The herald., 1898-08-25
End Of the Voyage


End of the Voyage
ON BOARD STEAMSHIP NEWPORT,
Manila Bay. July 25.-At last our long sea
voyage has come to an end-a fact relished
by both officers and men-but as yet moth
ing Is known as to the disposition Of the
various batteries on board or where head
quarters will be futher than that the Astor
battery will go ashore in the morning and
headquarters will be maintained on the
Newport for several days.
The voyage from Honolulu has been as
pleasant as one could desire with the ex-
ception Of last night and this morning when
a few China sea squalls were encountered.
The six transports. City OF Para, Morgan
City. Ohio, Indiana, Valencia and Newport,
all drew out of Honolulu the night of 7th
and the morning Of the 8th, those going out
on the 7th lying In the outer harbor over
night.
The Newport left the dock shortly before
noon July Sth and all Honolulu was down
to see US off with farewell offerings OF fruit,
flowers and best wishes for our future well
fare.
The Hawaiian band accompanied us to
the mouth Of the inner harbor on the gov
eminent tug and played America" 1.-The
Star Spangled Banner" Dixie" Yankee
Doodle and other airs to warm the Ameri-
can heart until out OF earshot.
All the boats in the harbor saluted as
we left, the last large vessel to do us honor
being the British liner Gaelic, but the launch
from the American monitor Monadnock,
acting as our escort, gave US the final sa-
lutte.
The transports all lay to for about two
hours while final orders were signaled to
the others from the Newport. The Indiana
had suffered slight break in her machin-
cry, necessitating a delay of several hours
and the balance of tho fleet with the ex-
ception of this hove to pending repairs.
The Newport, however, after final In
structions were given, steamed ahead and
the other troop ships were soon hull down.
1t then developed that our ship was not to
continue with the fleet but was to push on
to Manila with all possible speed and If pos
sible overtake the Monterey and Brutus.
This fact added interest to the voyage and
a cry of ship in sight" would bring hun
dred and fifty or two hundred men to the
deck every time. The cry, however, proved
In every instance to be a hoax and not
ship was sighted until yesterday afternoon,
when the Australia, homeward bound. was
seen In the distance.
Someone purloined kitten while we were
in Honolulu but the kitten and the Astor
battery's fox terrier could not agree and
consequently 1t was not long until there was
a missing kitten.
At the Ladrones
The first incident to break the monotony
occurred shortly after noon on July 18th,
when the Ladrone islands wero sighted.
The first island was some eighty miles to
the south Of our course but later we saw
two more twenty miles south and just at
dusk passed Volcano Grande. the most
northerly Of the group.
We passed to the south and within three
miles Of 1t and long before we came abreast
of It we could see smoke issuing from the
still active crater. After sunset the glare
from the natural furnace lit up the sky for
a considerable distance and was plainly
visible for over fifty miles.
Going Into Manila
The voyage was without further incident
until the Philippines were sighted, Satur-
day, July 23d. The night of the Esd and
oath were passed in comparative darkness;
no light was shown at the masthead and on
the 23d even the side lights were not lit; all
exposed electric lights were carefully COW
cred. the port holes covered and the men
were even cautioned against striking
matches while on deck.
The reason for these precautions was APP
parent when. shortly before midnight, we
passed an abrupt headland on one of the
small islands to the north Of Luzon, from
the shadow Of which we would have been
an easy target for a lurking gunboat. even
though manned by Spaniards. for we were
not over two miles and half from 1t.
We had hardly come to anchor before we
were surrounded by bum boats" with
various kinds of fruit, cigars and cigarettes
for sale. The natives speak no English and
very little spanish--enoush, however, to
name their articles and flNa price two or
three times as large as they are willing to
receive.
Although they cannot speak the language
American money lie perfectly acceptable
to the natives but the Idea Of making
change seems utterly foreign to them. One
may throw down a 5O-cent piece and repeat
dozen times. "Dias centavos de bananas"
or "Veinte cinco de cisarro." but no matter
how impressive you may endeavor to make
It no change will be returned
Bay Full Of Warships
The bay is full Of warships-those of
Uncle Sam predomlnating, but those of
England and Germany are also in evi-
dence-and here and there the masts and
upper works Of a Spanish vessel sent to a
last dishonorable resting place bv tina no1,1o
work Of Dewey on May LIST.
The American feet and the transports
that have not yet started on the return trip
are concentrated of Cavite. while the ships
of the other countries are close to Manila.
There Is also, from the number of masts
to be seen in that direction, quite large
fleet Of merchantmen detained by the pres
ent hostilities.
Admiral Dewey came on board shortly
after noon and then repaired to the flagship
with General Merritt to discuss AFFAIRS, but
the result of the conference ID OF course as
yet unknown. although Il u upderstood