activity ss if they bad just
come from vacation in the noun
tains.
The Oregon picked up the cruiser
Marietta and the dynamite cruiser
Nictheroy between Rio Janeiro and
Bahia. but she parted company with
them after a few hundred miles
Captain Clark said the crew of the
Oregon had suffered much from the
heat in passing twice through the
tropics
"All the way along" he added.
1--we were wondering where the Span
isrds we're, anG we never ascertained
the fact until we reached here"
"Do you know nov ?" Captain
Clark was asked
@Weil.n he replied, 81 imagine
we can make very accurate guess y
The Oregon will remain here for
orders.
The United States gunboat Hor
net cane in from the blockade this
morning She reports everything
quiet along the line of the blockade
Ii you wan. new orgao for your old ooe