The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-23

AuITUUH4&Q lug tUWM w AhAtE Etat"@ 80
commandant could not bring on o pitched
he grew annoyed that the Cubans did
not try TO rush the place. II seemed
that mankind was conspiring TO keep him
In what amounted to solitary confinement
the rest Of his life. The yeatning for
pews became unsupportable.
Lieutenant" said the commandant,
"take a Gag Of truce out TO those beggars
and (swallowing large quantities Of Cas-
lillian pride) give. their commander my
most distinguished consideration as a
worthy brother In arms and ask him TO
lend me a newspaper. IL he hasn't one,
find out something anyway"
The lieutenant went on his mission and
was considerably puzzled by the attitude
of the Cuban officers. II he had been
conversant with Yankee slang, he would
have said that they appeared TO have
something up their sleeves. They were
not unfriendly, and their commander In
deed chuckied constantly while the Span
ish officer was going through his negotia-
lions for the loan OF newspaper. Eff
forts TO induce him TO talk resulted only
In vague intimations that some tremen-
dous events had been and were occurring.
The lieutenant was forced to go back
with the message that II the Spanish
commandment would kindly give up the
vain although very brave attempt to de-
fend Baracon and surrender the garrison
be would have all the news he wanted to
digest for a month.
The next day the commandant propos-
ed an armistice, which was cheerfully
agreed to, and Cubans and Spaniards
fraternized pleasantly. swapping ciga-
rette sand drinks. but not all the blandish-
ments Of the Spaniards could extract a
word OF news No surrender, no news"
was the watchword, and the garrison re-
tired sadly behind their earthworks and
waited patiently for the Mauscrs to begin
to bark again.
In these. straits there came to the COM
mandant q young noneommissioned OH
Ger with proposition. He had discover
ed tiny embarcacion chata, dismantled,
half buried In the mud and like sieve as
to her hull. His idea was TO try TO make
the crazy craft seaworthy and with three
or four men round Cape Maysi and make
Guantanamo. bringing back with him II
not aid and comfort at least news. The
commandant jumped at the idea.
On the morning of Friday, jane IL,
1903, there were lying at anchor in the
calm waters of the outer Guantanamo
bay the United States battleship ttirst
class) Oregon, the United States battle
ship (second class) Texas, the United
States cruiser Marblehead, the United
States cruiser (converted) st. Paul, the
United States gunboats Dolphin and SUI
vance. the United States Golfers Sterling
and Scinde and the United States dyna-
mite cruiser yesuvius. The Texas, Su-
vance, Marblehead and Dolphin had
been having little early morning recre-
alton In knocking to pieces the fortifica-
tons Mt Hicacal point and Hospital cay,
and the jackies were taking the ease fol-
lowing duty well done. High up on Fish
erman's point the stars and stripes float
ed lazily over the force of marines occu-
plying Camp McCalla, the first scene OF
American warfare on Cuban soil. The
lurking Spanish bushwhackers had been
pretty well driven out Of the underbrush,
and all was calm.
The signalman on the bridge Of the
Marblehead suddenly turned to the officer
of the deck and said:
Camp McCalla calling us, sir"
Acknowledge" said the officer indif-
ferently. Messages were passing back
and forth from the camp on the hill to
the commander on the Marblehead all
day.
The figure of the signalman at the
camp stood out sharply silhouetted
against the morning sky. The white flag
futtered violently.
The Marblehead's signalman gasped.
"What do they sayr' said the officer,
sharply turning. He had not watched
the signal.
"Sp-spanish ship approaching, sir" he
stammered.
Guantanamo harbor echoed with the
clash of the great electric alarm gongs on
the American ships as the crews swiftly
beat to quarters. There was no time for
anybody TO wonder what II could mean.
but it was certain that the Spanish ship
or ships or whatever or how many they
might be would find a warm reception in
the sunlit, unrippled waters Of Guantana-
mo bay.
Then suddenly, as every nerve was on
tension, there came calmly rounding
Point de Barloventa from behind the
coast hills, not thousand yards from
the nearest Of the American vessels, a
tiny nondescript craft with the red and
yellow ensign Of the boy king proudly
flying from her masthead.
A great wave Of laughter cngulfed the
American feet as the little sloop kept on
her way In the light breeze, apparently
all unconscious that she was sailing into
the muzzles of enough hostile guns to
destroy Cervera's squadron.
go get him, Pratt" said Captain Nc
Gala of the Marblehead, the comman-
dant of the station, turning to the ensign
at his elbow. In a moment one of the
Marblehead's launches was cutting the
water in the direction of the stranger.
The sloop still kept on, while 1000 men
watched her. shes going to ram the
Oregon" chuckled a Jackie on the Texas.
The ensign on the Marblehead's launch
thought It was time to act. This might
be some new kind Of an Internal machine.
Bangi went the one FOUNDER from the
launch, and shot whizzed across the
sloop's bows. Even then the Spanish
flag staid up, but the sail came down on