The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-02
SECOND WHALEBOAT PRIDE
IT HAD A FALL IN A BOAT RACE
IN GUANTANAMO BAH.
Tho Men in the Boats We're from tho Yankee
and the Race Was to Ratify the Signing
of the Peace Protocol in n Proper Jack
Tar SpIrit-A Triumph of Peace.

were moments OF great excitement and some
fear. The time between these moments was
n bore. Lying at anchor in Guantanamo Bay
seemed particularly slow when the fighting was
over. The view from deck In daylight was
beautiful. but irritating blue water. blue sky.
green hills and all that. But, personally.
some preferred Hunters Point. When you
prefer Hunters Point to any place on earth,
there is something awkward In your mental at
titude. You question the wisdom. honesty
and patriotism OF the DO wers that be. and are
very hard to live with. Frequent drills and
continual work don't help or distract you and
you hate your shipmates. This is uncomfort-
able. because you can't get away from them.
This may convex something Of our feellpga
one night in Guantanamo Bay. dozen ships
had blown taps. and as the buRles we're In
different keys the calls were not suggestions
OF repose. | was sitting on deck In the dark
ness. too tired and dlsRusted to even think. A
kindred spirit came. In the form OF Chips. the
carpenter's mate. a usually philosophical Ger
man. He sat down beside me and began a
dissatisfied questioning. Why did we stay
here day after day and broil In The sun2 IL
we wore going TO Spain. why didn't we 20. or
else 90 homer Why didn't they give us q
chance to rest2 I couldn't give him any an
swers to soothe him. We explained to each
other how much shorter and more decisive the
war would have been II we had managed II In
stead o. the War Department. There was no
disagreement on this subject. and we were
almost in good humor-out, why didn't we 20
home?
The band on the Oregon had been playing
homely airs. Tho High School Cadets and
Marching Thro' Georgia" Once during the
evening the music OF a Far Eastern dance
brought visions OF the Midway Plaisance and
old Coney Island. Rumors had reached US Of
a twenty-round boxing match on the Massa-
chusetts. l thought they must have reached
the tenth round. from the yells which came
family to Us. I had friends on the Massachu-
sets and 80 had Chips. but some door ship
mate had the measles and we were ouaran-
tined from the other ships. 1t was so humill-
ating! Who ever heard Of measles In WARP
We looked into the darkness and silently
cursed the Spaniards. the war. the man with
the measles. our ship. all other ships and our
selves.
"Dey are signalling from de Moo York." said
Chips softly. IT'S a feet signal. too. Can
you read IT."
1 couldn't. but q signal boy Of watch sat on
the deck near US.
"They haven't commenced the message YET
said he: they are Just calling the fleet" Every
ship In the fleet was repeatinR the flaRship's
signal. and on seventeen ships the signal lights
winked. red and white. through the darkness.
Despatch" was the word. We became
mildly interested. Another battle ashore was
the most we hoped for. ''States.' continued
the boy; Terms" of" Peace" Protocol"
Agreed" Upon" / didn't know what pro-
tocol meant and neither did Chips.
What does It mean2" We asked In the same
breath.
Protocol means treaty" gasped the boy.
IL mAana that tho ynr ia oyar ~ md he ran No
low to tell the ~sleepers. 1 have since found out
that protocol doesn't mean treaty. exactly, but
it did then. After a suitable time to realize
that the war was really over. Chips and I silent
ly shook hands.
There was no sleep for some time that night
On the eundeck half-naked figures shook hands
and vowed never to 60 to sea again. One OF
these, whom l found wandering around. clothed
in a smile. assured me that II he ever got home
he'd take an oar on his, shoulder and march
what it vas for. there he would live out his
Of four igures in paiamas that issued from the
wardroom shortly after midnight and. join
ink hands. DANCED a solemn ,rancan on the
quarter deck. II they came from the ward
room they must have been officers, and, as
was only a seaman. this was none Of my bust
on watch and dreamed horrid dreams. The
ne3t morning broadway seemed quite near
an" Th sss ]nr SatSoF e MsI the Rsf eia ssa1' WILL sh fofIS sxsFi
1t gave rise 70 n boat race. the like Of which has
not be-, been seen before &c, or since, There was a
trains, college col"r- and handsome girls, hue
the race was none the less exciting for lack OF
manned by the nick OF the port watch. She
had been the ships running boat for three
months: No whalehoat ever vent 50 last and
crew. II we overhauled and held up a suspI-
ci9us steamer the second whaleboat took an
some interesting pCint on the Cuban coast to
interyiew some still more interesting insur-
him, and her naughty crew brought back souve-
Mrs tucked down n trousers leg or under q
GUNNER. On account If these arduous duties
the rest Of us. Tho few who dared to discuss
their, stroke were looked upon with wonder
however, who actually criticised the stroke
and insisted. that. while IL was very pretty.
there HsIs seemeI to be a lacklot power Oh the catch.
"hlgh eminence."
lowly. but 1t came to pass that too much arro-
Rance ct last aroused even one OF the meek and
tcihTiesff' bo's sG sAn metas b .aaf 4 Sndir, to- The he's sst tne
board watch. He had served two enlistments
in the navy before the Spanish war, He had
seen whaleboats manned by other crews than
the pick OF the port watch, on the Yankee.
Also arrogance Jared upon, him. SO. without
kindly, genial executive officer to have a boat
race the following evening. The executive
sm = e" Sis thGnfh hut he s ssSs fhe h 6ermIs, pnd
Without more ado Charley went forward and
threw down the gauntlet to that august per;
was PROMPTLY taken up, hut with surprise.
Charley refused to, divulge the names OF his
crew. This attitude was convenient because
he. didn't know. ae remarked. however. with
spirit. that they would all come from the star
board watch,
Nothing daunted. he started in search OF q
crew. He got one. after much discussion and
freely expressed opinions that to row against
the second whalehoat with any expectation Of
winning. was n foTlorn hope. Who the crew
were could not be a secret on the shin for any
length. Of time. as news travels from peak TO
prOueller with the rapIdity II lightning.
The starboard watch rose in their might and
bet every cent available on their crew. To he
sure. some starboard watch men nut senti-
ment aside and backed the port watch. but
these traitors we're few. When all really
money was staked. bets OF an order on the
Iaymaster for my mex: months pay against
yours we're freely made.
IL was. my luck and reputation as a has
been" athlete that got me a seat in the star
board boat. which was the Captain's gig. a
boat somewhat larger than the whalehoat. but
built on the same lines. At quarters the next
morning the men discussed the coming event
over their shoulders. %furtively watching the
division ntnnar md urnitaI y, ntia,tl, -.