The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-01

TFT WAS after the Spanish flee
III had sunk under American fire
~ 1t was before Manila surren-
~ dered. Six transports lay an
IL chored off Cavite, protectingly
encircled by the ships of the
American fleet. Within the circle
were also some merchant ships dis
charging Australian coal into navy
lighters. Outside the circle We're an
chored the foreign Warships-German
French, Japanese and English. MY
idea in making this plain is simply to
show that the situation out there
made any other manner of procedure
than that which we followed prac-
tically impossible. Ours was the only
effective way. 1t must be remembered
that the duties of consuls and port
captains were but vaguely to be de-
fined at that time.
The United States transport Zea-
landia of which l was a quartermaster
lay anchored in the seward edge OF
the circle, within hailing distance OF
the flagship. Our regular four-h hour
sea watches were now changed to
night and day duty; two quarter
masters divided the day at gangWay
watch, two did the same at night,
while all others of the ships company
slept.
1t was the third night of August.
I had been lounging laZily about the
decks, trying hard to keep awake, for
the night was a droWsy one. AT last
/ leaned over the gangway railing,
watching the distant regular rows of
lights of the besieged city. Overhead
hung deep indigo sky, sprinkled with
star dust-an ideal tropical night. So
Il I, L,
the neighboring ships reflected as sin
gle fire spots, and the bells of the
most distant gunboatS of the fleet
were distinctly audible striking the
hour; four bells, l think it was, when
the sergeant of the guard joined me
in my nocturnal contemplations.
Fine night, but blamed hot" he
said
There was that tropical humidity in
the atmosphere that kept us in con-
tinual perspiration, brought on by no
physical eXertion. The sergeant's
shirt was thrown back and he breathed
heavily.
You're not used to the tropics ?" !
ventured.
Yes, I am" he replied. 'Tm a
sailor like yourself I've been six
years in tropical waters. 1 was PAID
off in Philadelphia six months age
from limejuicer'
Such an introduction could only fine
a response in me. Leaning over the
rail we yarned of ships and foreign
ports and the beauties of tropical seas
typical soldier of fortune thought
as 1 looked at my companions we'll
knit figure vaguely defined by tn,
gangway light. His English accen
seemed incongruous with his American
uniform, but he had worn the uniforms
of half dozen armies, soon learned
"This is tiresome," he growled
Here we are doing guard duty am
the rest of 'em ashore, scrapping
Here those guns blazing away?"
The black mass OF jungle, just abov
the city, was occasionally lit up by
flash of fire, followed by low Orr
Room" We watched the firing TO
some time in silence, but the cannon
aiding was too distant to disturb thu
almost perfect stiffness that hung owe
the CLASSY water; it seemed like bein,
up in some gigantic airship, with tn
phosphorescent flash of fish the light
of cities miles underneath. The ship
about seemed to hover in the air witt
us, mighty fleet of phantom air craft
Suddenly the sergeant grasped m,
arm.
Listen" he said.
Looking down we saw an object i
the water approaching in a phosphor
escent glow, until finally it stopped a
the foot of the gangway.
The sergeant and 1 hurriedly de
scended the broad gangway ladder. A
the lowest step we made out a half
naked man holding on, but APPARENT
too weak to pull himself out Each O
us seized white hand, and a secon
later had the swimmer staggering u
the steps. We pulled him up to tn
deck, where he sank upon his knee
between us, shaking and sputterine
and finally vomiting into the scuppers
For Gods sake, hide mel" h
gasped; and second fit of vomitin
overlook him.
I'll take him down into the fore
CASTLE said the sergeant, and, calm
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