Evening star., 1898-06-28

full matter, chemical tests prove.
the decks of the troop ships. 1t was dis
appointing, as long stretch of land lying
apt to be.
Though it is possible to wade from Cayo
Romano across to the mainland the ves-
sells held their course far out in order to
avoid the treacherouS reefs and nothing
of the mainland was visible. But the
scene on the waters that afternoon was
enough to compensate for what was lack
ing OF land views. The fleet was moving
in perfect formation. 1t must have extend
ed for ten miles and more, while it spread
cut like the tapering wings of a bird in
full flight Far in the lead the lofty masts
and tunnels and the turrets of the Indiana
appeared to rise abruptly from the level of
the waters. The Detroit and the gunboats
presented a similar appearance, while the
transports with their high prows seemed
to be long, black line broken at regular
intervals. The torpedo destroyers, which
the Hornet and the other yachts which
were cut down are called, were low in the
water, with their projecting bows plough
ing the waves like porcupines afloat. They
were even saucier in their looks than the
torpedo boats. Each vessel was following
the course as though it alone were on the
mission of war and had no concern of its
neiShbor few hundred yards away. At
night, passing Nuevitas, the vessels cius-
tered little closer together, and the black
hulls moved over the sea in silence and
darkness. a Mexican merchantmen was
oyerhauled toward midnight, and. her pa
perS being regular, was allowed to proceed.
That was the only incident in seventy-two
hours.
The following morning the squadron was
off the northwest coast of Santiago prov
ince, but SO far off that the land could not
be seen. The ships were still clustered to-
getncr, not in regular formation, but al
most in crescent shape. The waters were
smooth, and 1 counted forty vessels, war
ships and transports. For a time only a
snaiis progress was maintained. There
were many orders to be given and received.
Some Were signaled from the Seguranca,
While others were carried by the dispatch
boats. The OliVette, in addition to water
ing the fleet, had on board the army field
hospital corps, and was turned into an am
buance ship temporarily. AS it went
among the vessels picking up the sick, who
We're few, a chance was given to learn
what was happening. Some times the big
transports, the Yucatan, the Concho, the
Nigilancia, the Alamo or the Miami would
be alongside On other occasions it would
be one of the sidewheelers, the Gussie or
the Clinton, or some of tina smaller ships.
There was dearth of news on all of them.
A Touch of Rough Water.
In the afternoon the mainland was seen
for the first time. The skies were clouded
and the coast range of hills could be dis
cerned dimly through the mist. The gaps
there a view of the mountains which lie
this expedition will have to learn what
Cuba is after they set foot on it's soil. They
have learned little from the decks OK the
ships. At night the fleet heading di
rectly east, and Sunday morning it was in
the Windward Passage. Up to this time
nothing but smooth weather had been eX-
rerienced. The misery of rough seas, re-
corded when the voyage began, had been
INT he Wipduar ri .an
not be smoothed like a ruffled bird. The
waves were not climbing quite up to the
sky, ana the trough of the sea was not
opening clear down into the lower regions,
as ii usually does at this season OF the
year, yet thare was bit of rough weather
which instantly blotted out the memory of
the pleasant days that were past The big
transports pitched and rolled, the smaller
ones hoisted sail to steady themselves The
Indiana herself failed to maintain an equi-
librium. The tall funnel and the coming
towers in the high mast of the Helena reel
ed and made deceiving motions of keeling
over. The Ericsson, the Foote and the Por-
ter showed the wonderful combination OF
motions forward, backward, sidewise and
rotary of which the torpedo boats are capa-
bic without sinking. They were compared
to leaGan corks, if that term may be used
to describe their buoyancy.
There was no storm The squadron was
simply coming toward the meeting OF the
currents. The greater part of it was head
Three four OF the vessels were sent to
the northeast, to Great Inagua Island un
der escort of the Helena. This is the Brit
ish possession which lies at the entrance
to the. Windward Passage, almost equally
distant between Cuba and Haiti. For sew
eral days water for the mules on the Cassie
had been the subject of much signaling be-
tween the Seguranca, the Oivette the
Gussie and the dispatch boats which car
ried the official orders. 1t could not be
done on the open sea, so the instructions
were given to make for Matthewtown. the
port of the island. 1t was worth the two
hours tossing and rolling to anchor in the
calm waters of Man-owar bay, which is
the name of the coast haven where Mat
thewtown Is located. Not much is on the
island except a salt lake and a leper colony
for the British Bahamas, hidden away in
one corner. There is a stretch of white
sand, some shelving rocks, growth of
scrubby trees, several neat white dwellings,
light house, the salt factory, and stock
ade jail There are also three fiagstaffs
on one of which the stars and stripes had
been run up. The English customs officer
who came aboard said three white families
besides his own lived at Matthewtown The
rest of the population is black. Most of i.
came out in small boats to sell pineapples
and bananas. The few hours stay in this
peaceful bay with the warlike name was
a pleasant one. 1t seemed the more pleas
ant when the anchors were weighed and
the voyage was begun through the rough
waters to overtake the fleet
The Helena and it's CONVOY passed Cana
Maysi light an hour before midnight The
beacon was burning. Monday morning the
main fleet was sighted through a dozen
threads of smoke which were blending on
the horizon. The Caribbean sea had been
entered during the night and the course
" as now due west within full view of the
mountain range-the Sierra Maestre-which
IS the distinctive feature of eastern Cuba.
me mountains We're flooded with ths blue
mist that seems eternal Passing Guantan-
amo bay, the patrol vessels which hold
that harbor were easily visible Later the
Helena brought it's convoy up to the 9th.
transports and war vessels and a steady
progress was maintained until the meeting
with Capt. Sampson's fleet.
CHARLES NJ. PEPPER.
For the Local Colored Volunteers,
Representative Mcdonald of MARYLAND