The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-12-31

" ant that'ugr what is known as,
the Wtnawa,'l Passage and QUE
course all duy has been almost
West as,you c., n zee by looking at
the nap
The Eastern C mst OF Cuba is very
,,nd especially, is this
so after pas ing, Santiago, The
country Reminds Igse very much of
the mountainous part of East Tenn-
essee.
This has been Me most interest
ing day of our voPace and wish T
could tell you NJ sbout il, but it is
nes.within my power, so will con-,
tent myself with giving you All.
outline of the day.
The first thiag 10 attract special
attention was Il steamer in the
distance, bearing toward US. 1t
passed to the right of US about two
hundred yards and we could see
that it was a converted yacht''
that is, ithad been purchased by
Uncle Sam anu converted into
small cruiser, or dispatch boat. 1t
saIuteu us with the usual three
whistles, and we answered it.
When the boys saw the American
flag floating in her stearn, they
cheered her and her crew turned
out and waved and cheered in re-
turn. She was trim looking little
craft and do not doubt that If it
had beer necessary she could have
shown pretty good speed. She
carried few small cannon.
We saw no sign of life until we
reached the Bay of Guantnamo
and then we could see only few
houses away back in the hills. The
town of Santa Rosa Is at the head
of this bay, but we could not locate
| it.
About 1890 O'clock we sighted
the little town OF Sigma and shortly
Daiquiri could be seen as could
Formosa and Sibony. These three
latter places will be remembered
by those who read and keep posted,
as the war between the United
States and Spain progressed. All
three of these places can be seen at
one time. Diaquiri Is the place
where the first u. 8. soldiers were
landed and later others were land
ed at Sibony and Formosa was
later occupied by the Americans
Just before the battle of Ell Caney.
This latter place could be seen as
it is situated just across the first
range of what we would call
"knobs" i'm East Tennessee.
Before we left these places be-
hind we sighted the Moro Caste
at the mouth of the Bay of Santiago
and the fort just opposite the castle.
AS we came nearer, this proved to
be the most picturesque sight we
had seen. The old castle dismantled
by American shot and shell, yet
told something of its former gran
dure. Just back of it could be seen
the tents of Uncle Sans boys, who
now hold triumphant possession Of
this once proud Spanish Strong
hold. When we had steamed up
opposite the narrow mouth OF the
harbor, where Lieut.. Hobson dis
tinguished himself, we could see a.
wrecked three mast and two fun
nell steam ships, but if it was the
Marrimac, it had swung clear
around and lay along the Northern
side of the entrance of the harbor.
The City of Santiago cannot be
seen from the sea as it is back In
the mountains about seven miles.
We could see smoke, which we
supposed arose from the City.
AS we ste amed on leaving old
Moro behind the sun shown out
brightly upon her dlsmantled bat
, Elements and grand sight it was.
About two or three miles farther on
|, we saw the wreck of the Spanish
7 battle ship Admiral OqueDdo. She
had been run aground as near the
shore as possible. one end of her
stood away up out of the water
while the other rested on the bot
n tom. We could see great holes in
, her hull and the once proud ship
was red with rust, which is slowly
9 but surely running her steel armor.
= A mile or so farther on we sighted
the wreck of that grand old ship
q the Vizcaya, the pride of the Span
ish Navy and Admiral Cevera's flag
ship. She lay broadsides to US and
about half Of the upper part of hel
: hull seemed to be above water. A.
, we gazed at her we could not helI
= but think that her proud COmman
\ der's heart must have almost brok