The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-03

~. S. S. Vicksburg,
: ''Of Havana, July 20, 1898.
, MY Dear Mother-A man today
brought me two letters from you and
many papers. Harry Will very likely be
sent TO Manila eventually as appearances
indicate trouble with Germany there
stronger than ever and we will have "a
have somewhat of an army there. 1 learn
today for the first time of one thousand
cases of yellow fever among our troops
at Santiago and some among the feet. but
think the number must be greatly over
rated Our surgeon says that yellow fe-
yer is not as bad now or to be dreaded as
much as formerly He would much rather
it was yellow fever than typhoid.
This is the twenty-first day on the sec
ond trip. You remember our first trip
was thirty-eight days out. II is about
the same out here as in Key West only
that there there Is a chance for our be-
ing ordered somewhere else than to Ha-
vana for our next outing. We must have
| become as much an eyesore to the people
of Havana. as Havana is to US.
Yesterday afternoon one of the new bat
3. opened fire on us at a range of about
three miles while 1 was on the bridge.
had been making a careful study OF the
hills of Havana and their numerous for
tihcations through the brig glass, but did
not happen to be looking at the firing
battery at the time. So the first thing we
knew OF II was the singing Of a ehell
just over us, followed soon by the report
/ of the discharge of the gun, This was
closely followed by another as close to US
as the first, and we noticed that this shot
fell about 500 yards over US or rather be-
yond and was exceedingly good as to d.
rection. Our captain ordered me to let
her off-meaning the ship. We-the navi-
gator and I, had determined that we
would take some professional observa-
tons, such as time OF travel of sound
and distance beyond of fall OF shot, to de-
termine the size of gun they were firing,
We managed to get accurate enough OBJ
servation to know that the gun used was
nearly 4-Inch one.
1t certainly required all the seif-control
was capable Of to wait the necessary
seventeen seconds between the time OF
the shell, but have gotten over the habit
of ducking now, and never have any de-
sire TO get behind anything, as it is the
most dangerous thing we can do. They
fired six shells in all, and each one OF
them passed directly over us. We keep
a little further from the shore in the day
time now. For the last three days Ire
Havana blockade mas been kept by me
Mayfower, a tug, converted revenue
cutter and the Vicksburg. We mad hopes
that the gunboats of the narbor would
come out and give US chance at them
when they saw the place guarded by so
few and such small ships, but they do not
seem anxious for naval engagements.
The weather here is sitting and It is
very hard TO sleep at night.
July 26-Thjs IS our thirty seventh dav
out on blockade this trip and we go in to
Key West tomorrow. We have about fif-
cen tons Of coal left. AS to provisions,
we are certainly down 70 bed rock. Ny
breakfast this morning consisted of haId
tack. coffee and strawberry Jelly. We
have no other kind of bread and no -four
with which to make any. You would lie
hard tack can be made. Al least to hun
cry man. First, we select piece neither |
widowed nor infested Of it is to be found) |
then splitting it in half odgeways max
ing a hard, thin wafer, about by 5, out |
of it, and toast it. You know how I have |
always liked toasted crackers: these are /
nearly as good This is the way to pre-
pare them when there is anything csc /
to serve with them. such as salt horse OF |
pickles.
But the height Of culinary art is reach
Cd in what is known as a midshipman's /
beefsteak- The hard tack is allowed 10 /
soak in salt water over night until it be- /
gins to absorb some if it: then # is fried .
with cheese. What delicacies we sailor /
men have that q civilian never can en-
counter "a long as a membership in the /
Poverty Stricken Perambulator's assocfa-
ton lies open to him and his eyesighf re-
mains good enough 10 read their signs of .
mystic fellowship on a farmers gate. But
worse than the privations OF cows milk.
fresh bread and pistache ice cream was
a whole afternoon without a cigar.
strictly fell back on my pipe and that de-
lcious Capstan tobacco. some Of which I ,
sent home. But there threatened a mu-
tiny among the officers until boat was
lowered and sent 70 our neighbor on the
blockade asking for the loan Of a box
summer in the tropics affords many
beautiful sights of . physical nature. Tie
sunsets are positively grand. Their grea.-
es beauty Is not while the sun : up. nor
In tho act Of setting. hut when after il has
passed below the horizon its rays strike
back on the clouds above. The clouds
in Havana And not 6ispsraSinEly bur
gradually deepening TO an ox-blood I'D
and little patches Of blue sky are made
intensely blue 10y contrast until the whole
scene IS made 50 vivid that were Il trans
rsrred to canvas by Joshua Reynolds him
self and hung in a Paris salon It's har5-
tues would der.de it as unnatural
Every afternoon without fail it "a rs
rHavana. And TO: disparasingly bu.
good steady downpour. Heavy beating
rains that would ruin a crop ot wheat
Every cloud has is own lightning. which
az night runs about gently and w.-hou, !
the pealing Of thunder from one 10 an
other like kittens rolling a bah Of Irvine
on tho hearth Indeed the dome OF every
cloud is veritab,e storage ba:-
terry. and AT times its display causes one
10 look about sharply. expecting 10 a51r
he report o a sun and the peculiar
whistle o. \ she'll Fal,ing metcors are Is
IS mosquitoes and not half as
larra-ssiGs. When We finish our next toar. /
Judging the Length by that OF ;he p~ez Ious
mes. il viii b. time TO attack Havana.