Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-03-20
FRIJGHT ON THEOQUEND0 1 Spanish Midshipman's Thrill ling Account of What
 He Saw.
RAIN OF PROJECTILES.
2 Havoc Wrought by American Shells at the Time Cervera's
 Fleet Was Destroyed.


 Adventures. @ The following account is given of the action in which Admiral Cervera's 4ouadron was destroyed by Midship- anan Navia. of the Oquendo, and of the k kubsequent adventure he and few "surviyors encountered in their success sful endeavors to make their way back #o Santiago. His story reads more kike chapter out of James Grants novels than a page of real life, and #when relating his adventures Midship Eman Navia doubted whether they would be believed, though he vouehed flor the truth of every word he said. |The narrative of his story has been |somewhat condensed below:
 The flagship opened fire while we, heinz the last, were still some way From the harbor mouth, yet before we gzeared the entrance we got struck by Ia few shells. I was in the forward Eeentral torpedo room, and as, accord |ing to orders, the portholes were shut. h could see but little of what was talk ling place outside. We did not at once use our torpedoes, for shortly after the faction began a heavy projeetile crash led through the upper deck and destroy led the shield, near which l was stand ling. I was knocked down by the force of the explosion, receiving |slight leg wound from a fragment of the shell, while splinter of the star board gangway was driven into my chest near to the heart. On recover ing my feet I found that the starboard torpedo tube was smashed and that the deck was strewn with dead and wounded, a few of whom were seeking to go up the gangWay, which was also destroyed. Very shortly we all had to clear out of the room, as it became impossible to breathe there, owing to a lot of material taking fire. sunk half ehoked in the upper deck near the starboard hatehway. but was revived by some one turning a hose on my head.
 On rising again I found myself close ,to tfe second commander, Don Victor
 sla, who was encouraging the crew. and Senor Nunoz. who put his arm round me, exclaiming, They are mak- ing 2 man of you to-day At that moment a heavy shell burst behind me. small particles ledgingfn my neck and behind my ear. This shell killed Don Victor Sola, whom I saw fall on his face without uttering word. Right across his body fell that of First Gun- Her Don Cristobal. When Capt. Laz- aga heard that the forward magazines were ablaze he followed the lead of the Teresa, heading for land and run ming the vessel ashore. When this was being done I was in the forward cabin whence two torpedoes were launched at an enemy who sought to cut Us off We left the battery and went on deck, where several were stripping preparatory to swimming ashore. I went back to the torpedo room and stripped. When 1 got back on deck my companions were. gone, so l got through the port=eannon embra- sure and slipped down chain to the water. Before goiig~I noticed Capt, T.azaga standing on the bridge with folded arms, looking quite calm; near him were several wounded officers. l
 never saw him again. A qnartermas- ter whom I met later told me he saw Lazaga lie down near the forward gug
 and shoot himself, being deaf to the
 entfeaties of the officers that he should save himself. Many of the Oquendos
 crew were swimming around me, and
 1t took me twenty minutes to reach
 land, as had to help some who could
 not swim.
 When was landed I was in my shirt
 and drawers. Twenty sailors gather ed round me, and we went inland along a narrow path that led toward a hill Observing a tree on which the fruit had been recently bitten, concluded it was by the manbises Spanish name for the natives), and suggested we should alter our route. Some, through not hearing me, went on, and I soon saw the first man squat down, crying to those behind Look out; I am covered by a gun, and we are told to halt" The man who held the gun or dered us to stop till he warned his party, and soon reappeared with cou- pie of negroes, armed with Mausers. We were then ordered to go forward, one by one; while the advance party didt so. we behind sided off into the jungle, fleeing from the insurgents. Tholse who went forward were brained by the insurgents. great number of whoh were close at hand. At midday l folnd myself accompanied only by