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^ KW 0 l. h. grist * sons, Publishers. } % Ifamitjj |}eujspnper: |for the promotion of the goliticat, ?oeiat, ^gricattupt and djommettciat Interests of thq gouth. { ?mlecoVJEfiRveNcentsINCE' ESTABLISHED 1855. YOEKVILLE, S. C., SATURDAY, JULY 9 1898. jSTUMBER 55. Jttisccttiuicous trailing. HOBSON TELLS HIS STORY. All the Facts About the Sinking of the Merrimac. CAPTURED BY CERVERA IN PERSON. All Night Long the Brave Men Lay on the Deck of the Vessel Amid a Storm of Shot and Shell?There Was No OpporVarone?fronted Well llV the Spanish Admiral. The return of Assistant Naval Constructor Richmond P. Hobson, of Merrimac fame, to his ship, the flagship New York, last Wednesday night, was marked by wild enthusiasm. It was dark when a shout was passed along the ship that Hobson was coming. On the superstructure clambered the crew, ten deep, and on the quarterdeck the officers clustered around the sea ladder, and a hundred hands were stretched out to grasp Hobson's. It was not until he was safe once more ou deck that the crew of the New York cheered, and then they broke out into a wild yell, which was repeated over and over age.ia until the men were hoarse. Numbers of the men rushed on the quarterdeck and a great group of men struggled around the tall figure of the man who had dared so much. Behind Hobson came Colonel John Jacob Astor, and the first thing Hobson tried to do was to introduce him to the officers; but Colonel Astor got lost in the crowd, which surged around, insisting upon shaking Hobson's hand. The transports blew their whistles. Hobson sat once more among his messmates and told the story of bis experience, his marvelous escape and his imprisonment in Morro castle, watching the shells explode outside his cell. hobson's story. "I did not miss the entrance to the harbor," he said, "as JfcJnsign roweu, in the launch supposed. I headed east until I got my bearings and then made for it, straight in. Then came the firing. It was grand, flashing out first from one side of the harbor and then the other from those big guns on the hills?the Vizcaya, lying inside the harbor, joining in. "Troops from Santiago had rushed down when the news of the Merrimac's coming was telegraphed and soldiers lined the foot of the cliffs, firing wildwildly across and killing each other with their cross-fire. The Merrimac's steering gear broke as she got to Estrella Point. Only tbrefe of the torpedoes on her side exploded when I touched the button. A huge submarine mine caught her full amidships, hurling her the water high in the air and tearing a great rent in the Merrimac's side. "Her stern ran upon Estrella Point. Chiefly owing to the work done by the mine, she began to sink slowly. At that time she was across the cbanuel, but before she settled the tide drifted her around. We were all aft, lying on the deck. Shells and bullets whistled around us. Six-iuch shells from the Vizcaya came tearing into the ? ~ J 1 .\Lernmac, crasmng iutu wuuu uuu iron and passing clear through, while the plunging shots from the forts broke through her decks. "Not a man must move," I said, "and it was only owing to the splendid discipline of the men that we were not all killed as the shells rained over us and minutes became hours of suspense. The men's mouths grew parched, but we must lie there till daylight, I told them. Now and again one or the other of the men, lying with his face glued to the deck and wondering whether the next shell would not come our way, would say : "Hadn't we better drop off now, sir?" but I said "wait till daylight." "It would have been impossible to get the catamaran anywhere but to the shore where the soldiers stood shooting, and I hoped that by daylight we might be recognized and saved. The grand old Merrimac kept sinking. I wanted to go forward and see the damage done there, where nearly all the fire was directed, but one man said if I rose it would draw all the fire on the rest. So I lay motionless. It was splendid the way these meu behaved. The fire of the soldiers, the batteries and the Vizcaya was awful. When the water came up on the Merrimac's decks, the catamaran floated amid the wreckage, but was still made fast to the boom, and we caught hold of the edge and clung on, our heads beiug above water. il Li "Uiie mail mougut we were stiier right there; it was quite light, the firing had ceased except that directed at the New York launch, and I feared Ensign Powell and his men had been killed. "A Spanish launch came toward the Merrimac. We agreed to capture her and run. Just as she came close the Spaniards saw us, and half a dozen marines jumped up and poiuted their rifles at our heads. "Is there any officer in that boat to received a surrender of prisoners of war?" I shouted. An old man leaned out under the awning and waved his hand. It was Admiral Cevera. The marines lowered their rifles, and we were helped into the launch. Then we were put in cells in Morro castle. "It was a grand sight a few days later to see the bombardment, the shells striking and bursting around El Morro. Then we were taken into San GENERAL AGUIN-/ A personage of considerable interei proclaimed himself dictator of the Phil in his negotiations thus far with Gene officer. He has compelled Aguinaldo t< has profited by Aguinaldo'a presence v gents. In the event that President Mc] ble as the Spaniards. Opposed to Agu pines. tiago. I had the courtmartial room in the barracks. My men were kept prisoners in the hospital. From my win dow I could see the army moving, and it was terrible to see those poor lads across the open and being shot dowu by the Spaniards in the rifle pits in front of me. Yesterday the Spaniards became as polite as could be. I knew something was coming, and then I was exchange." Hobson was overjoyed at getting back. He looked well, though somewhat worn. On the whole, the Spaniards treated him better than might have been expected. Mr. Ramsden, the British consul at Santiago, was tireless in his efforts to secure comfort for Hobson aud his men. The young hero knew nothing about the destruction of Cervera's fleet until he reached the army lines. He could not understand his promised exceptional promotion ; but was overjoyed to learned that his bravery had been recognized by the people. He is the same simple, unaffected enthusiastic Hobson, more anxious to talk about the effect of exploding shells and army movements than about bis own brave deed. The men who came with him received a ringing reception. All are do ing well. FIGHTING BOB'S STORY. Captain of the Iowa Tells of the Destruction of the Spanish Fleet. Associated Press. Captaiu Evans's account of the battle as told in the cabin of the Iowa, to a correspondent of the Associated Press, is intensely interesting. He said : "At the time general quarters was sounded the engine bell rang full speed ahead, I put the helm to starboard and Iowa crossed the bows of the Infanta Maria Teresa, the first ship out. As the Spanish admiral swung to the westward, the 12-inch shells from the forward turret of the Iowa seemed to strike bim fair in the bow and the fight was a spectacle. As the squadron came out iu column, the ships beautifully spaced as to distance and gradually increasing their speed to their 13 knots, it was superb. "The Iowa from this moment kept up a steady fire from her heavy guns, t J! II .1? Tnfun. neau iug mi uic uujc tu tu^ iuiuu ta Maria Teresa on her starboard bow, and hoping to ram one of the leading ships. In the meantime the Oregon, Indiana, Brooklyn and Texas were doing excellent work with their heavy guns. "Iu a very short space of time the enemy's ships were all clear of the harbor's mouth, and it became evidently impossible for the Iowa to ram either the first or the second ship on accouut of their speed. The range at this time was 2,000 yards from the leading ship. The Iowa's helm was immediately put hard to the starboard and the entire starboard broadside was poured into the Infanta Maria Teresa. The helm was then quickly shifted to port and the ship headed across the stern of the Teresa in an effort to head off the Oquendo. All A \LDO AND GOVERNOR GE1 3t in this country just now is General Em ippine islands under the protection of the ral Aguinaldo has demonstrated that he i ) wage civilized warfare against the Span rithout thoroughly committing the United Kinley decides to hold the Philippines, A| inaldo in the land campaign is General Ai tl e time the engines were driving at ful speed ahead. A perfect torrent ot shells from the euemy passed over the smokestacks and superstructure of the ships, but none struck her. 'The Cristobal Colon, being much fa-ter than the rest of the Spanish ships, passed rapidly to the front in an effort to escape. In passing the Iowa, the Colon placed two six-inch shells fu.rly in our starboard how. One passed through the cotferdam and dispensury, wrecking the latter aud bursting on the berth deck, doing considerable damage. The other passed through the side at the water line with the c< tt'erdam, where it still remains. "As it WQ9 now obviously impossible to ram any of the Spanish ships ou account of their superior speed, the Iowa'9 helm was put to the starboard and she rau on a course parallel with the enemy. Being then abreast of the Almiruuie Oquendo, a distance of 1,100 yards, the Iowa's entire battery, including the rapid-fire guns, was opened on the Oqueudo. The punishment was terrific. Muny 12 aud 8 inch shells whih seen to exDlode inside her and smoke came oui through her hatches. Two 12-iuch shells from the Iowa pierced the Aluiiraute Oquendo at the suine moment, one forward and the oilier uft. The Oquendo seemed to slop her engines lor u moment and lost headway, but she immediately resumed her speed and gradually drew ahead of the Iowa and came under the terrific tire of the Oregon and Texas. "At this moment the alarm of 'Torpedo Boats !' was sounded, and two torpedo boat destroyers were discovered on the starboard quarter at a distance of 4,000 yards. Fire was at once opened on them with the after battery and a 12-inch sbell cut the stern of one destroyer squarely off. As the shell struck, the small torpedo boat fired back at the battleship, sending a shell close to Executive Officer Rogers. 'That little chap has got a lot of cheek.' Rogers shouted back : 'She shoots very well all the same.' "Well up among the advancing cruisers, spitting shots at one and then at another, was the little Gloucester, shooting first at a cruiser and then at * _ 1 1 a torpedo ooat, ana outing a neau wherever she shot. The marvel was that she was not destroyed by the rain of shells. In the meautime, the Vizcaya was slowly drawing abeam of the Iowa, and for the space of 15 minutes it was give and take between the two ships. The Vizcaya fired rapidly, but wildly, not one shot taking effect on the Iowa, while the shells from the Iowa were tearing great reuts in the sides of the Vizcaya. As the latter passed ahead of the Iowa, she came under the murderous fire of the Oregon. At this time the Infanta Maria Teresa and the Almiraute Oquendo, leading the enemy's column, were seen to be heading for the beach and in flames. The Texas, Oregon and Iowa pounded them unmercifully. They ceased to reply to the fire and in a few moments the Spanish cruisers were a mass of flames and on the rocks, with the colors down, the Teresa flying a I ^ ' UOU$T| I H H ? AT AT T/OT TO'I 'II nek/YE /\u^uaii, lilio Aguinaldo, who, it is said, has United States. Rear Admiral Dewey s a diplomat as well as a great naval iards and at the same time, it seems, I States to the projects of the insurguinaldo may make him as much troucigusti, governor general of the Philipwhite flag at the fore. The' crevTol the enemy's ship stripped themselves and hegan jumping overboard. One of the smaller magazines exploded. Meanwhile the Brooklyn and the Cristobal Colon were exchanging compliments in lively fashion at loug range, and the Oregon with her locomotive speed, was hanging well on the Colon ; also paying attention to the Vizcava. The Teresa and the Oquendo were in flames on the beach, just 20 minutes after the first shot was fired. Fifty minutes after the first shot was fired the Vizcava put her helm to port with a great burst of flames from the after part of the ship and headed slowly for the rocks at Acceraderos, where she found her last resting place. "As it was apparently that the Iowa could not possibly catch the Cristobal Colon and that the Oregon and Brooklyn undoubtedly would, and as the fast New York was also on her trail, I decided that the calls of humanity should he answered and attention given to the 1,200 or 1,500 Spanish officers and men who had struck their colors I tooiiz i Arra v/o//< '0 V". _ 'fSSGOfV? 'r*i*icr * e*Muup7 p*e,/pret-cnsi fifitw u0 Q*4?Se-T"uf> *kkt*4 T UUtf'a^uoJ\ 5O***HCS ?*i4i*#i 1/^4 c*C*+*t?rf m/fiMKt*C c+*Ot/\e /SLA* MAP OF THE CA The Caroline islands form an archi (he Ladrones, the Marshall islands and ous groups, have an area of 1,000 squan The principal groups in the archipelagi the Lutke and'the Seniavine islands. T1 cumference and has abundant supplies c The climate of the Carolines is excessiv and the temperature is moderated by th< ways blowing. The inhabitants are ge are of the Malay raca The Carolines w in honor of Charles V. The group fi Philippines, bnt the islands have no Spi to the American squadron, commanded by Admiral Sampson. I therefore headed for the wreck of the Vizcaya, now burning furiously fore and aft. When I was in as far as the depth of water would admit, I lowered all my boats and sent them at once to the assistance of the unfortunate men, who wpre hpin<r drowned bv dozens Or roast ed on the decks. I soon discovered that the insurgent Cubans from the shore were shooting at men struggling in the water after having surrendered to us. I immediately put a stop to this, but I could not put a stop to the mutilation of many bodies by the sharks inside the reef. The creatures had become excited by the blood from the wounded mixing in the water. "My boat's crew acted manfully and succeeded in saving many of the wounded from the burning ship. One man who will be recommended for promotion clambered up the side of the Yizcaya and saved three men from burning to death. The smaller magazines of the Vizcaya were exploding with magnificent cloud effects. The boats were coming alongside in a steady string and willing hands were helping the lacerated Spanish officers and sailors on to the Iowa's quarter deck. All the Spaniards were absolutely without clothes. Some had their legs torn off by fragments of shells. Others were mutilated in every conceivable way. I found the Gloucester with Admiral Cervera and a number of his officers aboard and also a large number of wounded, some in a frightfully mangled condition. Many prisoners had been killed on shore by the firo nf the f!nhnns Thft Harvard came off and I requested Captain Coton to go in and take off the crews of the Infanta Maria Teresa and the Almirante Oquendo and by midnight the Harvard had 976 prisoners aboard, a great number of them being wounded." Captain Evans is intensely proud of his ship and her men. The Iowa fired 31 12-incb, 48 8-inch, 270 4-inch, 1,060 6-pouud and 120 1-pound shots. The Spaniards could not hold their crews at their guns on account of the rapid fire upon them. Every instant the crack of exploding sheils told of uew havoc. One of the 12-inch shells from the Iowa exploded a torpedo in the Yizcaya's bow, blowing 21 men against the deck above and dropping them dead and mangled into the fire which at once started above. CUBA'S CURIOUS ANIMALS. Some of the Living Things Oar Soldiers Will See. The Spaniard is not the only foe the soldier will encounter in bis Cuban marches, says the New York Sun. Cuban sand flies and mosquitoes are much like our own, but we have nothing to match the huge spider, whose bite causes fever, nor the beligerent ant known as vivajagua. A scorpion, though not so dangerous as the European variety, proves itself unpleasant enough to the careless traveler, and the chigoe, or "jigger," deals swift ret.rihution to an offender. Its method of attack is inconvenient, for it burrows under the toenail, and, unless removed at once, builds its nest there. In that case inflammation occurs, and the only relief is the painful operation of having the little animal cut out. Snakes are not numerous, but they include some of the freaks of the animal kingdom. The huge maja, longer than two 6-feet men sot end to end, r with a body 20 inches in circumferi ence, looks fierce enough and formidable enough to put a whole regiment to flight. It is all a bluff, for the big reptile is harmless. Among the birds, the soldier may exercise his taste for pets. Those peculiar to the island have beautiful plumage, rich in coloring. There are nearly 200 kinds to be found there, and among them all the vulture and the turkey buzzard are almost the only birds of prey. They are so useful as I scavengers to carry away waste material that they are protected from death by law. Geese, turkeys, peacocks and pigeons are the most familiar domestic fowls, and pigs, sheep, goats, mules and horses, the animals used. The Cuban horses are almost a race by themselves. They are very gentle, they never kick nor bite nor play any unseemly tricks on their riders. In 1 some parts of the island horses receive i as much consideration as a member of > the family. They are not tied or con- i fined, but they wander about the door < ?? ?? Kou/lo 5nta tKo bitnhon jyaru, put ?uc, .... - j fltnovnvb ,,.'Ho?U?Uf 1 * ' Mvta, -"AfAHct I ,. .ItntneA/ **^r * ?"? J t^tW I MAHOLUKi m /*OT* ' I Honot I' ?*? AftATml %JATT>AM 7 | /ik*U9* i # I '/>.* 1 ROLINE ISLANDS, < pelago lying between the Philippines, i Papaw. They are divided into numer- | 3 miles and a population of about 80,000. j o are the Pelew, Egoi, Swede islands, i le easternmost island is 24 miles in ci$- j >f fruit, good drinking water and fish. i ely warm at times, but not unhealthy, i 3 refreshing sea breezes, which are al- | nerally employed in the fisheries and ] ere discovered in 1543 and were named ] arms part of the government of the | iniah settlements t windows to exchange the time of day, \ and even on occasion have the privil- ] ege of entering the house. The sight { of humans and equines on terms of ( nnoir fumiliopifir mnlrPQ nnP won - ouv/U caojr juujiiiuitvj ?. w ? . der if the days of Gulliver and his ( horse country have come again. s Sometimes the roads are very bad < and the mud so sticky that it holds any J foreign substance like glue. For this j reasons farmers braid their horses' ( tails, turn them up over their backs and tie them to the saddle. No north- j eru pony would stand this indignity, s but the Cuban pack animals seem quite , willing to endure it. In mountain- j ous regions mules are used to carry , coffee aud sugar down the mountain { paths, and to save drivers, mules in ? long processions are tied together, ? one's head to another's tail, and with { only one man at the head of the col- j umn to guide the leader, they carry down their burdens safely. The hind legs of Cuban mules must be worked t on a different principle from that in vogue among United States mules. Here no insurance agency would insure a man whose business was tying mules to one another's tails. The only wild animal peculiar to Cuba is the jutia, or butia. It is ratshaped, black and small. It lives in the hollows of trees, like our squirrel, and eats leaves and fruit. Its ?esh is insipid, but it is often eaten. Curious modifications of felines and canines inhabit the woods. The animals have spi-img from dogs aDd cats in the domestic state and differ from them only in their size and habits. Some.of the intelligence of civilization seems to remain with them, and they cause the farmer much anxiety by their carefully planned attacks upon his poultry and cattle. The matter of lights is a small item of expense to the poor man in Cuba, for in the phosphorescent fly nature provides him a lamp free. This fly, the cucullo, about the size of our roach, is perfectly black, with a transparent breast. Two eyes in front, and one in the point of its breast, give out so much light when its wings are spread that one can see by it to read a letter. Children make pets of cucullos and shut them up in reed cages. If they feed them on sugar, the sticky particles adhering to their legs exasperate them so much that they fall upon each other like prize fighters. The children avoid this by giving the flies sugar cane. They wash them carefully morning and night, and in this way keep their pets alive and shining for many days. Fashionable ladies wear the brilliant flies in their hair, and sometimes the belles use them covered with a gauzy material for living belts. One little girl remarked with much solemnity, after examining a cucullo's legs, that God made it with hooks to fasten on little girls' dresses. Left to themselves, the cucullo3 fly in regular lines, giving the effect of the long procession of the watch at Havana. For this reason the Cubans call them "sereneos de los bichos"?watchmen of the insects. Fifteen or twenty of them in a calabash pierced with holes make a kind of lantern often used during the night. A few years ago an adventurous traveler brought a number of cucullos to New York and set them free in Broadway, to the lasting 00MM0D0BE M^'NAIB. The president has appointed Commodore Frederick V. McNair to be rear admiral, and Captain William T. Sampson to be a commodore. These appointments are in accordance with the operation of the rules of seniority. Although acting rear admiral, Sampson has all along been only a captain. He is now a commodore and may soon be a rear admiral. astonishmtnt of an Irishman, to whom the danciug lamps were such a mystery that he wavered between the pledge and theocculist. Another curious phenomenon of Cuban animal life is the procession of land crabs across the island. They travel from north to south every spring when the rains commence, and are as regular an institution as the wet weathir itself. Shell fish are abundant, but ihey are of inferior quality. The climate is too warm for them, and oys:ers there at all times are as unsatisfactory as ours in the months when no magic R appears. The rivers and bays ind inlets, however, are well stocked svith palatable fish. The iguana, cayman and crocodile are common. A augh variety of crocodile called cayman has a colony of its own on the [sle of Pines. Turtles are found in arge numbers in shallows and reefs ind on sandy beaches, and they are aut to all sorts of uses, from soup to walking sticks. For canes the shell of ;he carely variety of turtle is ussd. First a strong stick is cut of the length lesired. Then the turtle shell is boil?d until it becomes a thin liquid, and nto this the stick is dipped and allow;d to cool. The process is repeated several times till the beaHtiful tortoise shell covering is of proper thickness. Afterward the cane is polished, headed, itted with a ferrule, and sold for $4 )r $5. Another curiosity is a cane made Tom the dried skin of the manatee, or sea cow. The skin is perfectly transparent, and when rightly prepared is flexble, but strong enough to be used as a apier for defense. Mounted in gold 1UU Sliver, bUCSC^aucoaio live. They are rarely seen in Havana, ind one tourist, who wished to carry iway a cane as a souvenir, paid $50 'or the privilege. tOT No one can disgrace us but ourlelves.