Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1898-07-21
FLIGHT or THE ARMADA


Experiences OF Fhhtp'h Eiece IN t"n
storma Of the Gerasan Ocean.
In the Century there IL an article on
sThe spanish Armada BY William
Frederic Tilton. After describing the
defeat OF tho Armada. Mr.. Tflton says;
Meanwhile the Spaniards wore speed
Ing, crestfallen, over the German |
Ocean, under all tho canvas that their
torn rigging and splintered spars would |
bear. For Sidonia's men were think
Ing only OF getting home 10 the warm
sun and sparkling water OF their cara
Espana--dear old Spain. Soldiers and
sailors lounged In sullen. silent groups
about the decks. The iiag-ship would
not respond to the sliutes Of her con-
sorts. The wind blew northcriy at
times, but the duke forgot his promise
to sail back into the Channel. He
thought only OF flight. and offered his
French pilot two thousand ducats II
he should bring him safe 10 Spain.
| Soon the autumn storms burst, and
! the Spaniards had to house everything
but rag OF sail to steer BY. Thick,
i black fogs often settled down upon
them, so that they could not see
one another's lights NJ night One
day, however, they had the melancholy
satisfaction Of capturing few En-
glish ptnnaccs returning from their
fishing ground laden with cod and ling.
This--one almost regrets to say IT.
was the greatest achievement OF the
feet that was to give Philip the SOW
ercignty over western Europe. The
men had been supplied with clothes
only for short summer campaign,
and these North Sea gales frozo them
to the bone I'VE all expected to come
home rich from this expedition" wrote
gentleman on board the flagship
as she was foundering past Scotland;
shut now we are coming home In our
shirts, for onr clothes got so ragged
that we had to throw them overheard"
. To Increase the wretchedness. II be-
came necessary TO reduce the rations
to starving-point. The artillery mules
and noblemen's horses, which wise
commander wouid have kept for food.
! were cast overheard to save water. It
was heartrndlng TO see the wild white
! eyes of the poor brutes as.. plunging
} and snorting. they tried to swim back
10 the ships side.
} 1t seemed imperative 30 punish some
body for all this disgrace ard misery.
A number OF officers were accused Of
, disobedience or cowardice. Some of
: these the duke deprived OF their com
mands; and one captain was hanged
In a pinnace, which was sent through
} the fleet with It's gruesome freight
dangling from the yard,arm as warn
ing to the rest.
The weather got ever wilder. The
clumsy ships heaved and rolled, and
plunged their yards deep into the
waves. HuIls got so badly strained
that they had TO be stiffened with
!. ropes. Strong men focked to the chap
a laIns. begging for their prayers. Many
poor fellow. losing hope Of seeing
1 land again, made his will and intr,isted
!. II to the ships priest. Men sickened
d and died by hundreds. sons Of spain'e
!. nobiest houses with the rest. Many
Z ships got 20 short-handed that they
. dropped behind tho main body, ant
. had to struggle northward in ISOLATED
groups. Now and then n rotten acint
+ would give way, and the sailors. weak
ened by hunger and sickness. had Il
. go aioft In the gale to house the tug
I cling and bellylng snil. lucky II shrcud.
. and spars were not slippery and dan
gcrous with the driving slect Though
q midsummer. II was as cold rs Christ
mas. Everybody except the pilot
stayed below as much as possible q
keep warm. They were all perishinl
oe with hunger and thirst. and the lhti
n n food they got was moldy. They nigh
have tried catching rainwater i
casks, but the spray would have turn
rs ed It salt. Calderon. one Of the pay
re masters. Ind store Of delics1ie
y aboard his hulk, and distributed then
4, MS we'll MS the heavy sen allowed
among the sick and wounded Of tn
70 fleet The negroes and mulattoca.
cy was observed. nearly all perlshcd wit
'o the cold. The men were now keI
H. continuously at the pumps. Woe I
>. the ship when pumps got ciogged wit
al ballast pebbles II was hard and daI
h. gerous work shifting the crews Q
es linking vessels In the tempestuou
is weather.