The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-07
FREEDOM FOR one CUBAN
IN THE ROUTINE OF
THE q. S. S. MAYFLOWER

Harry Sabine Keeps Up His Interest-
ing Log of Life ON the Water in
Front of Hnvana-An Escaped
Spanish Prisoner Finds a Refuge
Under the American Flag
Sounding General Quarters.
A good deal of interesting news is
contained in the latest installment Of
Harry B. Sabines log of the May
flower
The letter which was sent to b. B.
IL. Watersl. of 1882 st. Peter street, con-
talns much other information, which
gives a vivid idea Of life on a ship in
the blockadlng fleet.
Sabine writes:
suppose you have no idea of what general
quarters actually means. We will be drifting
slowly. silently along not, light showing
something. 1t may be torpedo boat,
cruiser or what not, all things look very
much 1c alike on dark night. The lookout
will report to the officer of the deck in a
whisper. giving location. The officer of the
deck has probably been watching the object
for some time and he in turn awakes the
asleep On a chair on the bridge. He in turn
will eye the object for moment aud then
sharply ard distinctly will say: "Bugler!"
The bugler who is sleeping at the captains
"Sir?''
Sound general quarters!'
On deck few men are awake and they
move quickly and noiselessly to their sta
tl0ns. Down on the berth deck all is silent.
The men are asleep in their hammocks, and
the berth deck is as dark as the night with
out.
In an instant all Is changed. The sharp,
quick, soul-stirring notes Of the bugle ring
out and men come rushing from every direc-
ton. In flash the electric light has blazed
forth and every man is flying to his station.
They do not stop for clothes Or shoes except
The Whole matter Boiled down is Simply. get gel
! there. Run. tumble, fall, curse. knock down
anything in the way. but get there, and get
the decks are sprinkled with sand that the
gunners will not slip on the blood that will
soon run In the scuppers. Ammunition is be-
ing hoisted from the forehold, the force is
trebled, the water tight compartment doors
are closed and except the whirr Of the blow
ers which have just been put on there is no
sound as the ship sweeps on to victory or
death.
Such is general quarters and so we'll are
the men drilled that at the bugle call, which
for many of them is probably the last, they
lated machinery. Down In the frehole the
men know nothing of the tide of battle.
They are there to keep up steam. and how
ever much their hearts are in the battle they
go coo.ly and calmy about their work, wei
knowing that a well-drected shot into the
boilers leaves them like rats In trap. Yet
never would think of making a step upward
to the deck without orders.
June 20-Warm. yet fair breeze blowing
Ordered to Station No.. 2 on the blockade
which puts us eight or ten miles to the east
ward and closer inshore. Mall comes and
departs.
June 21-Revolver practice. The rumor is
we will form of the flying squad
ron to go to Spain. and rumor again that we
will be the telegraph boat. holding the end Of
tESeKey West cable. ard that would give US
fnntxy of
the monontony.
June 22-Revolver practice again. One coal
passer was firing his revolver alongside Of
was being worked by Lieut.. Carter. He fired
two shots and was just firing the third when
the machine gun opened up. He brought his
saying: Gosh! 1 never thought there
was so much in one of those pistols" We
didn't think so, either. This afternoon we
changed stations again. and are now a few
hundred yards from shore.
3:30-A hurricane has come up. Rain and
wind to- spare. and the sky biacker than
night Would like. a hurricane scheduled for
four times day. Lay close in all night.
June 2S-Revolver practice all day and some
OF the men seemed to be trying to put bull
let into the Mangrove. close by. instead OF
Frenchy's pants and filed them with coal.
tied his shoes to the bottom and hung them
in conspicuous place Now there is trouble
brewing for that somebody.
We are still close inshore and in plain
view of a biockhouse. containing Spanish
soldiers. and l wish we would try our five
inch guns thereon II only to see them run
for the bush.
June -4-Absolutely nothing new. Engines
perfectly still all the time.
June 25-The Spanish are erecting and put
ting in position field battery nearly oppo-
site to where we are lying. 1t is intended
for warm reception for American troops.
Committees are appointed for arranging for
Fourth OF July sports. Engineers department
takes no interest In them. 1 think big
dinner would interest them most. Not a ves-
sci of the fleet near for forty-elght hours.
Painting ship and most OF US have souvenirs
of the occasion on our clothes. Painted mess
floor at 800 this p. m. and it looks bad for
having supper. The to 8 watch has break
fast at $3.50 a. NJ, dinner at II 80 and supper
at $3.50 p. M, working eight hours and being
seventeen hours without eating but such is
the force of habit that no pays the least
attention to it. stew was made in the fire
hole last night that eclipsed anything made on
the ship yet. And I was in it-not the
stew for the stew was In me, at least a par:
Of it-but 1 mean in the operation Ct making