The Portland daily press., 1898-04-29
UNDER A RAINBOW.
Columbia Met With Good Omen on Its
Trip.


bia finished yesterday morning gave Capt.
Sands's 'sbullies' their first bit of genu-
inc excitement. 1t happened yesterday
afternoon about O'Clock, just after there
had heen a most wonderful and lucky
portent in the sky. We got out of New
port about O'Clock on Tuesday morning
and steamed along at l2-knot gait, US
| ing only the wing screws. In the after
noon lot of sharp rain squalls showed
themselves across the course, but for the
most part the day was clear and cold,
with a sharp northeast breeze blowing
that sent the wild white sheep of Nor
way" scurrying toward the fold. AS the
| ships speed down the back of the long
seas the singing spindrift flew into the
faces OF the men on the bridge, and the
forecastle deck was drenohed constantly.
| 1t was about o'clock, and the CAP
tain and those with him on the bridge
were keeping sharp lookout ahead for
the south shore lightship when rain
squall came down from the northeast,
heading across the cruisers bows. The
sun was shining brightly behind the ship
|
bow under the little cloud fof the port
| bow. The rainbow grew until it became
perfect arch. and then the significant
part of the occurrence significant to
| the bullies-began. The brilliant arch
decreased in size until its feet rested
on the rolling ocean far inside the ho1l-
zon. The officer of the deck turned to
| Capt. Sands and said:
"Once I saw a rainbow that almost
came aboard ship"
| The captains smile was almost incre-
| dulous, but the next moment the rain
| bow bore out tho lieutenant's statement
The little cloud passed across the ships
bow, and the bow of promise narrowed
down until it formed perfect arch d.
rested on the starboard side SO close that
a boat-hook could have caught the pot
of gold the other fairly touched the ships
port side.
So we sailed under the rainbow, and
no one can tell jackie on the ship that
the Columbia won't make lucky cruise
out of the war. 1t was only an hour af-
ter the rainbow incident that the bull
lies thought the promise had been full
filed. South Shoal lightship was just
abeam when away to the east q faint
blotch of smoke was discovered just
above the horizon. Gradually it grew
and became more distinct Capt. Sands
was on the bridge with the officer of the
deck. As they watched the approaching
steamer grow out of thu horizon 1t oo-
Cured to Capt. Sands that this would be
q good time to show the men what would
be done ii the Columbia should happen
to fail in with 1. Spaniard Perhaps the
faint little possibility that TIE stranger
Knight be Spaniard helped his decision.
At any rate. at eight minutes past
O'Clock he gave the order to sound off
general quarters. 1t was too cold for
lounging on the upper deck, and the men,
; except those on watch. were all below.
Besides it was nearly their supper time.
The officers weie in their rooms or in
the wart1room, not in the lsast expect
ing such @ call. In little while they
would have been tuckling on their swords
for evening quarters.
The first notes of the bugle sent them
to their feet, and before the call was half
finished the steps of the men as they ran
, to their stations sounded through the
!, ship. Again tho bugle sounded the call,
and the long rol vi tEa dram echoed
through the ship. Jke men ran for their
guns with Shouts and laughter. Not one
knew why it was, but all recognized the
: call to action, and were glad. They had
their fellows in the blockading fleet, and
now here perhaps Wes a chance for q
prize for themselves, with no feet in
sight with which they must divide. And
they hoped as they jumped into this work
that the prize was little more power
! full than their own good ship. There
wasn't doubt that if she were a Span
lard the stranger would bs taken.
1t was just plain case of see Span
lard and take a prize, so they cast loose
their guns and provided their ammunit-
ion and made ready to fight II necessary.
The spray swept the forecastle deck
: constantly, but the crews of the two six
inch guns didn't mind that. Drenched
to the skin with the cold water, they
stood to their posts eager to get into act
ion. The first lieutenant, called away
!, from his afternoon cigar, had relieved
= the officer Of the deck on the bridge, and
that man was all ready with the 4-inch
rapid fire guns of his division. The DOW.
der division had ali magazines opened
and ammunition served to every gun
The guns had all been shotted when the
ship left Newport. in accordance with
the custom in time of wsr. Fires had
been spread under the two boilers that
had been held in reserve, and now the
cruiser was forging down on the strang-
er.
As the stranger rose out of the horizon
1t became apparent that he was mer-
chairman. His course was almost oppo-
site OF the Column bias, and Capt. Sands
Then the strangeraa made us out. IN
went the old red ensign over his taffrail
to show his British allegiance, and from
; the foretruck there few the Stars and
Stripes He had but one red funnel with
: a black band at the top and four pole
masts. He was too far away yet TO be
made out from the Columbia, but the
officers knew, of course, that he was a
friend.
Not so the men, and they speculated
and hoped about. him. One man in the
crew Of the 8-inch gun, who had bean
? kept out beyond his supper time by ,ls
general quarters, showed how much he
wanted to fight by exolaiming: ~ hope
he's full of grit.
AS the Columbia stood in across the
Establishments course the stranger shifted
q bit to the south and came close by the
Columbia. Then it was seen that he was
the Mobile of the American TRANSPORT
a line. doAs he came abeam sot the warshi1
up went string Of international code
signal flags, D. +. K. They said:
"Have hostilities bsgunan
? The white pannants with a red bal
flew from tho Columbias signal YARD
answering eyes. The Mobile went on
! then swnnp under the Colum HAAS stew,