The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-10

Santiago de Cuba, July ~, 1888.
Ny Dear Father: do hope that you
do not feel so badly any longer on ac-
count of my course. 1t would be easier
to face Spanish bullets than the dis
pleasure of the whole family. Still,
when a man determines on such a
| course, neither bullets nor yellow fever
can deter him, and I would go just
| the same if every man in the army
had fever. If these terrors are so
great, all the more reason for able
bodied men to go to the front. As
told Clarence, do not be arbitrary be-
cause you all have the preponderance
| Of common sense on your side.
A PLEASANT TRIP OVER.
| I know you are, of course. anxious
| to hear that it is well with me and to
| know a little of my personal expert
ences, which will be more interesting
/ to you than similar newspaper ac-
counts.
! To begin with the beginning. 1t
would have been difficult to have had
a more pleasant trip, even in a yacht,
and in the pleasantest of waters. The
IroquoiS is one OF the & vd9 - IN
| had deck cabin on the port side,
| getting the northern breezes, and our
company was most congenial-a lieu
lclldnl VI lOuI NY SCOlAo,
| yellow fever experts and two majors.
1t wasn't uncomfortabiy rough, and
the celebrated blueness of the gulf
stream was as deep and rich as pos
Sible, being studded here and there
with white caps. However, from all
indications, we just escaped one of the
much-dreaded Indian ocean hurri-
canes. But one exciting incident oc-
CURED. Our ship carried 100000 of ra-
tions, which would have been a rich
prize, and our captain was always on
the alert. One day we sighted steam
er heaving down upon us off the port
bow. We turned and went in the op-
posite direction at full speed. No sig
nails or colors could be seen, so we
took her to be Spanish She came
closer and closer still, giving no signal,
when suddenly she sent a shell across
our bow and hoisted the American
flag. The first shot was followed i'm
mediately by a second, which went
about ten feet over the after-cabin. I
had heard of a shell screaming, and
thought it fake" till heard this one
I'll bet no captain ever hove to quicker
than did ours when he saw the colors.
THE DESTROYED SPANISH SHIPS.
We passed close enough to the Girls
tobal Colon to see her with a glass.
These Spanish ships certainly had the
life pounded out of them. One of the
cruisers is nothing but a yellow mass
lying on the beach, where it burned to
nothing but a steel mass. The Viz
caya is crushed forward and blown to
pieces aft by the explosions OF her own
torpedoes. Further east. near the
mouth of the harbor, lie the Brooklyn,
Iowa, Indiana, Gloucester and Oregon,
with half steam up and proud as tur-
key gobblers. Although we were close
enough the RrOnlxl1-r1 n 70 70
receive orders from Schley, 1 did not
see q scratch on her
The trip TO the harbor was most in
teresting. Old MORO, pretty we'll bat
tered, with her ancient style of fortress
architecture, stands in the west en-
trance. and on the east is the more
dangerous modern battery. 1t could
only be discerned by a line of yellow
earth. where our shells had ripped it
up and dismounted her guns.
THE CUBAN COAST.
The Cuban coast along here consists
of a range of mountains which rise
straight out Of the waters. One peak
is 5000. feet, the highest in the island
The mountains remind me of the range
east Of Salt Lake. only there is no
snow on these. They are covered with
a dense growth of timber, mahogany
ebony and other woods. The scenery
is really fine, to my surprise, and what
surprises ne still more is the GOODNESS !
of the weather. L reminds me of Nara !
Sansett Pier. The army is camped on
the hills three miles from the city, so
as to receive the breezes. Of course. /
down IL the hollow the heat is great !
In rains every afternoon this season, /
then the sun comes out and the hu- /
nudity is terrible-thick gases and va !
pors arising from the vegetation.
THE MERRIMAC.
But to return to the harbor. You
can't see it couple of hundred yards /
off, yet when you get in it it opens Up /
big enough for a hundred ships. And /
this leads me up to the destroying of !
the cherished illusion you are undoubt-
edly entertaining. Let me tell it in
wbisperi The sinking OF the Merrlnlac
was q. great fake" 1t doesn't block I
the harbor any more than a sunken
washtub would Instead of lying across
the channel. according to the accounts
and pictures, ii lies in the same direc-
ton as the channel runs, and is at that
up against a bank. Two ships could
easily go by the thing abreast This is
the truth of the really daring. but not
brilliantly successful operation which
has thrilled the American heart
IN SANTIAGO.
As for Santiago itself. Soldiers walk
through the city on guard. Thin-look-
ing natives hang around the wharves
and streets. Half-starved Cuban boys
and girls with skeleton arms and legs
and big stomachs beg everywhere.
Spanish soldiers and officers walk
around in sorrowful, half-souled sort
If a way. still displaying their Castilian
bride. All stores are closed, and four
lard tacks will buy more than dollar.
Such is the condition of this now ia
nous city. The town itself is nothing
Aside from the picturesque old Spanish
houses the place might be described as
| tumble down bunch of hovls. The
walk known as the Alameda is quite ;
pretty. with rows of trees and paths on
.ither side. At the end of this walk is
public garden.
SPANIARDS GOOD SHOTS.
Onr men were pretty well shot up.
The Spanish soldiers were we'll en-
renched on hills and are good shots, !
mike their sailors. They don't raise l
heir guns to their shoulders in shoot '
nS, but after the range is found they |
Jump out their magazines with the J
'Utt against their hips. Their rifle is l
etter than ours. We have to put in {
ne cartridge, one at time, while they t
ut in five at time, and just as t
u:c.-,y as we put in one. {
NATTER is GENERALLY CRIT1- !
CISED. !
Everyone here assumes the privilege I
f cursing Shafter for making his S
lounted cavalry do the work of artiI- |
cry. lie made men charge block [
ouses and trenches right in the teeth
{ M3lIGEr rifles machine