The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-27

like they intended to either punch Il hole
in the deck or bottom Of the transport.
hut every revolution was driving us
nearer and nearer the faint blue body
that seemed to he sleeping on the bosom
Of the Gulf This. then, IS the Pearl
of The Antilles. discovered by Columbus
and then containing his ashes: and when
the TuscaroraS. PowhatanS, and other
savage tribes were monarchS Of ali they
surveyed. from the Lakes to the Gulf
and the Atlantic To the Pacific. SANTA
go de Cuba had within It's confines Il mag
nilicent cathedral and an Archbishop in
lis name. Now the blue lines are fading
into pale green, and as we draw nearer
Il j. An emerald isle we see. Very little
timber is in view. bat the stately palm
with its fan leaf and primatcd collar.
called forth admiration. The stem or
trunk, from the ground fifteen feet MP IS
about the size of Il mans body. VI that
roint there il natures Reservoir for Stor-
in@ water 10 nourish the tree and pro-
ducc fruit, Just as symmetrical and round
and about the size Of beer Ecg. Five
feet above the fruita@c hangs the lusc-
Gus frut-lusciouS and nutritious 10 The
natives and those acclimatcd. but deadly
90 us.
All hands are on the decks, and MORO
Castle looms IN in the distance and Is
slhouctted against the troplc sky
Through glasses we can see gray hgureS
moving on it's battlements. They resem-
hlc our idea of spirits. and they may he
some Of the unhappy ones murdered IN
the dark dungeons beneath, come out to
welcome The avengers Of inhumanlty:
but ut this moment our spell is broken.
when Il little boat comes skimming like
Il wafer over the water. now down in the
valley of the waves, now riding their
crcsts. containing the pilot. lie quick
~ ascends and tells us that the gray.
chost-llkc figures we see on MORO are
Spanish soldiers in the flesh. and 10000
more are there. They are watching,
with curiosity and with aching hearts.
the every movement Of the Americanos.
Now we see more plainly, and from
MORO some one is Wig-wagging to the
master of our ship. Being all landlub-
bers. unacquainted with nautical meth
DDS. we wonder what the signals are.
We never knew and were content that
our captain did.
ENTERING HAVANA HARBOR.
Our band struck up the inspiring airs
Of Dixie Yankee Doodle" and
Marching thro' Georgia. and with the
music in possession Of our souls, our
transport rode proudly through the mar
row channel. with Moro on one side
and the Governor Generals palace on
the other. into the harbor of Havana.
What a change Il few months had
wrought. On the day Of our victories
at Santiago all the navicS of the world
could not have entered this placid spot.
Torpedocs were as thick as Jets on 4
chandelier then. and hundreds Of frown-
ing guns looked down from Moro and
Cabanas. Passing MORO within a
short distance. with only a moat be-
tween the long front facade Of CabanaS
presents itself to view. Port holes are
the only openings seen. The walls
are succeed like most Cuban buildings,
and sentlies walk their beats around the
parapets of the grim old fortress.
Moro and Cabanas are built on the
north side of the harbOr entrance on Il
commanding bluff. From the foundation
Of tile latter 10 the waters edge is n
hundred feet of open space. covered with
tropical vines and tangled weeds. llay-
ing heard SO much of the filthy condi-
tons of Havana. | almost grew sick on
discovering that all of this omen area
under the wallis was literally black with
bUlzzardS. feeding yOraci0uSly on what
! presumed 10 he carrOn and fighting
for the choice among themselves. All
Of this time the Spanish soldicry swarm
al on the hGttlements Of tho rts-thou
sands were in sight-and but for Il few
changing places. they stood like statues
gazing mutely on the blue-c0atS q th0u-
sand feet below. Our slip moved slow
Is to her anchorage. and as we came to
n stand one of the United States aux
Hilary cruisers moved rapidly across our
bow and saluted us. The harsh, hat
majestic roar Of her cannon had scarce
ly died away before the hoarse voices of
the New York's guns doomed our wei
come. Shot after shot was fired in
quick succession and the Formidable
cruiser was lost TO view Tor 4 minute IN
the folCs Of its own smoke. This c1ur-
tesy, Of course. usual IL the navy, Tas
novel and interesting to us o. conveying
a welcome to the army and proclaiming
in tones Of thunder the power and
majesty OF the United States govern
mcnt.
Within a few hundred yards Of us
lay great monster black ship. a Span
ISL transport, waiting to convey troops
rcpatriutod. In twinklng one of this
vessels small boats was launched and
manned The Spanish officers in the
gaudy uniforms Of their rank. entered
and in jiffy darted past us on their way
10 another Spaniard. These officers lily
concealed their chagrin or contempt for
the course of events as they deliberately
turned their backs 10 us as they passed.
Our boys seeing an intended affrOnt,
hurled epithet after cpithet nj them III
English. and a thousand men ieered the
proud Castillians.
REMAINS OF THE MAINE.
instantly our ship moved out a little
from other shipping, and there revealed
i..l,t L.. thn ,lnL nnl tI,.i .t cd