The Holly chieftain., 1899-06-16
RETURN OF TIE OREGON.
rhs Faness Battisship Has crsises
Back to the waters Of
the PaciAe.

From Florida to Bahia. From Bahia
20 Cailao. From Callao TO Honolulu.
From Honolulu to Manila. A long trip
IN the salt seas! The first time the
Oregon entered Bahia harbor it was
lark night. War had commenced, and
warming had been cabled that four
heavily armored cruisers and three tor
pedo boats would attempt to intercept
her. The return passage has been
peaceful one.
The stay Of the special squadron at
callao was most pleasant; nearly 1000
men were given liberty, and their con-
duct while on shore was such as to re-
seive praise from the press and public
,mcials. The papers even warned the
dsiting bluejackets Of efforts which
~puld be made by those who live by
heir wits to extort money from them
n various ways, and when, as seems
he rule Of cabmen all over the world.
sxtortionAte fares were demanded, the
eolice quickly adjusted the matter.
| Some old salts were satisfied to es-
ablish themselves within so yards of
he landing. where they could keep one
aye on the ships and the other on the
dispenser of pisco, with whom. as is
heir custom, they had at once depos-
ted all the money they did not require
or their immediate needs.
| Very few Of the men, however, failed
20 get to Lima, and there they were
:ound sightseeing everywhere. Every
oicycle in the city had Jackie on it;
the merry-go-round was extensively
oatronized, and every youngster in
.ight had q free ride. The women at
.he pie and cake stands blessed them,
and SO did the youngsters of the street,
who slowed away more sweet things
than they had ever dreamed of eat
ing before. II sailor could hold
woman's baby in street car he was
happy; he would have paid soles on
soles for the chance to play with the
children in the exposition grounds. and
sometimes did. much to their surprise
and pleasure; for good and bountiful
times follow Jack wherever he goes.
The people Of Callao are q drifting,
play-loving people. whose love of ex-
.itement finds qualification in bull
fights and turbulent politics. The
leaders at times show out bravely, but
study of their actions demonstrates
that they differ from the masses only
In their more thorough knowledge Of
the national character, and their abili-
ty to make capital from that knowl-
edge.
A young man Of good family, feeling
the necessity Of asserting his bravery
or patriotism, may take part In an
amateur bullfght, with the assistance
of Spanish professional to see that he
comes to no serious harm.
On January II that ever-changing
group Of Uncle Sans ships, the special
squadron, left Callao for the Galapagos
islands. It is odd that now, just before
q final scattering, more ships were
steaming together than at any other
time in the long trip round. The
Justin, whose bottom was foul, was
immediately detached and ordered to
proceed to Magdalena bay, Lower Cali
fornia, where the Iowa would await
her arrival. Three days later on. on
the 14th, the Iowa and Celtic were also
detached, leaving the Oregon, Scindia
and Iris to proceed to Honolulu by way
of the Galapagos islands. The Celtic.
after provisioning the Iowa at Magda
lena bay, was to proceed to San Fran
cisco with the mail, leaving the bat
tleship to await the arrival of the Jus
tin with coal.
It will be difficult to appreciate the
feelings with which the Oregon's crew
saw the Iowa steam away for home.
The two great ships, originally selected
as the basis of Commodore Watson's
western squadron, had steamed side by
side for many thousands OF miles.
They had passed south through sum
mer's heat and sitting calms TO gales
of sleet and snow, and then north again
into this blazing, rainless waste OF
tropical sea. They had been shoulder
to shoulder in the blockade and bonn
bardments of Santiago, and together
they had headed for Cervers's ships on
the Sd of last July. Now the Iowa was
called home to the port the untried
Oregon had left year ago, while the
latter was to go onto Honolulu, to
Manila, and to whatever may be de-
creed beyond.
But Jack, though at times shaken
with doubts, still cherishes the adage
that ''every dog must have his day.
SO that with all the heartiness strong
lungs could give their voices the crews
of the two battleships cheered each
other on their way. There was moth.
ing theatrical in this. At six degrees
south latitude and IS degrees west
longitude there were no observers-not
even gull. There was only the hot
pale-blue sky, the lonely, oily sea, and