The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-05-10
THE slightly slanting rays of a
mild afternoon tropical sun
beat down upon the waters of

1
beat down upon the waters of
the picturesquely, land-locked
harbor of Rio de Janeiro with fierce
intensity of heat that, accompanied as
it is by more than usual degree of
atmospheric humidity, renders idle
ness not merely pleasant, but actually
necessity.
Over towards the "Sugar Loaf" and
the group of forts guarding the narrow
entrance to the beautiful bay, the
water is occasionally ruffied by mo-
mentsry "catspaw," promising a cool
ing breath of air from the mountain
slopes later in the day; but elsewhere
the surface of the bay-except |
as spasmodically disturbed by the
languid movements of school of
porpoises, or the flashing shower of
spray thrown up by some giant "skate"
as his fiat body falls back upon the
water with resounding splash-rests
as calm and motionless as the proven
bial mirror.
At the moorings reserved for foreign
men-of-war swings fair-sized fleet;
several English, an Italian cruiser,
two French and one Spanish gunboat,
and the three vessels comprising our
Uncle Samuels South Atlantic Squad
ron.
With probably but one exception,
the scenes about the awninged decks
of the warships are in thorough har-
mony with the general air of indo-
lence that seems to have fallen over
the rest of that little world; for it is
Saturday afternoon-Jacks' half-holi-
day, when the smoking lamp is not ex-
tinguished at "turn-to" at two bells,
and the typical man-o-war's man
either does his mending, overhauls his
clothing bag, writes home, perhaps; or,
more likely, stretches out on deck in
the lea of a gun carriage for long
siesta.
The one exception to the all-pervad-
ing tropical somnolence of the scene,
the discordant note in this symphony
of idleness, is easily located as being
aboard the luckless U. S. S. "Alliance'
when, since early forenoon, all has
been hustle and excitement, we'll or
dered, to be sure, but none the less
active.
The "Alliance" has but recently
Joined the American squadron on the
South Atlantic Station; and since early
poorviDr tho ooootopf pipipr IF hoot.
swain's whistles, or music of drum OF
bugle, have proclaimed to her sister
ships the fact to which her own crew
is painfully, perspiringly, alive; namely
that the Commander-in-chief is giving
the "Alllance" very severe dose Of
General Inspection" for with only {
short pause for dinner, they have beer
constantly on the jump, going thru th'
whole gamut Of naval evolution
from slight SPAR and "sail' drills
to "clear ship for action" "6re" ant
general quarters" and "abandol
ship" until it now seems as tho ther
could remain nothing further to b
done. But mol Listen! The bugle
sounding "Arm and away boats," an
again the boats are being lowered an
manned by fully armed and equippe
soldiers and marines.
From his post on the bridge of tn
American Gunboat "Tallapoosa," ly
ing scarcely more than cables lengt
off the alliances" port quarter, thi
latest movement on board the corvett
has been noted by the quartermaste
and duly reported to the officer Q
the deck, just as signal boy, jumpin
upon the Alliances" quarter bloc
begins frantically ''wig-waging" th
"Tallapoosa's" call letter. Followin
the prompt response of "Tallapoosa'f
signal boy comes the message spelle
out letter by letter in Morse cod
aLOOK OUT FOB BOAR"
"Signal him to repeat!" exclaims Il
quartermaster, who has also been res'
ing the message, and instantly realiz'
its purport. And while the signal bt
does as instructed, the quartermast
quietly reports to the officer OF Il
deck waiting below the bridge tn
the aAlliance" is signaling "look o.
for boarders," adding that to gs