The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-10
Mangled and Charred Bodies strewn
Among the Twisted Iron, and Buzz
yards lowering Above Them.
MANY OF THE DEAD BURIED
sPANTARDs DISCOVERED TRYING TO
LOOT THE BATTERED HULKs.
Skaters Advanced Lines About SAN
tiago Marked by the Stars and
Stripes-NO Prisoners Massacred.
(Copyright. 1S9s. low the Associated Pr,

Copyright 1898, by the Associated Press.)
OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, July T. by
the Associated Press dispatch boat Daunt-
less, via Port Antonio and Kingston, ia
maica, July s, IL p. m.-The vessels which
composed Admiral Cervera's squadron, con-
verted into wrecked charnel houses, are lit
tering the Cuban coast, and the scenes of
desolation, ruin, horror and death battle de-
scription.
At the entrance Of the harbor of Santiago
de Cuba lies the Reina Mercedes, sunk at
midnight on July 8. westward five miles
from the harbor is a torpedo boat destroyer,
stuck fast in the rocks close in shore and
battered by the surf. Rocks jutting out of
the water where she lies hide her hull from
view. Her davits and the top of her con-
ming tower alone mark her resting place.
Visible from the sea, O. few miles further,
in an inlet embraced by two mighty arms
of black rocks that extend half mile into
the sea, are the remains of the twin cruis-
ers Infanta Maria Teresa and Almirante
Oquendo, formerly the pride of the Spanish
navy Beyond lies the Vizcaya, a, mass of
ruins, and forty-two miles away from San
tiago de Cuba the Cristobal Colon lies help
less on her side with her smokestacks I'M
der water.
The Infanta Maria Teresa and the Almi-
rante Oquendo stand upright, stuck fast in
the rocky shoals. All that is left of them is
their outer hulls, the heavy armor defying
humiliation. Inside of them the work of
destruction is complete Their boilers, en-
gines, bunkers and magazines have been
blown into unrecognizable masses of twist
ed, melted iron Exploded shells, burned
rifles and revolvers, pieces of yellow BRASS
work and gold and silver coin, melted by
the intense heat, are strewn all over the
remains of the once proud armored cruisers,
whose protective decks only stand in places.
But the most CHASTITY, horrible sights in
those silent steel collins the mangled,
SCARED and charred bodies Of hundreds of
brave sailors, sacrificed for their country.
Buzzards are feeding off the dead and
others are lowering over the wrecks. On
the beach other fiocks of vultures sit in ST.
lence waiting for the sea to give up it's dead.
Every tide adds to the tale of horror, wash
ing up such objects as, for instance, sleeve
inclosing a wasted ARM other portions of
human bodies gnawed by hungry sharks
and countless relics of the battle
Attention has been given to the burial of
the dead of the enemy, and over one hun
dred bodies taken from the ships or washed
ashore have been inferred upon the beach
by Rear Admiral Simpsons orders Those
that remain are almost consumed by fire,
charred beyond belief or in the depths of
the sea. These form the food of the buzz
yards, which keep constant vigil about the
wrecks The buried remains lie in a con-
fused mass, unnumbered and unnamed, in a
huge pit dug in the sandy beach, where the
vessels went ashore. A rude wooden cross
from the wreckage alone marks the grave
which Spain may well mourn.