The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-27

Night and Day Scenes and Incidents
of the Naval Rendezvous.

OF the Naval Rendezvous.
correspondence of the Associated Press.
GUANTANAMO HARBOR, July IT,
Ihere is one locality on this southern coast
TO which the heart of the American CORE
spondent will always turn in fond remem-
Drance. Guantanamo bay is lacking some
what in the scenic features which make
Santiago harbor SO noteworthy. But if not
SO picturesque, it is far easier to reach
much more capacious, fully as well shell
tered and affords much more desirable hold
ing ground. Many a poor fellow whose
stomach has absolutely refused to become
accustomed to the ceaseless motion of
Caribbean waves will recall how his appe-
tite returned with the splash of the mud
hook" and his mental processes resumed
their accuracy with renewed digestion.
To the comfort of this harbor this even
ing is added a spectacle. This is none too
large word, since the fleet of the United
States herein gathered could not be equaled
in the western hemisphere and embraces
the most formidable ships which fly our
flag. Here you can see every battle ship in
our navy. Here, too, are the Newark, Mar
blehead andA Columbia-an object of much
interest from its four stacks and it's TWEEN
ty-three-knot record-the big auxiliary
"a NASCA dl0 anu d Tiny T0ucn lTlSdIS,
while torpedo boats. gunboats, GOLFERS,
transports and dispatch boats galore make
even this ample harbor seem well occupied.
AS night fell and the southern cross shone
out low on the southern horizon the electric
lights the huge battle ships CLEANED
through the port holes from stem to stern.
Now and again a bugle call from the camp
of the marines on the hill or from the deck
of man-of-war was echoed from Fisher
mans point, which guards the eastern en-
trance Then the men had an hour of bath
ing in the clear water, where six fathoms
seem six feet
To add comfort of sound to that of scene
and rest tho band of the Oregon commenced
to play, slowly al FIRST then in more swell
ing measure, and although the tune chosen
was the Well-knoWn ''Washington Post
March, never did music sound more sweet
ly, and TO the minds of the listeners it
brought thoughts of home coming and the
march through troops of friends. For an
hour the band played, each patriotic selec-
ton an echo of cheers from forecastle and
quarterback, and then silence through
which at o'clock 1.-TWO bels) stole that
sweetest, yet saddest, of military and naval
bugle calls-'taps" Lights are out now
and the harbor is left to the nomadic shark
and the fussy steam launch. A peaceful
scene truly, and none the less so that its
more notable human accomplishments are
those which make for horrid war.
The correspondent was informed tonight
that this morning the Spaniaros at and near
Caimanera fired on one of the launches
which, with its companions, constantly
patrol the entrance to the lower bay. This
hostile act was something of surprise be-
cause the troops under Perez had been in
formed by that leader the day before that
Santiago was to surrender formally at noon
to-day and that he and his troops were in
cluded in those who must lay down their
arms and return to Spain. To grim famine
in Guantanamo city and it's environs is
added the raVageS of yellow fever, which
seems to be much more virulent In type
than it is further westward. Deaths from
yellow jack average fifteen per day. This
report is official and from Perez himself.
Withal, events alone can prove whether
these soldiers will consent to surrender as
a body without more burning of gunpowder.
A strict military quarantine is observed
here, and Commander McCalla, of the Mar
blehead is infinitely more strict than any
health officer the States can boast. Gen.
Miles, who came here on the Yale to-day,
was not allowed to land until he showed a
fumigated. The general of the army has
gone so far to sacrifice his muStache to
the exigencieS of the occasion Whatever
the deprivation may do for his health, it has
certainly so changed his appearance so az
to make him almost unrecogmZable until
you come within speaking distance.
The troops on the Yale are, OF course,
heartily sick of the enforced security which
their vessels grant. but they are more
healthy for being kept afioat and so much
the more likely to be effective at Porto
Rico. Troops are held also on the cruiser
Columbia and the old Spanish prize Rita.
now converted into a United States trans
port The latter has the yellow flag on her
fore topmast. but this only means that some
one on board landed at Siboney and that
there is one case of typhoid on the sick re-
port.