El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-04-26
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A glance told Grau that 1urtner al
tempt at flight was useless. A iolter
ing feet was to the northeast, and ar
iropclad plugged forward from tn,
northwest. Grau knew that it mean
surrender or fight, and he prepared
for battle.
The red, white, and red OF Peru was
Haunted from he peak, and in detiap
reply bit of bunting hoisted to l
similar position on the approaching
ship r. solved any possible conjectures
as to her identity, for it was made ou1
to be the lone-star flag of Chile Grau
thought, from peculla Its OF con 9truc
ton, that the vessel was the Almlrante
Cochrane, and his surmise proved to
be correct.
The drummers and buglers were or.
dered to sound calls, first for general
quarters, then for action; and, stripped
to the waist, the guns crews crowded
into the ill-ventilated turret, where
thew were to toll and sweat at the
great pieces in an atmosphere that the
SUMS fierce rays, already causing the
morning to be close and sticky, would
make st; fling. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS were
thrown open, and the long curtains OF
green felt were slung from the deck
beams above to protect the ma azine
passages, in order that sparks might
dozen men hurried into the main mill
tary top to serve the Calling qua and
ri flts the-N Rubber clio ms were
stretched 'ov-r t." wardrCom table,
and fastened in such a manner that the
blood of the wounded would flow
smoothly and be caught in buckets
that were placed at the four corners,
for there one science would endeavor
to save the lives that another science
was trying to destroy. The surgeon
and his assistants la out scalpeIs, long
cleaning knives, and saws. Huge
piles of lint were placed on the tioOr.
= The stewards hurriedly passed about
coffee and bread, and the sailors in the
turret ate their morning meal leaning
against the already lOaded pieces, ana
those in the top had pals of coffee car
ried up to them, which they drank
while setting their sight. The hinged
hulwarks of the little vessel were let
down, aud the smooth water RIPPED
only four feet below the Huascar's
deck The forecastle and main matches
were batteued but the after companion
way was left open, for down this pas
sage the wounded would be taken. Be-
tween decks we're stationed those
sailors not needed in service of the
guns, where they would be most handy
to assist in the navigation of the ship,
the service of ammunition. or to re-
place the killed A score of inon-com-
batants were also there.
At nine O'Clock the Cochrane was
within three thousand yards, and
Grau, having given last glance
around, and having signaled the Union
to keep out of the enemy's way, en-
tered the cOnning-tower that was to
prove his tomb. Not a shot had as yet
been fred. These modern chips, carry
ing guns that could throw shell from
four or five miles, reserved their
fire for closer quarters. Five
minutes later Grau gave
command to the officer in the turret,
and shot from one of the Huascar's
guns whistled over the water.
The commander of the COchrane evil
IDENTIFY wished for sill closer range,
and did not re ply until tn ee shots had
left the turret of the little ship. Fin
aIly the answer came in the shape of q
broad side, and shell dented the
protective belt just