THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 g. I- w-
 
 Sweepers of the Sea
 
 THE HUASCAR.
 
 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 The Story of a Strange Navy 
 
 By 
 
 Claude H. Wetmore 
 
 Pictures by G. A. Coffin 
 
 Indianapolis 
 The Bowen-Merrill Company 
 
 Publishers
 
 Copyright, 1900 
 
 The Bo wen- Merrill Company 
 
 All Rights Reserved 
 
 Braunworth, Munn <£f Barber 
 
 Printers and Binders 
 
 Brooklyn, N. Y.
 
 '9 
 
 FS 
 
 3 /Si 
 
 HER PICTURE IS BEFORE ME AS I WRITE. 
 
 IT STANDS NEAR A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE OLD HOME 
 
 AT CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO. SHE WAS WITH ME 
 
 IN THAT FAR-AWAY LAND WHEN INCIDENTS 
 
 OCCURRED WHICH GAVE BIFvTH TO THIS 
 
 STORY. SHE IS WITH ME NOW, 
 
 AND TO HER THIS BOOK 
 
 IS DEDICATED— MY 
 
 MOTHER 

 
 Contents 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 Prologue I 
 
 I. 
 
 Strange Sights on the Chinchas 17 
 
 n. 
 
 The Preeident of Peru 29 
 
 m. 
 
 The Fleet 41 
 
 IV. 
 
 In the Cabin of the Oroya 5^ 
 
 V. 
 
 A Defiant Reply 6$ 
 
 VI. 
 
 A Short Trip to Sea — Story of the Chincha Islands 78
 
 VII. 
 
 A Short Trip to Sea — Story of the Chincha Islands, 
 
 Contmued 89 
 
 VIII. 
 A Short Trip to Sea — Metamorphosis of the Oroya 99 
 
 IX. 
 
 At Dinner on the Oroya — The Story of the Chinchas, 
 
 Concluded 107 
 
 X. 
 
 Sinking of the Shamrock 1 1 6 
 
 XI. 
 
 The Departure 126 
 
 XII. 
 
 At Sea 
 
 XIII. 
 
 The First Prize of the War 
 
 136 
 
 47 
 
 XIV. 
 
 Cutting Out the Huascar 163
 
 XV. 
 
 A Surprise 182 
 
 XVI, 
 Three Fleets in Acdon 203 
 
 XVII. 
 Off for the Atlantic 228 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 The Gale 248 
 
 XIX. 
 In the North Atlantic 259 
 
 XX, 
 
 The Engagement Off the Spanish Coast 279 
 
 XXI. 
 
 The Engagement Off the Spanish Coast, Continued 302 
 
 XXII, 
 
 A Newspaper Man's Triumph 316 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 Ten Years After the Great Naval Engagement 330
 
 Illustrations 
 
 The Huascar Frontispiece 
 
 Another cable's length and you will be sent to the 
 
 bottom 40 
 
 Slowly the English battleship sank, the center of a 
 
 broad circle of brilliancy i 24 
 
 To port and to starboard, ships that had been the pride 
 
 of two navies were staggering 224 
 
 The Matucana struggled blindly — the second wall of 
 
 water struck her and she sank 258 
 
 Struggling for mastery, the Cross of St. George and the 
 
 Red, White and Red of Peru sank side by side 3 i o 
 
 England's navy, wrecked by shell and fire, surrendered 314 
 
 The Oroya steaming through the narrows 328 
 
 We entomb here the last of the Incas ; may he reit 
 
 in peace 346
 
 Preface 
 
 "Sweepers of the Sea" is the creature of many 
 a wakeful night while I traveled the seas south of the 
 Equator. My first purpose was a serial to be named 
 * 'Incaland. ' ' Then the work expanded until it became 
 the story now presented. 
 
 For a time I collaborated with Mr. Robert M. Yost, 
 of St. Louis, and his clever work is in evidence in the 
 prologue, and also in the chapter where politics is 
 prominent. When the sea story was complete Mr. 
 Yost assisted in building the final chapter and in 
 showing Cuzco in her new glory. 
 
 Claude H. Wetmore.
 
 SWEEPERS OF THE SEA 
 
 PROLOGUE 
 
 A narrow neck of land, termed La Punta, juts into 
 the Pacific Ocean from Callao, Peru, and is dotted 
 at the extreme end with hotels and cottages. The 
 tip of the peninsula commands the best view of the 
 bay and of the channel which separates the main- 
 land from the large guardian island San Lorenzo. 
 This was a favorite spot from which to watch the man- 
 euvers of the Chilean squadron during the blockade 
 of the late summer and early autumn of 1879 — that 
 dull, monotonous blockade, a calm before the storm 
 of bombardment. 
 
 It was noticed and frequently remarked in those 
 days that among the first to visit the beach in the 
 morning and the last to leave when the tropic night 
 shut out the hostile fleet were Pedro and Louis 
 Garcia y Garcia, boys in whose veins flowed the blood 
 of the great race of Indians who once ruled supreme 
 from the jungle-coated Isthmus of Panama to the 
 ice-bound shores of Patagonia— the old Incas of the 
 West Coast. The legends of their country's past great- 
 ness, of the powers of its kings and its unbounded 
 wealth had been repeated to these lads from the 
 cradle ; and it was not until this war came that thev
 
 2 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 realized how near unto death was their land, for it 
 had met defeat after defeat on shore and on- sea. 
 
 As they watched from La Punta they could see in 
 the ofifing the warship Huascar, once the pride of the 
 Peruvian Navy, flying the pennant of the Chilean 
 admiral as she steamed back and forth, a constant 
 reminder of the battle ofif Angamos Point and the 
 Peruvian defeat there. And they saw other ships 
 that had been captured, ships that once rode majesti- 
 cally in these same waters, and at that time bore the 
 red, white and red of Peru at their gaflfs. 
 
 And it happened one night, after they had watched 
 the men-of-war from sunrise to sunset, that they made 
 a vow and shook hands earnestly in the binding there- 
 of ; then went their way home, light of heart, for they 
 thought themselves at last worthy of their sires. 
 
 West of the Andes, from the rolling foothills to 
 the Pacific, not a blade of grass nor other plant of 
 green, save cacti, growls without the aid of irrigation. 
 East of the mountains vegetation is riotous, warm 
 rains coax huge trees from the rich alluvium, creepers 
 form a network overhead, grasses interlace and block 
 footsteps, and there are flowers of all the colors of 
 the rainbow and the perfume of Arabia. In the 
 interior live the Indians, and some of them claim to 
 be descended from the Incas. 
 
 One night, five years after the Huascar appeared 
 ofif the Peruvian coast and flaunted the enemy's colors, 
 two young men stum.bled through a forest in this
 
 Prologue 3 
 
 interior, seeking a place where they might remain 
 until daybreak ; for a heavy rain beat a tattoo on the 
 palm leaves and formed pools on the ground. 
 
 "1 fear we are not going toward the village, Louis," 
 said one. 
 
 "We do seem to be lost," was his companion's reply. 
 ''Surely, we are more than ten miles from the white 
 rock. But look, Pedro! What is that?" and he 
 pointed straight ahead. 
 
 A faint glimmer could be seen. It disappeared, 
 then reappeared as the sagging palm leaves waved 
 slowly in the light wind, coming between their sight 
 and the faint light, then m.oving aside again. 
 
 Guided by this will-'o-the-wisp beacon, they made 
 what haste they could over the soggy ground and 
 soon found themselves in a clearing and near a hut, 
 through the cracks of which came the glow. 
 
 "Let us ask a night's lodging," said Pedro, and 
 he rapped lightly. 
 
 The call was at once answered, and as the door 
 swung open a gruff voice called: "What want you 
 here?" 
 
 "Food and shelter, if you would be so kind," replied 
 Pedro; then he retreated a step, and so did his 
 brother, for their eyes had grown accustomed to the 
 light and they saw a strange figure in the door-way. 
 They had been questioned by a man fully six and a 
 half feet tall, who was erect as an arrow, but of great 
 age, as testified by his hair, which was long as a 
 Vv'oman's and as white as snow. His skin was brown 
 and his features thin and delicately chiseled. His
 
 4 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 nostrils twitched nervously like those of a thorough- 
 bred horse before a race, and his eyes were lustrous. 
 
 Reaching out into the night he took Pedro by. the 
 arm and led him into the hut, then placed his hand 
 beneath the young man's chin and gently pressed 
 back his head until the beams from the torch which 
 illumined the room fell full upon his face. After a 
 critical examination of the elder brother's features 
 this curious individual repeated the strange action 
 with the younger, and this done he made a gesture 
 of satisfaction ; closed the door and in a voice no 
 longer hoarse, but low and musical, he exclaimed : 
 '*It is well. Indeed you are welcome. Come — eat, 
 drink, then rest. All that I have is yours, for you 
 little know what good it does my old heart to see 
 you, who are the first, other than me, to set foot 
 across this threshold in so many years that I have 
 lost the count." 
 
 With marvelous quickness, considering his age, the 
 Indian placed before them cornbread, goats' milk, 
 cold meat and honey. 
 
 'Tell me," he said, when they had taken the places 
 indicated, "what do you so far from home, for your 
 clothing proves that you are from the other side?" 
 and he placed a hand on Louis' shoulder. 
 
 "Wq are seeking gold, sir." 
 
 "But tell me more," he urged. "Who were your 
 ancestors and why are you so far from where you 
 belong, and at so tender an age?" 
 
 The earnest manner of the eld Indian appealed to 
 the lads, and Pedro described their early life, the
 
 Prologue 5 
 
 visit of the Chilean fleet to Callao and finally con- 
 fided to their strange host the vow they had made. 
 
 "And you have taken a vow, even as I did?" he 
 said; then, striding to the center of the room, he 
 exclaimed in a loud, clear voice: "Listen, my chil- 
 dren, and I will tell you of the vow which I took 
 and its sequel, that you may be warned. 
 
 "Years and years ago, so many years that I dare 
 not think of numbering them, I was as handsome, 
 as agile and as strong as you are now. I could throw 
 a spear and bring down a tiger at one hundred paces ; 
 with an arrow I could call to earth an eagle as he 
 rose with his prey, and with a sling cause an ape to 
 drop from the tallest palm. I could swim a stream 
 that raged during the wet season and wrestle without 
 weapons with the boars of the forest. I was descended 
 of kings and was treated as one descended of kings. 
 But when the wise men of our tribe taught me the 
 lore I became sad, for I learned that our race was 
 becoming less and less ; that we were being scattered 
 to the quarters of the earth and were driven before 
 the white man, who had come in ships, as the coarse 
 is driven from the fine of grain when it is threshed 
 for use at table. And one day, when I had reached 
 man's estate or nearly so, I took the vow. It was 
 to drive the stranger from the land, to restore the 
 true rulers to power over all the domain. 
 
 "A mighty army gathered when I made my purpose 
 known, the members thereof coming from all direc- 
 tions, and I gladly and proudly placed myself at their 
 head. They were armed with blow guns that would
 
 6 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 mean death to any animal, with spears of iron wood, 
 tipped with crystal, with slings made from llama hide, 
 and each man had a breast-plate of hardened leather 
 of three thicknesses. 
 
 "It was at the beginning of the moon that we 
 marched for the pass, and she had not grown much 
 in size when we crossed to the Western slope. She 
 was in all her grandeur when we neared the beautiful 
 city of Lima, and there we spread our ranks in battle 
 array. The enemy came forth to m.eet us. We had 
 expected a goodly fight, man to man, spear against 
 spear and arrow sent whistling against arrow: we 
 had expected some of the missiles to wound, others 
 to kill, and still others to become fastened in the 
 leather bucklers. But no. From the ranks of the 
 enemy came lines of flame ; the screech of something 
 filled the air. Then our men began to fall, one by 
 one, twos by twos, until they fell company by com- 
 pany, but not an arrow could we see in air between 
 us and the moon. 
 
 "I had heard of gunpowder and so had many of 
 those who were with me, but for me and for them 
 it was something new and terrible to hear and see. 
 We could fight men until the last of us lay dead, but 
 these were demons, and so we turned and fled, aye, 
 every man, even I, for the terror was fastened upon 
 us. We ran wildly and far, and when the day broke 
 we were but little bands, climbing up the hillsides 
 like mountain goats. 
 
 "And then I came back over the mountain range 
 to this spot, where I made a clearing and builded a
 
 Prologue 7 
 
 hut. I sent word to others of my tribe that it would 
 be death for one of them to come and seek me. They 
 well knew that what I promised would be done. I 
 gave up all, my mother, my father, brothers and sis- 
 ters, and a princess of the house of Cuzco, whom I 
 was promised by my parents to wed and whom. I 
 dearly loved. She sent me word by a messenger one 
 day, but even as he spoke her sayings I pierced him 
 with an arrow." 
 
 He was silent for full five minutes, then, his tone 
 changing to the musical notes they had remarked 
 when he had bid them welcom.e, he said: 
 
 ''You doubtless wonder why you were allowed to 
 enter. I will not tell you now, although I may some 
 day. I urge you, forsake your mission and turn your 
 faces to the West, where lies that which they call 
 civilization." 
 
 The lads made gestures of dissent, and the old Inca 
 chief — for his narrative had told them he was of the 
 noble race — stroked their heads as if pleased at their 
 determination. A few" minutes later he advised them 
 to seek rest, and piling some llama rugs in a corner 
 he bade them lie there. As they gradually yielded to 
 slumber, they saw him seated near, gazing at them 
 intently and tenderly. 
 
 The rains ceased before morning, and after the boys 
 had breakfasted they prepared to return to the camp 
 they had left the day before. 
 
 ''You will not give up the search?" asked the Inca. 
 
 "No, sir," they replied. 
 
 "Then visit me again," he said.
 
 8 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 They did so; they called at the little hut in the 
 clearing week after week until one season had passed. 
 In the meanwhile curiosity gave place to respect and 
 veneration, and then into their hearts came love for 
 the grand old recluse whose life, years and years be- 
 fore, had been so like what theirs was now. One day, 
 when he had questioned them again as to their pur- 
 pose and had urged them once more to desist, only 
 to receive a firm refusal, the Inca drew them to the 
 center of the room and said : 
 
 "My masters, you shall have your vv^ish. Your vow 
 shall be fulfilled. Look not at me with surprise, when 
 I so address you, for you are my masters. I know 
 this from what history you give of yourselves and 
 from the lines in your faces. I thought as m.uch the 
 night you first came to my home, and the proof has 
 become stronger day by day. I am descended of 
 kings, but you are nearer of kin to them than I. 
 The vow you took was to restore Peru to the rank 
 she once held, to make her again a powerful nation. 
 You shall fulfill it ; you shall match gold against their 
 gold ; you shall fire powder against their powder, and 
 give them leaden hail for their leaden hail. Come 
 with me, out into the bright light, where the Great 
 Father may better witness what I require and what 
 you will promise," and he led the way from the hut 
 to the clearing. 
 
 The forest was alive with birds that chorused rich 
 music, the air was scented with sweet odors from 
 flowers of the jungle; rainbow-colored butterflies 
 floated lazily overhead, humming birds darted to and
 
 Prologue 9 
 
 fro like tinted needles. In the far distance rose the 
 majestic Andes, their patriarchal peaks covered with 
 eternal snow. 
 
 ''Kneel," said the Inca, when they had reached the 
 center of the clearing, and he took off his broad som- 
 brero, letting his long, white hair, as fine as silk, wave 
 in the light breeze. His voice was sonorous and its 
 ring caused a bird to start from a tree nearby. 
 
 The lads did as he commanded, and looked up at 
 his face in wonder. 
 
 "Promise me," the old chief said, "that when you 
 have made of Peru a great nation, and when the other 
 nations of the earth are humbled at your feet, that 
 you will change the name of this country to Inca- 
 land, so that our great race shall be honored forever, 
 and that you will have erected at Cuzco a temple, in 
 which shall be placed the arms of our chiefs and 
 under which shall rest the bones of our ancestors, 
 which I will point out to you." 
 
 Wondering, yet trusting, the young men repHed: 
 "We promise." 
 
 He bade them rise, led them back to the hut, and, 
 after a Hght repast, he took his long staff and telling 
 them to follow, plunged into the forest. 
 
 The old Inca followed a southwesterly course, bear- 
 ing toward the spur of the Andes, and until long after 
 sundown he maintained a pace that proved difficult 
 for even such robust lads as his companions to keep. 
 When at last he called a halt, they were at the edge 
 of the forest, several miles nearer the snow-capped 
 peaks.
 
 lo Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "In the morning we will follow that path/' said he, 
 pointing due west. "We will rest here to-night." 
 
 Dried goats' flesh and water from a brook com- 
 prised their supper; then they made beds of dry grass. 
 The stars soon came out and the Southern Cross rose 
 in a soft effulgence of the Milky Way, to be dimmed 
 later by the Southern moon. 
 
 "My children," said the chief, breaking a silence 
 of many minutes, "the night has come when I can 
 once more see the land of my fathers, for it was here 
 that our tribe held sway. I have prayed for this 
 hour. I am an old Inca now, and am weary and 
 worn with waiting. I have kept the secret of the 
 treasure-house given me by my father, and which 
 he received from his father. There was none left for 
 me to give it to, and it was to die with me. Then 
 you came. It is well. To you I will commit the 
 cherished hopes of our people. When morning comes 
 I will lead you down among the defiles and the chasms, 
 down under those snow-clad peaks by a path that 
 none has crossed in half a century. Now let us sleep, 
 my children." 
 
 He drew his blanket close and said no more. The 
 boys sat for awhile, listening to the sounds that came 
 from the forest, then they yielded to Nature's spell. 
 
 The sun was painting the snow peaks a delicate 
 rose when they were called, and they gazed somewhat 
 in amazement at their venerable guide, for his voice 
 had lost its sweetness of the day before. Then they 
 noticed that his eyes were staring and were not so 
 bright, that his cheeks were more sunken and that
 
 Prolog-ue II 
 
 he breathed rapidly as he pulled from his girdle the 
 pieces of cornbread and dried meat that were to 
 comprise their morning's meal. He did not permit 
 them to linger even over this light repast, but soon 
 said : "We have a long and weary journey to make. 
 Let us be gone." 
 
 Soon after they started, Louis and Pedro noticed 
 that they were nearing the hills at a more direct 
 angle and also that the descent was becoming more 
 precipitous. At noon they stopped at the base of a 
 mountain that stood out from others of the chain. 
 The Inca bade them be seated in the shade of a 
 bowlder, and taking a horn from his girdle he gave 
 them water to drink and some more of the goats' 
 flesh for food. When the shadow cast by the sun 
 marked that an hour had passed he beckoned them 
 to start again, and, turning quickly, led the way into 
 a narrow opening in the rocks. The lads at first 
 thought themselves in a tunnel, it was so dark, but 
 upon looking up they saw the sky far above them, 
 and knew then that they were in a deep chasm. 
 
 "The mountain is split in twain," said the Inca, 
 and his voice reverberated through the confined 
 space. 
 
 Instead of leading, as he had done since leaving 
 the little hut in the clearing, the Inca now came 
 between the boys and spoke to them often, bidding 
 them not walk too fast. 
 
 Narrower and narrower grew the defile as though 
 the great walls of rock were closing together above 
 them and the three could hardly walk abreast. They
 
 12 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 proceeded thus for a long time until they came to 
 what seemed to be the end of the passage. But the 
 Inca turned, pulled some stones aside and there was 
 revealed a hole, large enough to admit a man. Into 
 this place, which was as black as night, the boys 
 followed him, and taking them by the hands he felt 
 his way cautiously for perhaps five minutes, when a 
 ray of light pierced the gloom. Just then Louis ex- 
 claimed: ''Don't you hear, Pedro?" 
 
 "What?" the brother anxiously asked. 
 
 "Why, breakers!" 
 
 As they listened there came a dull boom that grew 
 louder with every step and the passage became bright- 
 er and brighter, until not ten minutes from the time 
 they entered the narrow way they emerged upon a 
 broad plateau — a mountain behind them, a mountain 
 on the south, a mountain on the north and the 
 Pacific Ocean in front, the waves dashing to their 
 feet. 
 
 "Come," said the Inca sadly, "let us push forward 
 among these rocks, that I may show you where the 
 treasure of the imperial tribe has been kept these 
 many years. Hasten, that it may not be too late." 
 
 They looked at him in surprise, because of these 
 words, but he had already turned and was walking 
 away as erect as on the night when they first saw 
 him, so they followed and were led to the opening 
 of what appeared to be a cave. Once within and 
 their eyes accustomed to the dim light, they saw it 
 was a vaulted chamber, stored with the wealth which 
 had belonged to ancient Peru. Gold was everywhere,
 
 Prologue 13 
 
 pure yellow gold, in bars, in cubes and in squares. The 
 place glowed vv^ith the precious metal ; it was scattered 
 about carelessly, in lavish mockery. 
 
 The Inca seated himself upon a slab of gold that 
 had been placed near the entrance and looked fondly 
 about him. He was weak now, so weak that he could 
 have traveled no further, even had it been necessary. 
 He admitted this to the lads, who stood speechless 
 in the midst of this v/onderful treasure, and as he 
 spoke he breathed deep and heavily. 
 
 "You are here," he said s]owly, ''and now my hour 
 is near. The gold is yours, for you are of the im- 
 perial tribe and born to lead in the deliverance of 
 our people. Plain to you now is the secret for which 
 men have bartered their lives and for which a nation 
 would be offered me in exchange. I pass it to you 
 freely, believing that some day it will enable you to 
 secure the ships and the soldiers that will restore 
 Peru to her place among nations. The way we have 
 come is known only to you. A stone's throw from 
 this chamber lies the harbor, where small boats may 
 enter and depart without fear of discovery. 
 
 "Now, my children, that you have seen this wealth 
 of our once great race, pass on through the chamber 
 into the sepulchre beyond, where you will find the 
 bones of our ancestors. Many chiefs have been car- 
 ried there by night in the ages that are passed, and 
 there their bodies have been allowed to rest. Let them 
 he until you shall rebuild the temple at Cuzco. When 
 I am dead, place my poor body with them, so that I
 
 14 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 may be at rest. Now go, and see where the ancient 
 Incas watch beside the sea." 
 
 Pedro and Louis went in the direction he had 
 pointed, and passing through an archway at the end 
 of the treasure house found themselves in a Hghted 
 tomb of grand proportions, yet from where the light 
 came they could not tell, and on every hand they saw 
 evidences of death — death that had belonged to past 
 ages, when Peruvian kings and priests were borne 
 to their last resting place amid the wailing of the 
 people and the wafting of sweet incense. The floor 
 was of beaten gold, the walls were of beaten gold, 
 and the high dome above was lined with the metal. 
 The light was that of a yellow sunset and revealed 
 rows of grim figures. They were in a sitting posture 
 were these kings of the Incas, for it was the habit of 
 (the race to so place their rulers when life had fled. 
 Here and there was a space and the body was on the 
 floor, probably thrown by an earthquake that had 
 disturbed the everlasting sleep. Massive circlets of 
 jewels and curiously formed ornaments abounded, 
 proving that in life these men had been rich as well 
 as powerful. 
 
 While the lads stood there, gazing in speechless 
 wonder at the solemn spectacle, a cry came from 
 among the rocks, a shrill cry, almost a scream, that 
 caused them to turn pale and clasp one another's 
 hands. 
 
 They started toward the opening and were running 
 when they emerged from the treasure house. The 
 cry was heard again as they came out ; it was louder,
 
 Prologue 15 
 
 but by this time they were away from the echoes and 
 they recognized the solemn high note chant of the 
 Incas. 
 
 Kneehng near the sea, gazing westward, his eyes 
 fixed on the setting sun, was the Inca chief. 
 
 They stepped softly to his side and waited till he 
 should turn around. Slower and slower came the 
 weird chant from his lips, lower and lower became 
 his voice; down, down sank the sun, until it was a 
 glorious red ball on the horizon, then began to dis- 
 appear as though into the sea. 
 
 "My children," the Inca gasped, turning toward 
 them with difficulty, and holding out his long, thin 
 arms. 
 
 They sank on their knees by his side. 
 
 "Promise again," he whispered. 
 
 "We promise." 
 
 A crimson segment of the sun rested for a second 
 on the bosom of the dark green ocean, then a wave 
 covered it. The old Inca fell forward, dead.
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 STRANGE SIGHTS ON THE CHINCHAS. 
 
 The Chincha Islands are off the southwest coast 
 of Peru, about fourteen miles distant, as the crow 
 flies. They are three in number and are noted among 
 navigators for their deep water approaches, the largest 
 ships in the world being able to anchor within a few 
 cables' length of shore. The United States Navy 
 Department looked upon these islands with favor at 
 one time for a coaling station in the South Pacific, 
 and several surveys were made of the group, to deter- 
 mine their availability, but no decisive proposition 
 was ever made to Peru concerning their acquisition. 
 Thousands of ship loads of guano were taken from 
 the Chinchas during the seventies and large fortunes 
 were made by foreign investors. The fertilizer covered 
 the islands to the depth of several feet, and this com- 
 merce did not cease until it had all been removed. The 
 marketable product once removed, the islands were 
 deserted, for they were only great rocks in the 
 ocean, with not a green leaf to be seen and nothing 
 on their surface worth the calling for. 
 
 It caused considerable comment, therefore, when a 
 ship's captain reported that he had sighted two ves- 
 sels anchored off the Chinchas and that he had seen 
 heavy clouds of smoke rising from the group. This 
 news was first brought to Callao and related to the 
 
 17
 
 i8 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 vessel owners who daily meet and gossip in a ship 
 chandler's shop on the Calle dos de Mayo. Their final 
 conclusion was that whalers, driven far north by ad- 
 verse winds, were *'trying-out" on land while repairs 
 were being made by the ships' crews. 
 
 Several months later it was reported that a large 
 steamer had been sighted at the islands, and as there 
 could be no reason for even a "tramp" vessel visiting 
 the abandoned spot, commercial houses of the west 
 coast became much exercised and curious to know the 
 reason for such activity in a place where, it was 
 thought, there was nothing left that was profitable to 
 market. One believed that gold had been discovered, 
 another that nitrate beds had been found and a third 
 argued that by blasting away the rock fresh beds of 
 guano had perhaps been laid bare. Several ship own- 
 ers ordered their captains to stop at the Chinchas on 
 return trips and investigate carefully. 
 
 This occurred many years after the Chile-Peruvian 
 war, indeed long after the war between China and 
 Japan, in which modern ironclads were tried for the 
 second time in actual conflict 
 
 It takes some time for news that is not of a startling 
 nature to reach the United States and Europe from 
 South America, but ultimately commercial exchanges 
 in New York and London became exercised over the 
 persistent reports concerning the Chincha Islands. 
 Several ship captains, actuated by curiosity, had sailed 
 around the group and they reported that large fac- 
 tories had been erected in the interior, the smoke from 
 which could be seen belching from high chimneys.
 
 Strange Sights on the Chinchas 19 
 
 They also noticed, on nearer approach, that modem 
 docks had been constructed and that settlements had 
 sprung up where once but a few huts stood. More- 
 over, vessels were constantly arriving and departing, 
 but when these craft were spoken there would be no 
 reply. 
 
 Finally a captain effected a landing and his report to 
 his agents, which was published by the press of two 
 continents, read as follows : 
 
 "The mole at which my whaleboat touched is con- 
 structed of cement and is as well built as any I ever 
 saw. It is quite new and shows little wear. It is 
 broad and a wide esplanade runs parallel the entire 
 length. A sentry stood at the top of the steps and he 
 challenged me as soon as I left the boat. Realizing 
 that I had met with an adventure and beheving that I 
 might be able to solve the mystery of these islands if I 
 could secure a landing, I pleaded lack of water on 
 board and asked if I might obtain a supply. He mo- 
 tioned me to advance and called the corporal of the 
 guard, and by the time I reached the top of the steps 
 he was joined by a non-commissioned officer. 
 
 "These soldiers were clad in black, the uniform 
 strikingly set off by silver buttons and braid. The 
 chevrons on the corporal's sleeves were of silver. 
 There were a number of soldiers about, some doing- 
 sentry duty, others idhng. All were clad in this som- 
 bre uniform. 
 
 "I had little time to observe more, except that a 
 town had been built back of the mole — one which, I 
 should say, could accommodate three thousand in-
 
 20 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 habitants — for I was at once escorted to a guard house, 
 where I was told I must remain until the Almirante 
 arrived. It was added that I need not consider myself 
 a prisoner and that I could at any moment return to 
 my ship, sliould I so desire. I assured the corporal 
 that I preferred to await the arrival of his superior 
 officer, whereupon he stationed two guards near me, 
 saying that it was forbidden for anyone to leave the 
 esplanade and visit the town without an order from the 
 Almirante. 
 
 ''I was then left alone with the sentinels, v/ho paced 
 up and down in front. I spoke to them several times, 
 but might as well have addressed blocks of stone, for I 
 received no reply. The guard house faced the sea and 
 I had no view of this strange town or anything per- 
 taining thereto, except the mole and a section of the 
 esplanade. 
 
 "I waited m this place fully two hours and was fall- 
 ing asleep — the day being hot and close — when I was 
 aroused by the clatter of hoofs and the rattle of ac- 
 coutrements. A moment later one of a dozen men 
 who had dismounted from horses entered the guard 
 house. His appearance was striking, his face one I 
 shall never forget. The complexion was quite dark 
 and the features, thin and finely chiseled, were those of 
 the Indians who inhabit the Peruvian interior. As he 
 took ofl" a three-cornered hat I noticed that his hair 
 was gray, in fact almost white ; and this makes me un- 
 certain as to his age, for his face bespoke him a man 
 under forty, perhaps less than thirty, while his hair 
 made him appear much older. He was clad in a black-
 
 Strange Sights on the Chinchas 21 
 
 uniform, the same as his troopers, but the material was 
 much finer. Upon the left breast of his coat was what 
 I at first thought was a large gold star, but upon 
 closer inspection I made it out to be a golden sun. 
 
 "He asked what I wished, and I repeated what 
 I had said to the sentry, that my ship was short of 
 water. 
 
 "His reply was, that a lighter would at once be dis- 
 patched to the vessel and that my wants would be 
 cared for. 
 
 "Somewhat puzzled to come at what I really de- 
 sired — to see more of the island — I asked him if I 
 might take a stroll around town, as it had been a 
 long time since I had stretched my legs on shore. 
 
 "At once a change came over his face. He had been 
 looking at me earnestly, but now he smiled and said 
 softly, but firmly : 
 
 " 'So your tale is told only as an excuse that you 
 may pry into our affairs! Your purpose in coming 
 here is to act the spy. It would serve you right if I 
 had you shot, but I will content myself this time with 
 expelling you from the islands in a manner that you 
 will remember and which will serve as a warning to 
 you and other inquisitives not to return.' 
 
 "He turned to his guards and said a few words. 
 Two men seized me and I was taken in a most uncere- 
 monious manner to the steps of the mole, being com- 
 pelled to run at the highest speed ; and when finally we 
 reached the steps I was picked up and thrown into the 
 sea, from which I was rescued by my boat's crew. 
 
 "I was able to learn nothing, therefore, except that
 
 22 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the largest island of the Chinchas has acquired quite a 
 population, that manufacturing is being done on a 
 large scale and that the place is closely guarded by 
 soldiers, all of whom are evidently uniformed in the 
 striking black and silver. I was addressed in English, 
 but the ofBcers, in speaking to one another, used Span- 
 ish/' 
 
 This report was seized upon with avidity by the 
 newspapers and was published in every country of the 
 civilized world and in every tongue, so that it became 
 a matter of comment in both the old world and the 
 new. Some ridiculed its authenticity, others censured 
 the writer for exaggeration, and the third class, be- 
 lieving what it read, at once began to theorize. 
 
 The owners of the ship that had stopped at the Chin- 
 chas assured the British Government that the captain 
 who had made the report was thoroughly reliable and 
 a person whose word they had not the slightest cause 
 to doubt. Thereupon the matter came up for discus- 
 sion in the House of Commons. The leader of the 
 opposition took it for the subject of an address that 
 lasted an entire evening. The Government's weak for- 
 eign policy, he said, made such things possible. There 
 were cries of ''Hear ! Hear !" at this telHng blow to the 
 administration. It was evident, the opposition leader 
 added, that a great conspiracy against the British Em- 
 pire was being concocted in the South Pacific. He 
 had received private advices on this subject and knew 
 that the country was in danger. 
 
 "But why should I tell you this?" he almost 
 screamed, rising to his full height. "There is the
 
 Strange Sights on the Chinchas 23 
 
 man who should keep you informed," and he shook 
 his finger at the Government leader. "He should be 
 in receipt of all this information. But is he? And if 
 he is, what is he doing? I tell you, sirs, the slothful 
 policy of the Government is directly responsible for the 
 present condition of affairs." 
 
 In replying to the question the Government leader 
 assured the House that negotiations were pending be- 
 tween the Peruvian Government and the British Min- 
 i?ter Resident at Lima that would undoubtedly have a 
 satisfactory termination. He asked that the Govern- 
 m.ent be not urged at the present time to divulge its 
 line of action or enter into details, for he was certain 
 that when the public became aware what steps had 
 been taken to safeguard British interests the Govern- 
 ment's course would be approved. 
 
 The address was cheered by the members on the 
 Government benches and was hissed by the opposition. 
 A division was called for and the Government was sus- 
 tained, whereupon the House adjourned. 
 
 The action referred to during debate was this : The 
 British Minister Resident at Lima had asked the Pres- 
 ident of Peru whether the Chincha Islands had been 
 sold to another nation, if so to what power and Vv^hen 
 had the transfer been made. xA.n immediate reply was 
 to the effect that the Chinchas had not been sold, that 
 they were still the property of Peru and that the Peru- 
 vian Government was responsible for any act that 
 might be committed on the territory. The receipt of 
 this reply at the British Foreign Of^ce caused quite a 
 flurry in official circles. The last clause especially was
 
 24 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 a matter of much surprise. No question had been put 
 to Peru regarding responsibility for acts, so that this 
 answer touched decisively upon a subject that the 
 great power had not mentioned. Some of the ofBcials 
 said it was an impudent rejoinder. They had never re- 
 ceived such an independent message from one of the 
 South American countries and were at a loss to under- 
 stand what was meant by this departure from the cus- 
 tomary timorous notes that the States below the 
 equator had been in the habit of sending. 
 
 There was a consultation of men high in the Gov- 
 ernment party and a long discussion of the best policy 
 to pursue under the circumstances. A few were in 
 favor of sending war ships to the Chinchas and seiz- 
 ing them until Peru apologized for the indignity of- 
 fered the British captain. This plan was vetoed by the 
 majority, which pointed in the direction of America; 
 for of recent years the United States had evinced a 
 determination to enforce the Monroe doctrine. The 
 result of the conference was that the Government de- 
 cided to do nothing for the time being, except to order 
 a man-of-war to cruise in the vicinity of the Chinchas 
 and make such observations as were possible without 
 offending the Peruvians. So far as the opposition was 
 concerned it was decided to avoid direct answers in the 
 House so long as possible and await developments. 
 
 All this debate and diplomatic correspondence occu- 
 pied nearly a year, and during this time some remark- 
 able facts had come to light in different parts of the 
 world. It became known that many steamships, carry- 
 ing iron ore, and others laden with coal, had left the
 
 Strange Sights on the Chinchas 25 
 
 United States for South America and that their des- 
 tination was something of a mystery. It was supposed, 
 when the first cargoes left, that they were destined for 
 one of the large coast cities on the east or west of the 
 great peninsula, and as the hulls that carried them 
 were commonly known as ''tramps" no one took par- 
 ticular notice as to the length of the voyage or the 
 time of return. Trade papers soon began to notice the 
 heavy exports of iron ore and said that it was evident 
 the republics below the equator were planning to enter 
 the manufacturing markets of the world. 
 
 The pubHshed letter from the British sea captain 
 caused more interest to be taken in the mysterious de- 
 partures and arrivals of strange craft, for it was be- 
 lieved that the solution of the mystery lay in the Chin- 
 cha Islands. A comparison of notes made by a large 
 commercial house which had agents in the United 
 States, England, Germany, France and Spain, showed 
 that during five years over four hundred vessel loads of 
 various products had been carried from the large sea- 
 ports of the world to some point in South America. 
 The customs house records showed that these vessels 
 had cleared for Peru and other sub-equatorial coun- 
 tries, without naming a port. They were sailing ships 
 and steamers of the ''tramp" class, that is steamers 
 that do not belong to any regular line, but are char- 
 tered for a voyage. Examination of the charters of 
 these vessels showed that the firm of Garcia y Garcia 
 had signed most of the papers. Wise men of the com- 
 mercial world shook their heads when they read this. 
 They had never heard of such a house and it would be
 
 26 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 impossible for any house to carry on such a stupen- 
 dous business and not be known to them. There 
 must be some mistake. But those who had made the 
 investigation insisted there was no mistake ; however, 
 they were not the less puzzled for an explanation. But 
 all this time other important facts were becoming 
 known. It was learned that iron ore and coal were 
 not the only cargoes carried around the Horn and 
 through the Straits of Magellan. A list of the products 
 shipped from American ports was compiled by a trade 
 paper and was found to contain iron ore, coal, bread- 
 stufifs, meats, canned vegetables, lumber, electrical 
 supplies, silver and aluminum. 
 
 Not only was it learned at this time that vast quan- 
 tities of supplies were being shipped to a port the name 
 of which no one seemed able to name, but it came to 
 pubHc notice that for a year and perhaps for several 
 years there had been an exodus of persons in this same 
 direction. These travelers, none of whom, so far as 
 could be learned, had returned, were principally from 
 the United States and were from the most useful ranks 
 of society. They were mechanics well versed in their 
 arts, men who had won renown in some degree as in- 
 ventors, draughtsmen and engineers, all persons who 
 had made their calling their life study. These had 
 simply stated to friends that they had received remun- 
 erative offers from South American houses and would 
 be gone several years, in all probability. In most in- 
 stances they took their families with them, but when 
 such was not the case those left at home dependent 
 were not forgotten ; in fact they fared better than be-
 
 Strange Sights on the Chinchas 27 
 
 fore their loved one's departure, for drafts came regu- 
 larly and they were for sums much larger than could 
 have been earned in the States. The letters containing 
 these remittances were postmarked Lima and the or- 
 der for money was always on a large German house. 
 
 Careful investigation of this peculiar exodus showed 
 that workers in iron and skilled electricians w^re the 
 most numerous of those who had departed, but nearly 
 every one of the mechanical arts was represented. 
 Doctors and dentists had added to the number, pro- 
 fessors from colleges had been taken, and it was also 
 learned that a number of officers had resigned from 
 the army and navy to cast their fortunes in the far- 
 away place that had been drawing loaded ships and 
 men for years, as a loadstone draws filings of steel. 
 
 So quietly had all this been carried on, so secret had 
 been the workings that the full realization of what had 
 been done did not dawn upon the civilized Vv^orld until 
 eighteen months after the British ship captain made his 
 remarkable report ; and then it was calculated that the 
 operations, whatever they might be, had been in prog- 
 ress on the Chincha Islands nearly ten years. 
 
 About this time the Navy Department received the 
 following report from the commander of the U. S. S. 
 Navajo, then stationed in the South Pacific : 
 
 "Sir : — I have the honor to report that a new settle- 
 ment has appeared on the southern coast of Peru. It 
 consists of half a dozen houses and they are located 
 between two promontories, which shut the little settle- 
 ment off from all communication by land, for the 
 promontories are inaccessible spurs of the Andes jut-
 
 28 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 ting abruptly into the Pacific. Small steamers have 
 made regular trips between this point and the Chincha 
 Islands, evidently arriving at the Peruvian mainland 
 in ballast and leaving with a cargo, but what is car- 
 ried in the hold or what comprises the new commerce 
 I have not been able to discover. In accordance with 
 the department's instructions I have watched these 
 vessels, in order that I might determine whether they 
 were engaged in anything that was contraband, but 
 have failed to secure any proof that their owners or 
 crew were doing anything but what was legal. I have 
 not boarded the craft, nor have I made my investiga- 
 tions obnoxious in any manner. As far as I am able 
 to judge, without visiting the place, I can say that 
 manufacturing on a large scale is being done on the 
 Chinchas, and, in my opinion, either nitrate works 
 have been erected or smelters are in blast, working 
 silver."
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 THE PRESIDENT OF PERU. 
 
 At this time, when all the world was excited over 
 the strange rumors concerning the Chincha Islands, 
 Fernando y Fernando was serving his second term as 
 President of Peru. He was young to hold the office, 
 some said the youngest who had ever been elected to 
 the position, and at one time there was a question 
 whether he was not barred by the Constitution. But 
 he had been a candidate when the Presidency was a 
 thankless position, when Peru was bankrupt after the 
 war with Chile, and matters were drifting rapidly from 
 bad to worse, the blame, of course, falling upon those 
 in high official places, who suffered for the careless- 
 ness of those who had preceded them many years be- 
 fore. And so when this young man took his seat there 
 were only a few who cared to even investigate 
 his eligibility. But there were powerful influences at 
 work in his behalf. 
 
 Fernando y Fernando was strikingly handsome, 
 although so dark he might be termed swarthy of com- 
 plexion. Not only did his color but his features an- 
 nounce at once to the observer that he was of a differ- 
 ent race than the men who usually hold office in Lima. 
 The latter are Spaniards or descendants of Spaniards. 
 If not pale, whiter even than the Anglo-Saxon, their 
 complexion is sallow. They are of short stature, their 
 
 29
 
 30 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 features insipid, not having a pronounced character- 
 istic, and their eyes are heavy, as if from continual 
 drowsiness. President Fernando was tall and power- 
 ful of figure ; his nose might be termed Grecian ; it cer- 
 tainly was classic, and his eyes were like the eagle's. 
 He was loved by all in the land, for during his rule 
 prosperous times had come again and the people had 
 begun to take more pride in themselves and in their 
 country. 
 
 Nine years before this time Fernando y Fernando 
 had appeared in Lima, a stranger. There were those 
 who said they had seen him somewhere before, but 
 just where, they could not say ; his face was familiar, 
 but try as they might that was all they could recall. 
 Some averred that he had come from an interior prov- 
 ince, but just what town they knew not and they had 
 nothing but their own words to support their state- 
 ment ; others thought they had met him in the South. 
 Because of this latter assertion he was looked 
 upon with suspicion for a short while. The recent 
 enemies of Peru had come from the South, and the 
 natives did not know but he had been sent into their 
 midst to keep the victors informed as to events follow- 
 ing the war. But the apparent simplicity of Fernando 
 y Fernando soon dispelled these thoughts and he came 
 to be regarded with esteem. 
 
 He had not been in the capital a year before every 
 house was open to him and he was a favored guest. 
 He was not known to have any definite occupation, 
 hut he always seemed busy, conferring with one 
 and then another and making friends wherever he
 
 The President of Peru 31 
 
 could. He was apparently never at a loss for money, 
 and although he did not entertain lavishly nor fool- 
 ishly, there was always hospitality shov/n at the large 
 house Vv'hich he rented near the Plaza dos de Mayo. To 
 form many acquaintances, to m^ake all the friends he 
 could, seemed to be the young man's ambition. 
 V/ithal he was dignified and his chief attractiveness 
 was his magnetic earnestness. In his conversation 
 there was one chord upon which he played more than 
 upon others, the chord of patriotism. His bearing in- 
 dicated the fierce fires of love and hate, the powers to 
 build and destroy ; at this time his every effort seemed 
 to be for his country, Peru ; he was soon called a 
 patriot. 
 
 One day he surprised the politicians by announcing 
 himself a candidate for the Presidency. Some of the 
 barnacles in office laughed and shrugged their shoul- 
 ders ; he was not known, they said, and moreover, he 
 was not one of them. 
 
 But while the politicians smiled, the business men 
 and other men of standing in the community assumed 
 a dififerent attitude. After thinking of the matter they 
 concluded that the selection might prove a wise one. 
 
 "So," said a banker to a politician, "why not? Senor 
 Fernando y Fernando is conservative, he loves his 
 country, he is dignified, yet he is popular, especially 
 with the merchants, and he must be a good financier, 
 for he knows how to care for his own money, which is 
 the first principle in financing." 
 
 Then the politicians quit smiling and went to work 
 against the invader, as they termed him.
 
 32 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 It was inexplicable to those who watched from the 
 outside, this sudden appearance of a stranger who was 
 approved for the highest position in the land by the 
 most powerful class in Peru. One business house in 
 Lima that had never entered politics supported the 
 cause of Fernando y Fernando with such vigor as to 
 cause comment, but as the corporation was the oldest 
 in Lima and its directors the most conservative all that 
 could be said only aided the young man thus cham- 
 pioned. It happened to be a year when the people 
 were weary of politicians and were waiting an oppor- 
 tunity to rebuke and overthrow them. Hence they 
 paid heed to the weighty appeals made in behalf of 
 the new statesman, eagerly listened to his speeches and 
 became impressed with his bearing and his eloquence. 
 These addresses by the young man became matters for 
 comment as far north as Ecuador and as far south as 
 Bolivia. He spoke in glowing terms of the great fu- 
 ture that lay before Peru if the people would but listen 
 to his counsel, and he promised that before many years 
 passed he would show them the way to right the 
 wrongs they had endured. Those who listened came 
 from the great mass meetings convinced that the 
 speaker had some reason for making the promises he 
 did, although had they been asked why they thought 
 so, they would have found it difficult to answer. 
 
 Becoming alarmed, the politicians cast about for 
 material with which to attack the candidate, and find- 
 ing none they reverted to the charge first mentioned, 
 that none knew from whence he had come, and they 
 added that in all probability he was an alien and con-
 
 The President of Peru 33 
 
 sequently ineligible to office. Fernando y Fernando 
 met the charge at a great public meeting held in 
 Lima, saying as introductory to an address : 
 
 'They hint that I am an alien ! Yet from the cradle 
 I have watched the waves plash up on Mar Bravo 
 beach, upon the land that once belonged to those from 
 whom I sprang. I say that this fair land did once 
 upon a time so belong; not now, for the parasites 
 who would howl me down, upon one pretext or the 
 other, are the temporary possessors of the soil. I say 
 out upon them, as well as out upon the Chileans, the 
 Spaniards and all others who would claim that which 
 belongs to Peruvians." 
 
 Election day drew near and so intense had become 
 the excitement that there was fear of a revolution, and 
 foreign warships then in Callao landed marines to 
 guard the consulates where the more timid sought 
 refuge. But the day the ballots were cast passed tran- 
 quilly, and when the votes were counted the returns 
 showed that Fernando y Fernando had been elected 
 by an overwhelming majority. The people had voted 
 for him ; the politicians against. 
 
 Though defeated the latter did not remain long 
 quiet. Within a year they took active steps toward 
 having the President impeached. They declared that 
 he had violated his oath of office by giving away state 
 lands to moneyed men, and in making these charges 
 they called attention to the fact that the candidacy of 
 Fernando y Fernando had been warmly espoused by 
 the leading bankers of Lima. The charge had an ugly 
 appearance, especially as it was accompanied by de-
 
 34 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 tails. It was said that the President had disposed of 
 the valuable Chincha Islands to some of his wealthy 
 friends v/ithout the consent of Congress and in secret, 
 probably in return for the support they had given him 
 during the campaign. All Peru began to be in a fer- 
 ment. Was this the patriot to whom the people had 
 trusted everything? 
 
 When President Fernando y Fernando learned of 
 the charges, which were first made in an opposition 
 newspaper, he caused the Treasury Department to 
 make announcement of the fact that he had paid into 
 the treasury a large sum of money derived from the 
 lease of the Chincha Islands and that he had concluded 
 an agreement whereby a similar amount would be paid 
 into the National Treasury every six months for a 
 period of ten years. It was true, he said, that no one 
 but himself appeared in the transaction, but the com- 
 pact was an afifair of state, the terms of which he would 
 lay before the public at the proper time. He declared 
 that this lease money would prove the princi- 
 pal source of Peru's revenue, that it would save the 
 people from burdensome taxation, and then he quoted 
 a clause in the Peruvian Constitution which proved 
 that he had not exceeded his authority. 
 
 This prompt response and explanation, while it did 
 not tell all that some people would Hke to have known, 
 appeased the general curiosity and silenced the poli- 
 ticians. 
 
 Without anything more serious arising the first 
 term of Fernando y Fernando as President of Peru 
 drew near its close and he appeared before the people
 
 The President of Peru 35 
 
 as a candidate for re-election. Once more his foes de- 
 manded that he make public the terms upon which the 
 Chincha Islands had been leased and reveal the names 
 of those who had acquired temporary control over 
 them by Government grant. It was a trying time for 
 the patriot. He knew that if they forced him, as well 
 they might, to meet their demands, his patriotic pur- 
 pose would be frustrated. There was but one course 
 to pursue. He promptly and firmly refused to submit 
 the information that was sought. 
 
 "My fellow citizens have shown their confidence in 
 me by electing me to this high office over all opposi- 
 tion," said he. ''They have almost blindly trusted in 
 me to do right and to be right. Would I, for a mo- 
 ment, betray them in word or deed ? They have seen 
 me, with the subsequent approval of Congress (for 
 after the failure to impeach the President the House 
 had voted confidence), save them from much taxation ; 
 they have seen their national treasury filled as never 
 before since the war with Chile; and a measure of 
 prosperity has been brought upon the country. No 
 one, in recent years, has done quite so well; but 
 this is nothing to what I hope soon to accomplish 
 if only the people will once more respond to my candi- 
 dacy in the spirit of patriotism which has actuated 
 them in the past and with faith in the sincerity of my 
 motives, for I must tell the politicians that I shall with- 
 hold for the present, for the good of the country, the 
 information they seek." 
 
 It was almost a royal reply and it was so termed by 
 his enemies, but in his position President Fernando y
 
 36 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 Fernando was sustained by the leading commercial 
 houses, whose managers pointed out that the money 
 derived from the lease of the islands comprised prac- 
 tically all the revenue and that so long as nothing dis- 
 honorable was apparent in the transaction it was folly 
 to insist upon the President publishing facts which he 
 said would only frustrate his plan of permanent aid 
 for Peru. 
 
 Still, the clamor was not entirely silenced, and at 
 last the advisers of the President deemed it wise that he 
 should make a more definite promise to the populace. 
 So, one night during an address in the Grand Plaza in 
 Lima, he declared that his re-election would mean the 
 clearing up of the Chincha Islands mystery and that 
 the details would become public before his second 
 term expired, and, he added, the country would then 
 be saved. The next day the merchants told the people 
 that the President meant that the enterprise on the 
 Chincha Islands would ultimately revert to the Gov- 
 ernment, which would derive a dazzling revenue there- 
 from. 
 
 This soon became the accepted theory. It even 
 found some credence abroad, and was borne out by the 
 early reports of ship captains. 
 
 Election day this year was not so quiet as had been 
 the first, but the result was the same, the people again 
 rallying to the standard of the young statesman. After 
 the returns had been officially counted and before the 
 inaugural ceremonies the President announced that he 
 felt the necessity of a short vacation and would visit 
 the interior. He was gone about a month and during
 
 The President of Peru 37 
 
 his absence there was much comment as to where he 
 could have journeyed, for he had been seen to leave the 
 Oroya Railroad and disappear down the eastern slope 
 of the Andes on muleback. When he returned, as 
 mysteriously as he had left, someone remarked that he 
 looked as if he had taken a sea voyage, and he laughed, 
 but evaded the question. 
 
 A year after Fernando y Fernando's second inaug- 
 uration orders were issued to all telegraph and cable 
 companies to receive no cipher messages unless the 
 code was explained by the sender. Secret orders were 
 also issued by the Postmaster-General concerning cer- 
 tain mail matter. 
 
 The stringency of these regulations caused much 
 complaint and even some of those who had been the 
 warmest friends of President Fernando y Fernando 
 reproached him for his decrees, terming them auto- 
 cratic. 
 
 To all he would say: "Have patience, have pa- 
 tience ; it will not be for long now." 
 
 One morning the British man-of-war Garnet 
 steamed into Callao Bay and dropped anchor. A few 
 minutes later an orderly came ashore and mailed some 
 letters. Two hours after this a secret service agent of 
 the Government asked immediate audience with the 
 President at Lima and when he was shown in he gave 
 a signal that told the chief executive he wished a pri- 
 vate conference. Tlie two retired to a cabinet, where 
 the agent saluted and said: ''Pursuant to orders, sir. 
 This was mailed an hour ago in Callao." 
 
 President Fernando y Fernando took the packet.
 
 38 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 It was addressed to the Lords of the British Admir- 
 alty. He dismissed the agent, then for a long time sat 
 with the envelope on his knee, evidently reluctant to 
 break the seal. Finally he hurriedly tore the cover and 
 spread the documents before him. They consisted of 
 a report to the admiralty by the commander of the 
 Garnet and detailed reports from officers of lesser 
 rank, upon which the major report was founded. The 
 latter read : 
 
 'T have the honor to report, that, pursuant to in- 
 structions, we steamed in the vicinity of the Chinchas 
 two months and made frequent observations of the 
 group. There appear to be several manufacturing 
 establishments on the largest island, but the nature of 
 the output I could not learn. At night when we were 
 near shore and to leeward we could distinctly hear the 
 regular sounds of what appeared to be trip-hammers 
 and could see a frequent lighting up of the clouds. I 
 should therefore judge that metals are being worked, 
 probably large quantities of the baser metals in process 
 of reduction. As my instructions forbade landing it 
 seemed impossible for me to gain more positive infor- 
 mation and I was about to give up the investigation, 
 when, on the afternoon of the i8th inst., I noticed on 
 the east side of the large island an inlet that had before 
 escaped my observation. I examined it closely, then 
 found that it was not on the chart. A still closer in- 
 spection showed that the channel was an artificial one 
 and that it had been dredged after the rocks had been 
 blasted away. As my instructions did not forbid en- 
 tering any stream or inlet I ordered away the first and
 
 The President of Peru 39 
 
 second cutters and detailed a surveying party, giving 
 the officer in command orders to row up the inlet as 
 far as possible and take soundings. 
 
 "Three hours later the cutters came back to the ship 
 at great speed and the lieutenant commanding the 
 party reported such startling information that I 
 deemed it advisable to steam at once to the nearest 
 point on the mainland, from where I could communi- 
 cate briefly with you by cable, and in detail by means 
 of this letter. 
 
 "His report is to the effect that, after rowing for half 
 an hour through a channel wide enough to permit the 
 entrance of a first-class battle-ship, and of sufficient 
 depth to make the passage no risk for the largest ves- 
 sel that floats, they came to a sharp bend, and round- 
 ing the same, saw to their surprise a battery of rapid- 
 fire guns at the water level, and above fortifications 
 that evidently protected heavier pieces. 
 
 "At that moment a man stepped from behind an 
 earthwork on the bank and called out : 'Stop rowing ; 
 another cable's length and you will be sent to the bot- 
 tom ! I have but to drop my handkerchief and you 
 will be a target for the battery yonder !' 
 
 "The lieutenant was so surprised by what had hap- 
 pened that he could not find speech for several sec- 
 onds, and when he did the man had disappeared. 
 
 "The individual who addressed him was clad in a 
 black uniform with gold buttons and wore a gold 
 shield upon his breast. 
 
 "My information from different members of the 
 boats' crews is that this channel broadens into a basin
 
 40 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 beyond the point where they were stopped and some of 
 them beheve they saw ships at anchor, though on this 
 point no one is positive. 
 
 "I have the honor to enclose the reports made by 
 the officers of the expedition, together with some other 
 information bearing on the subject." 
 
 When President Fernando y Fernando had care- 
 fully read the documents he called his private secre- 
 tary. "Any report from the cable office this morn- 
 ing, Francis?" 
 
 "Yes, your excellency; there are several messages 
 held pending your orders. Here is the most important, 
 I believe." 
 
 The sHp of paper bore a meaningless address to the 
 readers, save that it said London, England. The 
 cipher showing to whom it was to be delivered was 
 followed by the single word "Sandoval." 
 
 "Now bring me the British secret code," said Fer- 
 nando y Fernando. 
 
 He scanned the book hastily. "Have the message 
 destroyed," he ordered, "and call Senor Caceras." 
 
 The Secretary of State soon entered. "We have ren- 
 dered their spying useless," exclaimed the President. 
 "Read these documents. Before the Britishers can 
 learn even these facts we will be ready." 
 
 "And what does the cipher message mean?" asked 
 the Secretary of State. 
 
 " 'Peru is preparing for war,' " replied President 
 Fernando y Fernando.
 
 ANOTHER cable's LENGTH AND YOU WILL BE 
 SENT TO THE BOTTOM!"'
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE FLEET. 
 
 Dear Chum of Our Boyhood Days : — Doubtless you 
 have forgotten by this time the brothers Garcia y 
 Garcia, with whom you once played in Callao, and if 
 you have perhaps this letter will serve to awaken 
 memories. We have kept watch of your progress and 
 we are glad that you have succeeded so well in your 
 profession. 
 
 But to the point. Pedro and I have been at work 
 many years upon something that is as dear to us as 
 life itself. Success has at last crowned our efforts. 
 
 What we have to reveal concerns the Chincha 
 Islands. Ah, it is easy to see how you, a trained news- 
 paper man, scent something of unusual interest in this 
 statement. And well you may. Carey, our motive in 
 writing is not free from selfishness. W^e know that 
 you are employed by an influential newspaper and v/e 
 are anxious that events which are about to transpire 
 be reported correctly to the world. Therefore we ask 
 you and your employers if you will not take a position 
 as staff correspondent on one of the most remarkable 
 expeditions ever known ? Of course those who employ 
 you will consider this indefinite, but as the affairs we 
 hint at have been noised about somewhat of late, we 
 believe they will understand that there is a great deal 
 
 41
 
 42 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 we cannot put on paper, and so send you on the mis- 
 sion we refer to without further information. If it is 
 possible for you to comply with our request please be 
 in Callao the evening of June 5th. On the following 
 morning we will make ourselves known to you in a 
 manner that can not be mistaken. 
 Your very good friends, 
 
 Louis and Pedro Garcia y Garcia. 
 
 As Carey Hawkins, correspondent for one of the 
 daily newspapers of New York, was seated on the bal- 
 cony of the English Club at Callao he read this letter 
 over and over again. He had read it m^any times in 
 New York and so had the editor, v/ho, after demurring 
 a few hours, had sent him upon what he feared was "a 
 wild goose chase." Mr. Hawkins had read the letter 
 while on the way from New York to Panama, and 
 again and again while journeying down the west coast 
 of South America. 
 
 And now it was the day mentioned — the sixth day of 
 June — and nothing had happened out of the ordinary. 
 
 As he sat there, neglecting the breakfast that he had 
 ordered served in the open air, a chance acquaintance, 
 who happened to be a ship captain, remarked that a 
 steamer had been sighted and he pointed to a signal 
 displayed on the Island of San Lorenzo, a long rock 
 that stands at the entrance to Callao harbor. 
 
 This signal also told that the vessel would not come 
 between the island and La Punta, but would approach 
 from the outside and not be visible until the island was 
 rounded. As steamships in the coast trade always
 
 The Fleet 43 
 
 take the inward course, with which their captains are 
 familiar, the fact that a vessel under steam was ap- 
 proaching from another direction caused interest in 
 shipping circles and persons along the water front 
 wondered what the stranger could be. 
 
 A quarter of an hour later the San Lorenzo signal 
 officer announced by means of his flags that another 
 steamer had appeared, following close in the wake of 
 the one first sighted. In five minutes word came that 
 the number had increased to three. Then there was 
 evidently wild excitement in the little signal tower, 
 for flags were run up and hauled down with great ra- 
 pidity, until finally those on the mainland who were 
 interested in things nautical had learned that at least 
 ten steamships were advancing toward the port. They 
 w^ere proceeding leisurely, said the flags, at about a 
 six-knot speed, and it would be over an hour before 
 they were abreast the nearest point on San Lorenzo 
 and in sight from Callao. 
 
 This was startling information, coming as it did 
 when everybody was discussing the recent strange oc- 
 currences on the Chincha Islands, and there was no 
 lack of persons to spread the news by word of mouth 
 around the seacoast city; and at the same time tele- 
 phone wires bore it to Lima. So quickly was the news 
 distributed at the capital that the train which left for 
 Callao a half hour later was crowded and additional 
 coaches had to be coupled on. Only once before had 
 such a rush been made ; that was in the latter part of 
 the seventies, when the announcement was made that 
 a Chilean squadron had appeared off the port.
 
 44 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 While the trains were coming from Lima thousands 
 of Callao's inhabitants hastened to the beach and 
 some time before the fleet was due to put in an appear- 
 ance the shore was lined, an eager crowd being 
 stretched from Los Banos to La Punta. 
 
 In the meantime the garrisons of the forts had been 
 called to quarters and the guns manned. Many for- 
 eigners smiled significantly when they witnessed these 
 preparations, for since the war with Chile the coast 
 defenses had been neglected and the pieces of ord- 
 nance in the castles and behind the breastworks were 
 all of antiquated design. But the soldiers made ready 
 for emergency with as much valor and alacrity as if 
 they were behind the latest make of rapid-fire guns. 
 They rallied to the old, worn-out pieces at the com- 
 mand of their officers and commenced to load and then 
 to train the guns on the point of land abreast of where 
 the possible enemy might appear. 
 
 Then something remarkable happened. While 
 charges of round shot and powder were being placed 
 in the muzzles of the big smooth-bores and rammed 
 home, and shells, with their charges, inserted in the 
 breeches of the few modern rifles, word was flashed 
 over the telegraph lines connecting the forts to sound 
 the recall. The order was signed, ''Fernando y Fer- 
 nando, President of Peru and Commander in Chief of 
 the Army and Navy." 
 
 In addition to this order was telegraphed this 
 strange phrase : "The country is saved." 
 
 Simultaneous with the announcement to the gar- 
 risons men rode about town on horseback, crying:
 
 The Fleet 45 
 
 "The country is saved ; remember what was promised 
 by the President at the last election !" 
 
 About the time the flags went up on San Lorenzo, 
 Carey Hawkins showed to his friend, the ship captain, 
 the letter from the brothers Garcia. 
 
 "Rather remarkable epistle, is it not?" remarked the 
 newspaper correspondent, then added : "Years ago I 
 was acquainted with the signers of this letter, in fact 
 I went to school with them here. Last night I visited 
 Chucuito, where we all lived in those days, but I could 
 gain no trace of them. The place where their house 
 once stood is now occupied by a business block, and 
 although several of the residents remembered that a 
 family named Garcia y Garcia had once lived there 
 nobody knew where any of them could be found." 
 
 'T remember the father well," said the captain, as he 
 returned the letter. "He was, I believe, a direct 
 descendant from the Incas and possessed all the noble 
 characteristics of that race, combined with the polish 
 of civilization. He was one of the most earnest pa- 
 triots I ever met, and always vowed that some day 
 Peru would regain her prestige as a nation. 
 And now that I think of it, is not this the name that 
 has been connected with the mysterious charters made 
 for Peru ? But I beg pardon for a minute," and, ris- 
 ing, he stepped to the end of the balcony, where sev- 
 eral men were grouped, all looking intently seaward, 
 one of whom had beckoned him to approach. A mo- 
 ment later he returned to the table where Hawkins was 
 seated. 
 
 "This is strange," he said, "and I am half inclined
 
 46 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 to believe that we are soon to see a solution of your 
 mysterious letter. The gentlemen over there tell me 
 that nearly a dozen ships of war are approaching the 
 harbor." 
 
 From that moment the guests and visitors of the 
 English club shared the eagerness of the thousands 
 who were hastening from the cities to the beach. 
 
 The large telescope, a feature of the club house 
 property, was brought out, mounted on its tripod and 
 sighted so as to cover the end of San Lorenzo. The 
 ship captains, who had assembled on the veranda, com- 
 puted the probable time that must elapse before the 
 vessels could heave in sight and ten minutes later a 
 naval ofificer, attached to a United States man-of-war, 
 then anchored in the bay, was asked to take a seat at 
 the glass and describe the ships as they steamed around 
 the point of land, for the benefit of those who had 
 grouped near him. 
 
 No bay in the world is as smooth as that of Callao. 
 Except on two or three days of a year the wind always 
 blows from the south and the sheet of water in front 
 of the city is protected from any rough weather from 
 that direction by the long neck of land that runs west- 
 ward into the ocean and also by the large island, which 
 is at right angles to the peninsula. Anchored in this 
 bay were many sailing ships of different nationalities, 
 steamships of coastwise and transoceanic lines and five 
 men-of-war. The United States was represented by 
 one of the renowned white protected cruisers and also 
 by a coast defense battle-ship which had been dis- 
 patched this far south to test her cruising qualities on
 
 The Fleet 47 
 
 the long voyage from San Francisco. Although Eng- 
 land had quite a large fleet in the South Pacific at that 
 time, but one ship happened to be in Callao Bay, the 
 others lying at Valparaiso and Panama. This vessel 
 was the battle-ship Shamrock, 10,000 tons, carrying 
 the latest armament. The other vessels of the British 
 fleet on the South Pacific station were equally formid- 
 able, for the admiralty had dispatched a first-class 
 squadron soon after the strange reports had been made 
 concerning the Chincha Islands. The two other war 
 vessels in Callao harbor were French and German. All 
 told, there were probably two hundred merchant craft 
 anchored in the bay and half as many more were 
 alongside the docks. But there was room for five 
 times that number to ride safely in the harbor. 
 
 As the clock on the English station struck 9 a shout 
 went up from the thousands who had gathered on the 
 beach. As the noise ascended some one on the club 
 veranda exclaimed : 'There they come !" and all the 
 ship captains, vessel owners and others who happened 
 to be in the club house, gathered close to the naval 
 officer, who had taken his place at the telescope. 
 
 The latter gave vent to a long whistle, indicative of 
 surprise, then rapidly furnished the following informa- 
 tion, in short, jerky sentences : 
 
 ''Ship in the van appears to be a battle-ship — one of 
 the most peculiarly constructed vessels I ever saw. — 
 She has great breadth of beam — this dwarfs her length, 
 but even at this distance, making allowance for her 
 strange build, I think she is as long as the Shamrock 
 — yes, perhaps longer. There ! another has come into
 
 4^ Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 range — two of them, in fact. They are steaming in 
 close order — in double column — the big one alone in 
 the van. — The other two are of similar build, but 
 smaller." 
 
 'The flag! What's the flag?" interrupted a by- 
 stander. 
 
 "By Jove, I forgot her colors ; I was so taken with 
 the build," replied the naval officer as he shifted the 
 glass to bear on the gafif. *'Why," he added, ''it's red, 
 white and red! It's the Peruvian ensign! The big 
 one flies a pennant ; she must be the flagship. Now I 
 can plainly see that all three fly Peruvian ensigns — im- 
 mense pieces of bunting they are — in holiday trim, I 
 should say. There come two more — steaming in col- 
 umn of divisions, evidently, two cables' length astern 
 of the others. They are of the same build as the three 
 in the lead. — You should be able to see them well now 
 with the naked eye. Look at the correct alignment 
 and the perfect formation they preserve! I tell 
 you there are seamen handling those fellows! — ^They 
 have very little freeboard — the decks are within a 
 couple of feet of the w^ater. Each has two turrets at 
 each end of the armored space; it may be they are 
 double decked. — Those must be big guns there — space 
 for — one — two — three — four — five — six guns in turrets 
 — must be rapid firers — and I suppose those tops have 
 machine guns. — Pretty ugly customers to range along- 
 side! 
 
 "What close order! I never saw a fleet steam at 
 such short distance! The officers must have perfect 
 control. Ha ! what have we now ? These are differ-
 
 The Fleet 49 
 
 ent. Transports or cruisers, by jove ! That's what 
 they are — bows and sides well out of water, but still 
 with the same immense beam the larger ships have. 
 There are two of them — yet another two — they are 
 coming on fast now — the entire fleet numbers ten — 
 five battle-ships and five cruisers. Now I look closer 
 I can see torpedo-boats under the forefeet of the big 
 vessels, tossing the spray aside and keeping just so 
 far in the lead, as if feeling the way. 
 
 'There, they are nov/ within range of the eye and we 
 shall soon learn what this means. As for me, I must 
 go on board ship. — Good bye, all," and the lieutenant 
 was off, hastening down the stairs and to the boat that 
 awaited him at the mole. 
 
 By this time the excitement in the city was intense 
 and when the news was carried to the thousands gath- 
 ered on the beach that the flag carried by the ships 
 was the red, white and red of Peru, cheer after cheer 
 went up, until men became hoarse with the shouting 
 and the women hysterical from joining in the noisy 
 demonstration. 
 
 The fleet by this time was almost opposite the ex- 
 treme point of La Punta, still steaming in column of 
 divisions. When the flag-ship was abreast the largest 
 castle, signal was m.ade and acknowledged and all the 
 ships deviated slightly from their course and formed a 
 line across the harbor in front of the city. A second 
 signal was shown, the rattle of heavy cables could be 
 heard on shore and the bows of the great vessels swung 
 slowly to meet the ebb tide. Then a great red, white 
 and red streamer rolled out to the south breeze from
 
 so Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the foretruck of the largest ship, and a band on board 
 struck up the Peruvian national air. The stops of a 
 thousand flags were broken and all the vessels were 
 dressed, as if by magic, in gala attire ; the rails and tops 
 were manned by the crews and then the ships joined in 
 a national salute, the guns firing in unison, as if one 
 man directed their discharge ; but not even a wreath of 
 smoke hovered near the sides, only a light blue film 
 that was as transparent as ether. One hundred 
 crashes reverberated, with three-second intervals, the 
 noise rolling back to the foothills of the Andes. 
 
 The salute finished, an electric barge left the side 
 of the flag-ship and, darting shoreward, came silently 
 and swiftly alongside the mole. In the stern sheets were 
 half a dozen officers. The sailors were clad in black, 
 relieved with silver trimmings; the officers wore the 
 same somber uniform, offset by gold. In the center 
 of the group was one upon whose breast blazed a 
 golden sun. 
 
 At the moment the barge reached the mole an offi- 
 cer on the landing called out: "Make way for the 
 President!" and a score of Peruvian infantrymen 
 formed a line from the top of the mole to the lower 
 steps. As the boat touched the landing, the officer 
 who wore the golden sun on his coat sprang from the 
 stern sheets and at that moment, a tall man, clad in 
 civilian's dress, ran down to meet the arrival. 
 
 'The President!" said some one in the crowd that 
 had surged upon the esplanade. 
 
 "Why, they look like brothers !" exclaimed anotlier. 
 
 The two men were side by side at this moment.
 
 The Fleet 51 
 
 They seized one another by the hand and the words : 
 'Tedro! Louis! At last! At last!" were heard com- 
 ing from their lips. Then the one who was clad in 
 civilian's costume took off his hat and called out in a 
 loud, clear voice that was heard by thousands : 
 
 'Teruvians, Fellow Citizens : For ten years I have 
 appeared before 3^ou under false colors, but it was nec- 
 essary that I should do so and I know you will pardon 
 me freely when you understand the reason. My name 
 is not Fernando y Fernando, but Garcia y Garcia. I 
 am Pedro Garcia y Garcia and this is my brother, 
 Louis Garcia y Garcia. He is the admiral in command 
 of the f^eet that is anchored in the harbor. It is a small 
 fleet when compared with those of other nations, but its 
 power is such that no one can realize its effectiveness 
 until it does battle. For ten years the best skilled men 
 of the w^orld have w^orked upon those ships. 
 
 "This fleet is Peruvian. My brother and I, who 
 built it, donate it to the service of Peru. As President 
 of the Republic I name him the admiral and I also 
 confirm all the appointments he has made. He will 
 shake off the Chilean yoke and will restore to you the 
 provinces that were lost during the war. Moreover, 
 within two weeks you shall see the beloved old Huas- 
 car enter this bay with the red, white and red at her 
 gaff. And that is not all, for it is our object to place 
 Peru in the first rank of the nations of the world and 
 we wdll wage war upon any power that stands in the 
 way. 
 
 "I am now going on board the fleet, to inspect the 
 ships and confer with my brother and the other offi-
 
 5^ Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 cers. This evening the official press will convey to 
 you such information as I am unable to give in this 
 short address. To-morrow the ships will be ready to 
 receive visitors and such of you as care to go out in the 
 •bay will be made welcome on the vessels that will serve 
 our country. The next day there will open a cam- 
 paign which will have for its object the creation of a 
 great Peru, greater even than when the kings of the 
 Incas ruled beyond those white-capped peaks/' and 
 the President waved his hand in the direction of the 
 Andes. 
 
 For a few seconds there was silence; men were 
 dumfounded by what they had heard. Then there 
 was a cheer, the like of which had never been heard in 
 old Callao. The words of the President flew from ear 
 to ear, they were carried about the city by runners and 
 by men on horseback ; they were flashed over the wires 
 to Lima. The cheering changed to a roar. All Cal- 
 lao seemed to have gone mad. Men wept for joy, then 
 shouted and danced as though suddenly made insane. 
 Women joined in the demonstration. All business was 
 suspended and those who could secure them engaged 
 small boats and went out in the bay, merely to row 
 around and around the war vessels. Within two hours 
 Lima was almost depopulated, those whom the trains 
 could not accommodate and w^ho could not secure 
 other means of transportation, walking the distance of 
 seven miles to the seaport. 
 
 After addressing the populace President Garcia y 
 Garcia stepped into the barge, which was about to 
 shove off when the admiral turned to the flag lieuten-
 
 The Fleet 53 
 
 ant and exclaimed, "One moment, sir !" Then he whis- 
 pered to an aide, who sprang to the steps and made his 
 way through the crowd. He soon returned and was 
 followed by a foreigner, clad in a light tweed suit. 
 
 "I thought so !" exclaimed the admiral, as the 
 stranger stepped into the boat. "Brother, this is our 
 old chum, Carey Hawkins. Back to the ship, sir !" he 
 added to the flag officer. 
 
 In another minute the electric barge was speeding 
 out into the bay. 
 
 About this time the British Minister Resident was 
 informed by the officials of the cable company that it 
 would be impossible to forward his message to Lon- 
 don, for all the land and sea wires had been cut and 
 the points of severance had been guarded for hours by 
 Peruvian troops. Moreover, the President had or- 
 dered that no messages of any description should be 
 forwarded from Peru until he revoked the decree. 
 
 Then the British Minister wrote an elaborate pro- 
 test, which he addressed to the President of Peru, and 
 he also sent word to the commander of the Shamrock 
 that he would visit him within the hour, to confer con- 
 cerning the strange events of the day.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 IN THE CABIN OF THE OROYA. 
 
 After leaving the mole the electric barge shaped a 
 straight course for the largest vessel of the fleet, the 
 flag-ship, and when the little craft rounded under the 
 stern of the formidable battle-ship the New York news- 
 paper correspondent noticed that the letters painted on 
 the stern read, "Oroya." 
 
 "Your favorite name," he remarked to Admiral 
 Louis. 
 
 "Yes," was the reply, "and I am glad you have re- 
 membered it, for that shows you can recall many 
 pleasant incidents of the old days in Chucuito." 
 
 The sides were manned when the barge was along- 
 side and the passengers from the launch were received 
 with the ceremony due their rank, a salute in honor of 
 the President being fired a few seconds after they en- 
 tered the cabin. In this spacious apartment Carey 
 Hawkins was made welcome, Admiral Louis saying: 
 
 "You must not be reticent about asking questions, 
 for we know you are anxious to learn everything con- 
 cerning our fleet. Just consider yourself one of us and 
 we will do the same with you." 
 
 "There is one question I should Hke to ask," Haw- 
 kins replied, "and it has more to do with you as my 
 friends than as officials of Peru. You act as if you had 
 
 54
 
 In the Cabin of the Oroya 55 
 
 not seen one another for some time, yet you appear to 
 be in perfect harmony and have thorough acquaintance 
 each with the work of the other. Can you tell me as 
 to that?" 
 
 "During ten years," Pedro replied, "we have met 
 but once every twelve months and then only for a day 
 or two at a time. There is one exception. That was 
 about two years ago, when the Oroya was ready for 
 her trial trip. At that time I managed to leave Lim.a 
 for the Chincha Islands without anyone being the wiser 
 and joined Louis on board ship at Buena Vista after 
 sundown. You will learn later," he added, "of our 
 project to reclaim Peru; of our prospect of success 
 after years of failure. But that is too long a story to 
 tell now, so I will postpone it for the present, only say- 
 ing that we secured the money necessary to carry out 
 our plans. Then it became imperative to have power 
 and we were anxious that such power should be hon- 
 estly secured, not purchased. There was but one place 
 in the world of which we knew where a fleet of war 
 ships could be built and escape observation during 
 construction — the Chincha Islands — long ago aban- 
 doned, with nothing on them that would tempt a ship 
 to call, and entirely out of the track of both steamships 
 and sailing vessels. A grant of these islands was nec- 
 essary and the grant must be secured without arousing 
 even the suspicion of Peruvians. That is why I went 
 to Lima and became an active politician. 
 
 "Yes, Carey, we have had our trials and hardships, 
 but fortunately they are over. The entire story is a 
 long one and you will hear it in time, but, as Louis
 
 56 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 says, ask questions and we will do the best we can 
 to answer them fully." 
 
 "You speak of trials being at an end, yet you are 
 about to engage in war. Are you therefore certain of 
 victory?" asked Hawkins. 
 
 "Carey, my friend," replied Admiral Louis, "our 
 trials were the preparations; the war is the long- 
 wished-for sequel. As for our navy, I do not think 
 there is a fleet of war-ships in the world that can con- 
 quer it." 
 
 "Pardon me if I break the thread of our conversa- 
 tion for a moment, but remember I am a newspaper 
 man and would like, as soon as possible, to send to 
 New York an account of what is probably the greatest 
 news story told since papers have been printed. I 
 came here, you know, at your special request, for 
 this sort of thing, and it would never do to have any 
 information reach our ofHce in advance of my cable- 
 gram." 
 
 "You are right," Pedro said, "and you need have no 
 fear but that you will be the first to chronicle the ap- 
 pearance in Callao's harbor of Peru's wonderful navy. 
 Last night every telegraph and cable line connecting 
 Peru with the outside v/orld was cut and communica- 
 tion will not be restored for three days. No tele- 
 graphic message shall leave this country during that 
 time and when electric communication is restored your 
 message shall be the first placed on the wires. So you 
 will have plenty of time in which to write what you 
 wish to send and to secure necessary information." 
 
 "We have been actuated by humane motives in
 
 In the Cabin of the Oroya 57 
 
 doing this," Admiral Louis added, "hoping that there 
 will be less bloodshed if the Chileans are taken by sur- 
 prise than if they had long to prepare for our coming." 
 
 "And now, brother, had we not better send those 
 messages?" asked President Pedro. "There, don't rise 
 to leave, Carey," he added, "we have no secrets that 
 we wish to keep from you." 
 
 "Indeed no," added the admiral. "We wish you to 
 consider the Oroya one of your homes. In fact, I have 
 a stateroom of this suite for your occupancy, which I 
 will soon show you and I hope you will have at least a 
 portion of your baggage moved on board as soon as 
 possible. Just tell me where it is and I will send men 
 to fetch it." 
 
 Then, reverting to President Pedro's suggestion, the 
 admiral called an orderly and dispatched him for two 
 officers of the fleet, who at once responded to the sum- 
 mons. 
 
 "This is Captain Beausire," the admiral said to the 
 correspondent when the first of the officers entered the 
 cabin. "He commands the Oroya and you will doubt- 
 less see him frequently. Captain Beausire is an excel- 
 lent English scholar, indeed the language is familiar to 
 nearly every one on board, as well as throughout the 
 fleet, for it was one of the studies at the Chinchas. 
 Ours is a most cosmopolitan assemblage and it might 
 be said that we have adopted English as the common 
 vehicle of expression, although Spanish is considered 
 the official tongue." 
 
 Just then the door was opened again. "And now," 
 continued the admiral, "allow me to present Mr.
 
 S8 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 Heatherton, flag oflicer, who, you will remember, was 
 in the barge with us, but who I neglected to introduce 
 because we were so busy talking over old times. I 
 daresay, Hawkins, you will find much pleasure in the 
 ward room, especially during a long cruise, and you 
 need not feel at all diffident about going there, for the 
 officers have been told about you, have they not, Mr. 
 Heatherton ?" 
 
 "Indeed we have,'' said the Heutenant. "We feel as 
 if we knew Mr. Hawkins intimately. I know, sir," 
 turning to the correspondent, "that you will be wel- 
 come in our quarters." 
 
 "Are you not an American ?" Carey asked in some 
 astonishment. 
 
 "Yes," was the lieutenant's reply. "I served in the 
 United States Navy until two years ago, when I re- 
 signed to join the patriotic forces on the Chincha 
 Islands and I have never regretted the step. There 
 are several others in the fleet who formerly served 
 Uncle Sam, in fact one of them commands the Payta, 
 the ship on our starboard beam." 
 
 "Yes, and there are men from other navies," re- 
 marked Captain Beausire, joining in the conversation. 
 I served nearly twenty years under the tricolor. I 
 think there are naval men in the fleet from almost 
 every country in the world except Great Britain and 
 Chile." 
 
 "And ours are the best naval men in the world or I 
 am no judge," added Admiral Louis. "With the best 
 ships and the best men we should render good account 
 of ourselves, should we not, Hawkins?"
 
 In the Cabin of the Oroya 59 
 
 "Now as to those messages," reminded President 
 Pedro. 
 
 "Yes, gentlemen, that is what I wished you for," 
 said the admiral, rising. "I am about to send you on 
 important missions that may not prove very pleasant. 
 Mr. Heatherton, I wish you to visit the British and 
 American ships in the harbor ; Captain Beausire, you 
 will go to the German and the French. I would send 
 an aide to the latter, as well as to the former, captain, 
 were not the mission one of the greatest importance 
 and delicacy, and Mr. Heatherton is the only lieuten- 
 ant on board who would exercise the necessary diplo- 
 macy." 
 
 The officers bowed acknowledgment of the compli- 
 ments and the admiral continued : "Your missions 
 will be the same. Inform the officers in command 
 that the fleet which has just arrived in the bay is a 
 Peruvian fleet, that its admiral has been duly appointed 
 by the President of the Republic, and that he will re- 
 ceive their visits any time during the afternoon of to- 
 day. Then present to the commanding officers a re- 
 quest in my name that they do not leave port for three 
 days. State that my anxiety on this point is due to a 
 humane reason — that Peru has declared war on Chile 
 and that if news of our intended departure for Val- 
 paraiso should reach that city there would be a stattr 
 of preparedness that would result in mxore bloodshed 
 than if the Chilenos were taken by surprise. Explain 
 to these commanders that we do not believe they 
 would intentionally carry such news of state from one 
 countrv to another, but that the information would
 
 6o Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 undoubtedly be carried by some member of their 
 crews. If they try to evade a direct answer firmly but 
 politely demand a reply, so that I may know how to 
 act." 
 
 When the officers had left the cabin Hawkins said 
 to the admiral : "What if one of the commanders 
 should refuse to do as you ask?" 
 
 'The Britisher is the only one who would take such 
 a stand," was the reply, "and such a course on his part 
 would not cause me any surprise or regret." The ad- 
 miral's tone was rather jubilant. 
 
 "You have severed telegraphic communication for 
 three days, Pedro?" asked Hawkins, turning to the 
 President. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "But when communication is restored will not the 
 Chilenos have ample opportunity to prepare for your 
 arrival ?" 
 
 "Hardly. Will they, Louis?" 
 
 "I think not," said the admiral, smiling. 
 
 "Why," exclaimed Hawkins, "it is six days' steam 
 from here to Valparaiso and you do not leave until the 
 day after to-morrow." 
 
 "But it is not six days' steam for us," the admiral 
 explained. 
 
 "Then your ships are very fast, in addition to being 
 otherwise remarkable ?" inquired the correspondent. 
 
 "That is it exactly," and Admiral Louis rose and 
 went to a cabinet from which he returned with a model 
 of the Oroya in his hands.
 
 In the Cabin of the Oroya 6i 
 
 "What a beauty !" exclaimed Hawkins, as the offi- 
 cer again took his seat. 
 
 "You have of course noticed," said Admiral Louis, 
 placing the model on the table, "that our ships are 
 unusually broad of beam." 
 
 Hawkins gave an affirmative gesture. 
 
 "We have been able to follow these lines without 
 loss of speed, in fact with distinct gain. The Oroya 
 is the largest ship of the fleet. She is of 25,000 tons, 
 is 565 feet in length and is 195 feet beam. Do you 
 understand what that means?" 
 
 "Indeed I do," was the reply. "I have made quite 
 a study of naval ships, and I am astonished at the 
 figures." 
 
 "The other battleships of the fleet, the Payta, Chor- 
 illos, Miraflores, and Pisco are each 20,000 tons, 480 
 feet in length and 180 feet beam. The five cruisers, 
 the Matucana, Tambovisa, Chosica, Mejillones and 
 Arica are each 10,000 tons, 410 feet long and 145 feet 
 beam. These cruisers are protected by belts of 5-inch 
 malleable steel." 
 
 "Malleable steel? What is that?" 
 
 "A metal we manufacture on the islands," was the 
 admiral's reply. "Its resistance is such that five inches 
 is equivalent to a ten-inch Harveyized plate. The 
 armor of the battleships is malleable steel, so applied 
 that the resistance is equal to plates of Harveyized 
 steel four feet, ten inches thick. And the armor on 
 our battleships is at no point over two feet thick. 
 The conning tower is of metal but seven inches 
 thick, yet it is of such exquisite temper and hardness
 
 (^2 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 that it withstood a bombardment of one hour from 
 our heaviest gun, and when you see this gun you 
 will understand better what is meant. 
 
 "I don't wonder you are astonished," the admiral 
 said, noting the expression on the correspondent's 
 face, "but you must remember that for ten years we 
 have had the aid of the best mechanics of the world, 
 who have been devoting their entire time to our ser- 
 vices, and that we have had unlimited capital. 
 
 "But I started out to tell you of the speed of the 
 ships. What say you to thirty-five miles an hour! 
 Yes, that is the speed at which each one of the ships 
 can travel, and this is how it is accomplished," and 
 lifting the model of the Oroya from the table, he in- 
 verted it and said : "Notice these rods of steel that 
 run the entire length of the hull, from bow to stern. 
 If you look closely you will see they have threads, 
 like a screw. Imagine them enlarged in proportion 
 until the Oroya model becomes the Oroya battle- 
 ship. We have abandoned the old style propeller, and 
 under each ship are three long screws, that twist into 
 the water. Instead of forcing back a small area of 
 water from the stern, as do propellers on so-called 
 modern steamships, they take hold of an immense 
 body of water and their povv^er is therefore many times 
 greater. These screws are worked by two engine- 
 plants, one in the bow, the other in the stern, both 
 connected so that they act together, yet should one 
 be disabled in action the other could work alone and 
 the ship proceed at half speed, which would even
 
 In the Cabin of the Oroya 63 
 
 then be faster than the speed of the average man-of- 
 war. 
 
 "Not only do these screws give us great speed, but 
 also a better command of the ships. They act upon 
 such a volume of water that the effect of their being 
 set in motion is almost instantaneous, and within 
 three minutes after the signal, 'full speed ahead' is 
 given, we are going through the water at a thirty- 
 five-knot rate. The reversal of the screws when the 
 ship is at full speed brings her to a stop in an aston- 
 ishing short time. 
 
 'T spoke of the signal, 'full speed ahead,' because 
 I knew it would be familiar to you. As a matter of 
 fact we have no such signal in the fleet. You w^ill 
 notice when you enter the pilot house and the con- 
 ning tower that there is an automatic dial-call in 
 each, connecting v/ith the engine-room, and you will 
 see that it is numbered from one to thirty-five. There 
 is a pointer which is moved along the half arc. This 
 pointer is placed at the figure indicating the number 
 of knots at vv^hich the commander wishes the ship 
 to proceed, and the number is recorded in the engine- 
 room. So excellent is the control over the screws, 
 and the knowledge of their power is so well under- 
 stood, that the engineer is able to regulate the speed 
 to the fraction of a knot. This morning I wished 
 to give the people ample time to prepare for our entry 
 and the signal v/as displayed to proceed at the rate of 
 six knots. Now you will be able to understand how 
 \ve kept such perfect alignment." 
 
 "It is wonderful !" exclaimed Hawkins, who had
 
 64 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 taken the model and was examining it carefully. "By 
 the way, do you use steam or electricity ?" 
 
 **Steam in the main," replied the admiral, ''although 
 electricity plays an important secondary part." 
 
 "But where did the world of wealth come from 
 that must have been necessary in order to accomplish 
 all this?" 
 
 "Now, brother, it is my turn," said President 
 Pedro, and addressing Carey he reverted to the time 
 when the vow was taken on Mar Bravo beach. 
 
 The correspondent knew the scenes thoroughly, 
 and he also remembered the little Huascar with feel- 
 ings of love. Many years before, when Pedro and 
 Louis were coxswains in the Callao Boating Club, 
 Carey was also a member, and the three were often, 
 together in the trips out in the bay. Soon after the 
 war with Chile began, Carey was compelled to return 
 to the United States, his native land, where his father 
 was called, and little by little the chums of his boy- 
 hood days faded from his memory. Now he was with 
 them again ; they were in the cabin of the most won- 
 derful battleship the world knew, and starting from 
 the day when they parted company, Pedro, President 
 of Peru, told the marvelous story of the Inca and the 
 hidden treasure. He had reached that part of the 
 narrative when he described the old Inca's death, and 
 was proceeding with the return to Lima when there 
 was a knock at the door. 
 
 "The officers must have returned," said Admiral 
 Louis. "We will postpone telhng Carey of the work 
 on the Chinchas until another time."
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 A DEFIANT REPLY. 
 
 The conversation in the cabin had been interrupted 
 by an orderly, who announced Captain Beausire, and 
 immediately one of the officers who had been sent 
 to vessels of other navies entered and saluted. 
 
 "What success, sir?" Admiral Louis asked. 
 
 "The best, sir," was the reply. "I found in the 
 commander of the Frenchman an old schoolmate, who 
 declared he had no intention of leaving port, and that 
 if he had he would only too gladly listen to the 
 Almirante's wishes and respect his humane motives. 
 He contemplates calling upon you this afternoon, and 
 said that he would fire a salute of recognition as soon 
 as I returned on board. And, if I mistake not, sir, 
 there is the first gun." 
 
 As he spoke, the loud report of a cannon was heard, 
 and a minute later the officer of the deck sent word 
 by an orderly that the French warship had run the 
 red, white and red ensign to the fore truck and was 
 saluting the Peruvian flag. 
 
 "Tell the officer of the deck to return the salute," 
 directed the admiral, and five minutes later the rever- 
 berations of the secondary battery guns in the bow 
 of the Oroya caused vibrations in the cabin. Before 
 the twenty-one discharges had been delivered another 
 
 65
 
 66 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 salute was begun in the bay, and the orderly reported 
 that the American battleship was officially recognizing 
 the admiral and his flag. So again were twenty-one 
 guns fired on the Oroya, and this time the stars and 
 stripes were unfurled. 
 
 "It is evident," said Admiral Louis, "that Mr. 
 Heatherton's mission has been as successful as yours, 
 Captain Beausire; at least as far as our American 
 cousins are concerned. And now, captain, we will 
 listen to the remainder of your report. How about 
 the Germans?" 
 
 "The captain of the Hansa," replied the officer 
 addressed, "at first said that he could not recognize 
 the right of the Peruvians to dictate when or how he 
 should leave port. I assured him that no dictation 
 was meant, that you were actuated by humane motives 
 entirely and that it was only a request. He replied that 
 he would do himself the honor to call upon you this 
 afternoon, and that he would salute the flag after he 
 made the official visit. This might be unusual, he 
 added, but owing to his naval regulations it was 
 necessary for him first to consult with the German 
 minister. He sends the assurance that he has no in- 
 tention of leaving port for several days." 
 
 The admiral congratulated Captain Beausire upon 
 the success of his mission, and as the commander of 
 the Oroya left the cabin Lieutenant Heatherton en- 
 tered. 
 
 "Good or bad results, sir?" queried Admiral Louis. 
 
 President Pedro and Mr. Hawkins drew nearer, for 
 the lieutenant's face was pale and his lips were drawn
 
 A Defiant Reply dj 
 
 together. He answered hurriedly, and it was evident 
 that he could with difficulty repress his emotions. 
 "Sir/' said he, after a moment, evidently taken to 
 recover his composure, ''the guns of the American 
 have probably announced to you the success of my 
 errand to the United States' flagship, and I may add 
 that the admiral will visit you in the course of the 
 hour." 
 
 "And the Britisher?" asked Admiral Louis. 
 
 "The Britisher, sir, sends word that he had 
 no intention of leaving port until your message was 
 delivered, but that now he will depart as soon as 
 he can coal. His exact words are that he will do 
 this 'for the dual purpose of reaching a point where 
 brigands have not interfered with the telegraph, and 
 of notifying the world that a band of pirates are at 
 large and not hanged.' Pardon me, sir, but I have 
 used his exact language." 
 
 "You have done well," said Admiral Louis, smiling 
 sweetly. (Hawkins, in writing home a few days later, 
 said that this smile of the Peruvian admiral's was 
 seraphic, but that it was indicative of a storm, 
 and the more tender and winning the expression 
 the more terrible the sequel.) "And now, Mr. 
 Heatherton, you will return to the Shamrock 
 and repeat to the British commander these words: 
 'Admiral Garcia y Garcia, of the Peruvian Navy, 
 presents his compliments to the Commander of H. M. 
 S. Shamrock and states than an attempt by the Sham- 
 rock to leave this port before three days are passed 
 will result in said Shamrock being sunk before her
 
 68 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 anchor can reach half the distance from the water 
 to the rail." 
 
 Lieutenant Heatherton saluted and left the room. 
 The newspaper correspondent looked at his friends in 
 amazement. "Why!" he exclaimed, "is that not an 
 act of war? Do you realize, Pedro and Louis, that 
 these words may mean war with Great Britain?" 
 
 "Yes," quietly answered Admiral Louis, sinking 
 back easily into a cushioned chair. "Carey, you must 
 remember that a new power has been born, that a 
 Peru is now in existence that is a great nation of the 
 nations, and must be recognized as such. We have 
 declared ourselves, and if we are not recognized then 
 those who make . mistakes must suffer the conse- 
 quences. These are not idle threats, nor are they the 
 impulses of a moment, a day, a week, or even a year. 
 They are the logical sequence to a lifetime of study 
 and preparation ; they were in mind when Pedro and 
 I made the vow on Mar Bravo Beach, and they are as 
 much in mind to-day." 
 
 "Yes," added President Pedro, "Louis expresses 
 the case exactly. Take this matter for instance. You 
 have watched events since you came on board the 
 Oroya and you have heard the instructions given the 
 officers. Was not our motive in requesting ships to 
 remain in the harbor humane? It was so regarded 
 by American, German and French commanders. But 
 the moment John Bull was approached on the 
 subject he bristled and asserted himself. Eng- 
 land is the bully of small nations, particularly the 
 small nations below the equator. Long ago we re-
 
 A Defiant Reply " 69 
 
 alized that our dream could never come true, and our 
 vow never be accomplished unless we waged war with 
 England, as well as Chile. And so we builded our 
 navy to that end. The clash must come sooner or 
 later, and it is well for it to come at once, and is more 
 welcome, for the reason that we are in the right in 
 this, our first demand, that has met with a point blank 
 refusal." 
 
 "And now," said Admiral Louis, "let us stop talking 
 war and politics and adjourn to luncheon, for if we 
 do not I fear it w^ll be some time before we can eat, 
 there being several visitors expected; and I am ex- 
 ceedingly hungry." 
 
 He led the way through an apartment that was part 
 library and part conservatory. It was finished in 
 Brazil hardwoods with Dhagestan rugs on the floor. 
 Curios were on etageres and in cabinets, and orchids 
 and creepers were near the large windows, for they 
 were large windows, and no one would have thought 
 for a moment that he was on a man-of-war. The 
 dining-room, into which this led, was a large, well- 
 lighted apartment, furnished in Brazil woods and the 
 most delicate china ware was on the table. 
 
 "I feel as though I were in the bachelor apartment 
 of a dilletante," said the correspondent, as he took a 
 seat. 
 
 "Perhaps you are," remarked President Pedro. 
 "Brother, you always did love the beautiful better 
 than I." 
 
 "But I cannot understand," continued Hawkins, 
 "how it is that these delicate dishes and the ornaments
 
 70 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 in the next room are not broken by the concussion of 
 your own guns." 
 
 "That you will understand better when you see 
 us prepared for action," said Admiral Louis. "The 
 Oroya ready for battle is a far different craft from the 
 Oroya on dress parade. When ready for action these 
 apartments will be far below the water line, and will 
 be surrounded by a layer of compressed air that will 
 deaden the vibrations." 
 
 "And that reminds me, I have seen no guns on 
 board, except the small saluting pieces," said the cor- 
 respondent. 
 
 "They will be shown you in good time. Now sup- 
 pose we get acquainted with that tempting duck the 
 steward has served." 
 
 "Thanks, I am as hungry as you, but while eating 
 may I not ask questions? Remember, Louis, that I 
 am as interested as a child would be if placed of a 
 sudden in fairyland." 
 
 "Certainly," said the admiral, laughing. "Only re- 
 member that I may have to reply between mouthfuls 
 as I am half starved." 
 
 Mr. Hawkins was evidently just as hungry, for he 
 waited several minutes, then said : "This morning 
 an American naval officer was watching your advent 
 through a telescope at the English Club, and he 
 described you to us as you steamed in. He reported 
 two turrets on each of the battleships. I find, upon 
 coming on board, that what he took for turrets are 
 false works, and that one of them encloses your apart- 
 ments."
 
 A Defiant Reply 71 
 
 "That is so," said Admiral Louis. "The forward 
 'turret/ as you term the large shell, which is elliptical, 
 and not round, is the one within which we are seated. 
 Within the after superstructure is the ward room, 
 where the ofHcers have their quarters. The crew is 
 •housed below. And so it is, Carey, that in time of 
 peace there is nothing of a warlike nature on deck, 
 only these superstructures, which resemble turrets, 
 the bridge, the masts, funnels, ventilators, skylights 
 and such. In fact, the deck view of the Oroya and 
 that of the other battleships is the same as the deck 
 view of a merchantman, is it not so ?" 
 
 "Yes, and were it not for the peculiar build and the 
 thick sides no one would suspect this of being a war- 
 ship. And that reminds me. Where is the conning 
 tower, Louis?" 
 
 Just then the stirring notes of the bugle came to 
 their ears. "There !" exclaimed the admiral, "we must 
 hurry. That's a call for side-boys, and it is evident 
 some distinguished personage is coming aboard. Oh, 
 you said something about the conning tower, Hawk- 
 ins. We will inspect that later in the day." 
 
 As he finished, an orderly announced: "American 
 admiral and suite coming on board, sir." 
 
 The marine was told to have the visitors shown into 
 the reception room, and five minutes later President 
 Pedro, Admiral Louis and Carey Hawkins entered 
 that apartment, where formal introductions were made 
 by Captain Beausire, who had received the American 
 party. 
 
 "You have indeed surprised us, Admiral Garcia y
 
 72 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 Garcia," said Admiral Skerrer, "and you, Senor the 
 President, I have been told that in no less degree have 
 you participated in this wonderful change in matters 
 of state. Also, I believe, your name is not the same 
 as that by which we have become accustomed to 
 address you." 
 
 "You state the facts correctly," replied the Presi- 
 dent. "I beheve the matter will be fully understood 
 after you have read a short history that will be pub- 
 lished this afternoon in the 'Diary Official,' which also 
 explains completely what has been termed the 'mys- 
 tery of the Chinchas.' I have ordered that a number 
 of copies be sent to your Excellency and they will save 
 you the trouble of listening to an account that would 
 take long to relate, should it be undertaken by a 
 person so interested as I." 
 
 "I would gladly listen to the recital," replied Admiral 
 Skerrer, "but I can well understand that you are very 
 busy with affairs of state, so I will curb my curiosity 
 until I can peruse a copy of your official newspaper. 
 But, sir, am I to understand that war has been de- 
 clared by Peru against Chile?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "And another matter : Although I may understand 
 your reasons for interrupting telegraphic communica- 
 tion, I must ask in the name of my Government when 
 the traffic will be restored, and I must enter a protest 
 against messages being held at the cable office." 
 
 "I expected you to do this, sir. Communication 
 will be restored at the end of three days, and due
 
 A Defiant Reply 73 
 
 apology will be made the United States for the sum- 
 mary measures we deemed it necessary to take." 
 
 *That is sufficient, sir," said the American officer, 
 "and I wish you a successful outcome. Would you 
 be so kind as to tell me if these wonderful ships were 
 constructed at the Chincha Islands?" 
 
 *'Yes, sir, and launched in an inland sea, which was 
 created at great expense. In the near future I shall 
 take pleasure in inviting you all to visit what I con- 
 sider the most complete shipyard and naval station in 
 the world." 
 
 "Lieutenant Heatherton, sir!" reported an orderly. 
 
 "Have him come in," said Admiral Louis. 
 
 The lieutenant hesitated when he saw visitors in the 
 cabin, but Admiral Louis immediately said: "Make 
 your report, Mr. Heatherton. You need not conceal 
 anything." 
 
 "The British commander had me shown the gang- 
 way, sir. That is all." 
 
 "Mr. Heatherton, you have done your mission well. 
 It has been a most distasteful one, and you know that 
 I always reward those who do their service faithfully. 
 Here, this is yours," and Admiral Louis took a parch- 
 ment from his desk. "Here is your commission as cap- 
 tain. And now. Captain Heatherton, I have other or- 
 ders for you. At once proceed to the Miraflores and re- 
 lieve Captain Sinclair, who has been ordered to the 
 Chincha Navy Yard as commandant. After you have 
 mustered the crew on the Miraflores and have read 
 your commission you will take up a station where 
 you will command the British ship Shamrock. At
 
 74 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 once prepare for action and bring 3'Our guns to bear 
 on that vessel. The moment her anchor appears above 
 the water line sink her, but depress your guns so as 
 to spare the crew. You need not wait for further 
 orders." 
 
 Captain Heatherton saluted. A red flush had man- 
 tled his cheeks. ''1 thank you, sir," he said in a low 
 tone, and left the cabin. 
 
 For several minutes after his departure not a word 
 was exchanged by those who had listened to this 
 conversation, and the American Admiral was just 
 breaking the silence when an orderly announced : 
 "British Minister coming on board, sir." 
 
 ''Have him shown in," said Admiral Louis; then, 
 putting out his hand toward the American officers, 
 who had risen to their feet, he exclaimed : ''No, no ; 
 do not go. I wish you to witness that which is about 
 to happen. I think you will learn that the Chilean 
 affair is as nothing in comparison with this." 
 
 Admiral Skerrer darted a glance of surprise at the 
 speaker, then resumed his seat, as did the two Ameri- 
 can lieutenants who were of his party. 
 
 A moment later, a stout, red-faced man, of about 
 fifty, clad in a white duck suit and carrying in hand 
 a straw helmet, entered the room. A lean, sallow in- 
 dividual, evidently his secretary, followed him, as did 
 an officer, uniformed as a lieutenant of the British 
 navy. The latter stood near the door and refused a 
 seat when one was proffered him by a cabin servant. 
 
 "Minister St. John, of Great Britain," the orderly 
 had announced.
 
 A Defiant Reply 75 
 
 The Englishman bustled up to the table, treating 
 everyone in the room with contempt, until his eyes 
 caught sight of the American admiral. Then he ex- 
 claimed : "Can it be possible, sir, that you are coun- 
 tenancing pirates and freebooters?" 
 "Have a care !" 
 
 Everybody looked in the direction from which this 
 warning voice had come, the deep tones of which re- 
 verberated throughout the room. They saw Admiral 
 Louis, toying w^th a piece of bric-a-brac and smiling 
 benignly upon those present. He said nothing more, 
 and this silence evidently reassured the diplomat, who 
 called to his secretary : "Mr. Simpkins, have your 
 notebook ready. I wish every word of this interview 
 taken down." Then stepping toward the Peruvian 
 admiral, he said : "And now, Mr. — Mr. — what's your 
 name?" 
 
 "Admiral Louis Garcia y Garcia is my title, and 
 considering the prevailing ignorance of the times, it 
 is not remarkable you have not heard of it," was the 
 reply, in soft purring accents. 
 
 "Oh, yes. Mr. Garcia ." 
 
 "One moment, Mr. St. John. Orderly, call Sergeant 
 Graham." 
 
 "Aye! aye! sir." 
 
 A handsome fellow soon appeared at the door. He 
 was fully six feet tall, broad shouldered and straight 
 as an arrow. Clad in the black uniform of the Peru- 
 vian navy, with the glistening silver chevrons and sil- 
 ver buttons, he was magnificent as he walked up to 
 the admiral of the fleet and saluted.
 
 76 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "Sergeant," said Admiral Louis, slowly and delib- 
 erately, "if that man over there fails to address me as 
 he should, and does not name my rank, take him by 
 the coat collar and lead him to the gangway." 
 
 "Aye, aye, sir." 
 
 "Why, this is outrageous, sir !" exclaimed the Min- 
 ister, who had become so red in the face as to be 
 almost apoplectic. "This is appalling! I, her Maj- 
 esty's representative, addressed in this manner ! Sure- 
 ly, Mr. 1 mean Admiral Garcia (for the ser- 
 geant had taken a step toward him) you do not mean 
 what you have said? Surely, you will apologize." 
 
 He hesitated a moment, as if expecting a reply, but 
 the Peruvian admiral said nothing. 
 
 The amazement depicted on the face of Minister 
 St. John changed to alarm. "Why — why — why — " he 
 stammered. "I'm sure I didn't mean — . But your 
 th — reat to the commander of the Shamrock that you 
 would sink the ship if — if — if she put to sea. Surely, 
 you did not mean that." 
 
 "Yes, sir," repHed Admiral Louis. 
 
 "What !" exclaimed the British Minister. "Sink an 
 English ship ! Why, M — I beg pardon, Admiral Gar- 
 cia, the idea is preposterous. It would mean war — 
 annihilation." 
 
 "I am aware what would result." 
 
 "But war! War with Great Britain! Come now, 
 you must be joking! Just say that you are joking, 
 that this is a little pleasantry, and I will arrange the 
 matter so that it shall not be officially reported." 
 
 "Enough of this nonsense, sir," said Admiral Louis,
 
 A Defiant Reply jy 
 
 rising. *'We can gain nothing by prolonging this in- 
 terview. Allow me to bid you good day, sir. Ser- 
 geant, escort the gentlemen to the gangway. But, 
 hold there a moment!" And he stepped across the 
 room to the side of the private secretary. "Shorthand 
 notes, eh ? Well, we will dispose of those," and seizing 
 the tablet held by the amanuensis he tossed it through 
 the open window. 
 
 It was several minutes after the British Minister 
 had left before those who had been spectators recov- 
 ered their equanimity. When they did. Admiral 
 Skerrer exclaimed : ''Do you realize what this means ?" 
 
 "Perfectly," replied Admiral Louis. 
 
 "And you. President Pedro?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "War?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "War with England?" 
 
 "Yes, sir; war with England!"
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 SHORT TRIP TO SEA— STORY OF THE CHIN- 
 CHA ISLANDS. 
 
 The startling declaration made by the President of 
 Peru in the cabin of the battleship Oroya caused 
 the visitors to jump from their chairs, so great 
 was their astonishment. It was as if a shell 
 had burst in the room, for in those days, when 
 all the world was at peace, such a daring declaration 
 was as unexpected as would have been the crash of a 
 cannon ball through a window. But recovering im- 
 mediately from the start of surprise, the American 
 admiral stepped across the cabin to where the Presi- 
 dent was seated and seized him by the hand. 
 
 "Bravo ! bravo ! senor. How I envy you and your 
 brother !" Then turning quickly toward his aides, 
 Admiral Skerrer exclaimed: "Mind, sirs, that not a 
 word of what I have said be repeated on the flag-ship. 
 It would never do for me to be thus quoted as indors- 
 ing a war, particularly a war with Great Britain. My 
 exclamations were indicative of personal enthusiasm 
 and were not official." 
 
 "We understand, sir," replied the senior lieuten- 
 ant, "and we share your personal enthusiasm. Of- 
 ficially, all we have heard is that you protest against 
 the interruption of telegraphic communication." 
 
 78
 
 A Short Trip to Sea 79 
 
 "Just so ! Just so !" grimly said the veteran ; then, 
 addressing Admiral Louis, he asked: "Would you 
 have threatened to fire on the stars and stripes had I 
 insisted upon leaving port ?" 
 
 "No Peruvian gun will ever be fired at the stars and 
 stripes," replied the admiral. 
 
 "But suppose I had replied in terms like those used 
 by the English commander?" 
 
 "Then I would have handed you a document, which, 
 by the way, I might as well show you now, and I think 
 it will also prove that your 'personal enthusiasm' is in 
 accord with your duty, instead of being at variance 
 with it." 
 
 He stepped to his desk and returned with an open 
 letter in his hand which he passed to the American 
 officer. As he did so all in the cabin saw that at the 
 top of the paper was the National emblem of the 
 United States. 
 
 What was written there was soon read and caused 
 Admiral Skerrer to exclaim in astonishment: "Then 
 your plans are known in Washington ?" 
 
 "Partly," was the reply. "We have had diplomatic 
 relations on these lines for six months, and I am 
 hopeful that even a stronger alliance may be the out- 
 come of the next few days. Admiral, I have no objec- 
 tions to your aides reading the letter." 
 
 The paper was passed to the senior lieutenant of 
 the visiting party and was read by him, the junior and 
 by Carey Hawkins at the same time, for Admiral 
 Louis had motioned him to peruse it. The commu- 
 nication was brief. It bore a Washington date and
 
 8o Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 was signed by the President, countersigned by the 
 Secretary of the Navy and read : 
 
 "It is the order of the Navy Department that any 
 officer of the United States navy to whom this he 
 shown extend any aid possible to Admiral Louis Garcia 
 y Garcia of the Peruvian Navy in his undertaking, 
 short of actually engaging in war." 
 
 The moment of silence that followed the reading of 
 this important document was broken by Admiral 
 Skerrer, who said: ''In view of the close relations that 
 now exist between us, Admiral Garcia, could you sat- 
 isfy our curiosity concerning your wonderful fleet? 
 I understand that your ships can develop remarkable 
 speed, despite their peculiar build, and from my cur- 
 sory glance of the deck I should judge your system 
 of armament to be entirely novel." 
 
 "Could you spare a couple of hours, sir, and let me 
 demonstrate what we have accomplished ?" 
 
 ^'Nothing would give me more pleasure." 
 
 "Will you be able to go with us for a short trip to 
 sea, President Pedro?" 
 
 "Not very well, Louis. I think I should return to 
 Lima. There is much to be done there. You will 
 visit the capital in the morning, will you not?" 
 
 "Yes, and my officers will accompany me, to pay 
 respects to the members of your cabinet and to Con- 
 gress." 
 
 As President Pedro rose. Admiral Louis called an 
 orderly, who bore word to the officer of the deck to 
 prepare for the departure of the chief executive.
 
 A Short Trip to Sea 8i 
 
 *Tardon me, Admiral Garcia," interposed the 
 American commander, "if you propose a trip with me 
 as guest I had better send one of my aides back to the 
 flag-ship, for the officers on board would wonder what 
 had happened should they see the Oroya steam out of 
 port with me on board. Can you inform me how long 
 we will be gone?" 
 
 "It will not take over two hours, sir." 
 
 The orderly soon announced that the boats were 
 ready, the barge for the President and the American 
 admiral's gig for the latter's aide. The President was 
 accompanied on deck by the entire party, who walked 
 with him to the side, where a company of marines 
 was drawn up, their arms at "present." The brothers 
 shook hands and a moment later the saluting battery 
 announced in sharp tones that the chief executive had 
 left the flag-ship. 
 
 "And now," said Admiral Louis, "we w^ll make 
 arrangements for our speed trip. It will be fifteen 
 minutes before sufficient steam can be made for us 
 to move at thirty knots. What I propose is that we 
 remain in the cabin while the Oroya takes a course 
 due west for one hour. Then let us go on deck and I 
 promise that no land will be in sight, not even the 
 mountain peaks. After putting about we can remain 
 on deck during the run in." 
 
 "The plan is most agreeable," replied Admiral 
 Skerrer. 
 
 Word was sent Captain Beausire to make steam, at 
 six bells slip his moorings and shape a course due 
 west until eight bells, then put back to his anchorage.
 
 82 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "It is now a quarter of three," said Admiral Louis, 
 after issuing these orders, "and there is an hour and 
 a quarter in which I can tell you of life on the Chincha 
 Islands, should you desire to Hsten." 
 
 Admiral Skerrer's action in drawing his chair closer 
 to that in which the Peruvian commander was seated, 
 told plainer than his words of encouragement how 
 much the narrative would please him. The American 
 flag heutenant who had remained on board also came 
 nearer, as did Carey Hawkins. 
 
 *T fear I would prove a poor story teller did not my 
 subject interest me," began Admiral Louis, "but on 
 this matter, the building of our navy, it seems as if I 
 could talk forever. So light your cigars and I will 
 review some of the ten years' history until the clock 
 yonder announces that it is time to go on deck." 
 
 Briefly touching upon the reasons that had actuated 
 him and his brother in taking their vow Admiral Louis 
 told of their search in the interior of Peru and of 
 their meeting with the old Inca, who finally led them 
 to the sea coast where the treasure was stored. From 
 this point all was new to Hawkins, who was as keenly 
 interested as the American officers. 
 
 "We were in a sad phght after the old Inca died," 
 continued the admiral. "We were on a narrow stretch 
 of sea coast from which exit was barred by land by 
 the promontories to the north and south. Having 
 no boat and not even a bit of timber with which to 
 build a raft we could not leave by sea. That count- 
 less treasure was there, yet we were in danger of star- 
 vation, for there only remained a little of the goat's
 
 A Short Trip to Sea 83 
 
 flesh the Inca had carried in his girdle. So Pedro and 
 I decided to return immediately to the interior by the 
 cliff passage, first, however, taking the precaution to 
 plant near the beach a little flagstaff that could be seen 
 from the ocean and on which we fastened a scarf. This 
 we did, hoping that we might be able to return by boat 
 some day, and we knew it was necessary to mark the 
 place. Another matter we attended to before leaving 
 was to place the old Inca's body in the golden tomb, 
 as he had requested. These few things done, we en- 
 tered the passage again, and, after groping around 
 for an hour, at last found the opening into the narrow 
 defile. It was a long, tedious trip from there to the 
 Inca's hut, for the way was up-hill and we were weak 
 from lack of food. We had not the incentive of those 
 in search of treasure, nor the encouraging example 
 of the Inca to assist us, and it was a week before his 
 hut in the clearing was reached. We remained there 
 and rested for several days and passed the time plan- 
 ning what would be the best thing to do now that 
 untold wealth was ours. But, discuss the problem as 
 we might, during those days and the succeeding two 
 weeks, Vvhile we were making our way to the coast, 
 we could not arrive at a determination, and when, at 
 last, after a four-years' absence, we arrived at Callao, 
 it was without a plan of procedure for the morrow. 
 
 "That night we met the man who made success 
 possible ; to him we owe almost as much as to the 
 Inca : one found us the wealth ; the other showed us 
 how to make use of it. 
 
 ".You will marvel at this when I tell you that he is
 
 84 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 a coal black negro, but when you see him you will 
 understand that he is different from others of his race. 
 He is at the Chinchas now, acting as Commandant, 
 but Captain Sinclair relieves him to-morrow, and he 
 will then rejoin the fleet. In spite of his eighty years, 
 he is as sprightly as you or I and keeps the deck in the 
 heaviest v^^eather. He is a skilled navigator, a student 
 Ci engineering, and there is no nautical problem that 
 he cannot master. 
 
 "Years ago he was a servant in our father's family, 
 and at that tim.e he was called Padre, an appellative 
 that has been his ever since. Before the American 
 civil war he was a slave in Georgia. He escaped and 
 made his way north, and from some port in Maine 
 shipped on board a whaler. For twenty years he sailed 
 before the mast, and one day he was impressed while 
 on the Liverpool docks and came to this coast as a 
 cook on a British gunboat. He was treated so bru- 
 tally while on board that he deserted while she was 
 lying at anchor in Callao bay, and for a week he kept 
 in hiding in the suburbs. Finally, driven by starva- 
 tion, he asked food at the nearest house. That hap- 
 pened to be ours, and my father, seeing him, asked 
 questions, with the result that Padre was duly in- 
 stalled as one of the stewards, in which position he 
 remained until father died. Then the home being 
 broken up, Padre drew his savings from the bank and 
 bought a small store in Chucuito. 
 
 'Tt was in this store that Pedro and I found hiir 
 the night we returned from the interior. There had 
 been many changes in the neighborhood, indeed no
 
 A Short Trip to Sea 85 
 
 one had recognized us except this old man. Strange 
 to say, as we crossed the threshold of his little place 
 the thought came to us both, as we found by compar- 
 ing notes afterwards, that he was the person who 
 could aid us. It may seem strange to you that we 
 should have decided to appeal to a negro, but you will 
 understand when you see him for he is above the 
 average person, black or white, in intelligence. I am 
 positive that he was a member of a royal family in 
 Africa, the country where he was born. To this day 
 he speaks of the times when he was a child and of the 
 men and women who attended to his every want and 
 of the homage that was shown him. 
 
 "But be all this as it may, Padre proved himself 
 equal to the occasion, and more than merited the con- 
 fidence v/e placed in him. The very next day he with- 
 drew from the bank all his savmgs and chartered a 
 small steamship from the Pacific Steam Navigation 
 Company. It was a launch, rather than a steamship, 
 but plenty large enough for our purpose in those 
 peaceful waters. He left his store in charge of a clerk 
 and stated that he was going on a fishing cruise. All 
 this time he told us to remain in concealment, which 
 shows that even then he was planning far ahead and 
 did not wish our identity to become known. Besides 
 ourselves there were on the little vessel, which left 
 Callao bay the third day after our return from the 
 interior, two deck hands and an engineer. They were 
 informed that we were prospecting for nitrate beds, 
 a common enough occupation in those days. 
 
 "Padre was captain, and we took a course Hue
 
 86 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 west until out of sight of land, then steered south and 
 then east, coming close to land just below Arica. For 
 three days we coasted at slow speed close in shore, 
 lying-to at night, that we might not run by the spot. 
 Late in the afternoon of the third day, when we were 
 becoming nervous lest something had happened to 
 our signal, Pedro spied the little flag-staff and scarf 
 as we rounded a promontory, and we dropped anchor 
 at a spot that has since become the port Buena Vista, 
 and which, I have learned, recently formed the subject 
 for an American Naval officer's report." 
 
 Admiral Skerrer nodded at this, and remarked that 
 he had received a copy of the document. 
 
 'Tedro, Padre and I were the only ones to go ashore 
 there," Admiral Louis resumed. "We visited the cav- 
 ern where the gold was stored and, placing as much 
 of it as we could in sacks, we carried them to the small 
 boat and then rowed our precious cargo out to the 
 launch. Telling the crew that we had secured all the 
 specimens we cared for, we put to sea again. Once 
 more Pedro and I were completely at a loss to know 
 how to proceed, but not so Padre. On board we had 
 plenty of treasure for the initial work, and he described 
 to us the plan he had formed. Years before, he said, 
 he had visited the Chincha Islands while he was a 
 deck hand on a whaler, and there was no place, he 
 thought, so suitable for our headquarters. The islands 
 were below the horizon from the Peruvian coast and 
 were out of the track of all ships ; they were deserted 
 and there was nothing on their barren rocks that 
 would tempt anyone to call. But it would never do
 
 A Short Trip to Sea 87 
 
 to take the crew into our secret, and Padre explained 
 his plan of ridding the launch of them. So long as 
 the vessel was chartered we must perforce employ the 
 engineer at least. Therefore a quick run was made 
 back to Callao, and upon our arrival Padre purchased 
 the boat. Once it was ours the crew was discharged 
 after receiving liberal wages, and we put to sea again. 
 
 "Pedro and I had wondered why, on the voyage 
 south, Padre had insisted upon our watching the en- 
 gineer and steersman so closely. Now we found out, 
 for we were to take their places. We also learned 
 that Padre was as much at home on a ship as he vv-as 
 in his store, and that he understood the mechanism of 
 the engine-room as well as he did the workings of 
 the wheel or the boxing of the compass. So with the 
 negro as captain we made a swift run to the Chincha 
 Islands, which we virtually took possession of the 
 following day. 
 
 "Our first act was to bury the treasure, keeping 
 only enough for immediate wants. 
 
 "Then Padre took us for a walk over the largest 
 island of the group and unfolded a plan he had formed, 
 a plan to build at this point the greatest shipyard in 
 the world and create the largest naval station. He 
 pointed to a wide, deep valley and showed that on the 
 western side there was but a narrow neck of land 
 separating it from the sea. A passageway could be 
 blasted there, he said, the ocean would flood the val- 
 ley and there would be created an artificial basin al- 
 most as large as Callao Bay, in which the navies of
 
 88 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 che world might lie, and which would be protected 
 from the gaze of the curious by the hills. 
 
 "But let me interrupt you a moment, gentlemen," 
 and Admiral Louis glanced at his watch. "We are 
 now under way; in fact we left the anchorage just 
 three minutes ago. Do you perceive any motion, or 
 feel any throb of the engines or screws?" 
 
 "Indeed no," replied Admiral Skerrer. "Yet I can 
 see you are right," and he pointed to the windows, past 
 which a forest of masts seemed to be passing, as tele- 
 graph poles appear to pass an express train.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A SHORT TRIP TO SEA— STORY OF THE CHIN- 
 CHA ISLANDS CONTINUED. 
 
 The party in the cabin of the Oroya did not gaze 
 long out the windows for the Peruvian admiral's story 
 was far too interesting, and as their faces expressed 
 their anxiety to have him resume his narrative, he at ^ 
 once continued the recital of the old negro's plans for 
 the transformation of the Chinchas. 
 
 "The following day," said Admiral Louis, "we re- 
 turned to Callao, but during the night Padre unfolded 
 the boldest plan of all and one that we cried bitterly 
 aganist, but which, he insisted, would have to be 
 agreed to. Pedro and I must part, he said. The first 
 thing necessary was absolute control of the Chinchas. 
 To secure them by purchase would arouse suspicion 
 and cause gossip ; they must be secured by strategy. 
 Then he explained that Pedro should endeavor to be- 
 come President of Peru. The idea seemed prepos- 
 terous at first, but after he had argued the matter a 
 short time it came to us in a different light. Money 
 was all powerful and we had that. Peru was in des- 
 perate straits and willing to accept anything that gave 
 even a hope of a change. Pedro, though young, was 
 well fitted for the office and there was nothing that 
 could be said against him. 
 
 "At this time there was one man, a banker, who 
 89
 
 90 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 stood in a position to name the next president. 
 Through Padre we took him into our confidence, and 
 he has so well observed the agreement we made with 
 him that we are only too glad that he has been able to 
 accumulate a fortune while assisting us. 
 
 "The parting from Pedro was bitter; he went to 
 the north, from where he was to come when matters 
 were ready for him to enter Lima society, and Padre 
 and I returned to the Chinchas where we lived for 
 several months in tents. 
 
 "In order that we might visit Buena Vista without 
 arousing suspicion we secured a concession to work 
 nitrate beds in that vicinity, and this also accounted 
 for our carrying away cargoes from that place. Three 
 small steamers were purchased and a company formed. 
 The regular run of these vessels was between Buena 
 Vista and Callao, and it was years before it became 
 known that on the trips north they stopped at the 
 Chinchas, where they delivered ton after ton of gold. 
 
 "In due time Pedro was elected to the office it was 
 so desirable he should fill, and it became necessary for 
 us to take one more person into our confidence. He 
 was a ship chandler, of German descent — at present 
 secretary of state — and with him and with the banker 
 we placed much treasure, for it was advisable to have 
 payments for cargoes made in a medium of exchange 
 that would not arouse suspicion. 
 
 "The agents in Lima sent word to their correspond- 
 ents all over the world that a demand existed for 
 skilled mechanics and inventors. The names of such 
 persons as might prove useful were secured by these
 
 A Short Trip to Sea 91 
 
 correspondents and forwarded through the Lima 
 houses to us, together with short biographical sketches 
 of the men. From the inform.ation thus acquired we 
 were able to choose those whom we thought would 
 best serve our interests. The salaries we offered were 
 such that an immediate acceptance of our terms was 
 usually forthcoming. In letters sent to those we de- 
 sired to employ it was stated that their skill was 
 needed upon an invention, concerning which the 
 greatest secrecy was necessary, and that more would 
 be revealed upon their arrival in Lima. Round trip 
 tickets from their homes were provided, so that they 
 could return should the final conditions not prove 
 satisfactory. When they reached the Peruvian capital 
 they were met by either Padre or one of our trusted 
 agents and were informed that the works were out 
 in the Pacific, that they would have to bind them- 
 selves not to ask to leave the islands for ten years, 
 and that in compensation for their agreeing to our 
 terms their pay would be many times greater than 
 they were receiving in the country from which they 
 came, in fact larger even than we had intimated in 
 our letters. So convinced were those we summoned 
 of our good faith that of the many thousands to whom 
 we made overtures but three returned home. I may 
 as well add that those we employed were permitted to 
 bring their families with them, in fact they were en- 
 couraged to do so. 
 
 "The first day an employe reached the islands he 
 was given the fullest confidence and his opinion was 
 sought concerning the material it was necessary to
 
 92 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 import. The result was that he at once took a per- 
 sonal interest in the undertaking. 
 
 "You must understand, sirs, that our work was 
 like the building of a new world. We started with 
 nothing but the rocks and the sand dunes of the 
 Chincha Islands, a more barren place than which could 
 hardly be imagined. Not only was it necessary to 
 bring from afar the material with which to carry out 
 our plans, but it was imperative to import everything 
 that would render the place habitable and comfort- 
 able. Even before this there was much work neces- 
 sary. For the health of the inhabitants vegetation 
 was needed, and to coax trees and shrubs the islands 
 had to be irrigated. Here a kind Providence aided us, 
 and at the depth of 200 feet we found an artesian well 
 of great capacity that poured forth water as clear as 
 crystal, evidently from the Andes, that flowed through 
 a fissuie under the sea. This well has never run dry, 
 it has never lost force and from it all the islands of 
 the group are supplied by the means of submarine 
 pipes. That is how we were able to turn the Chinchas 
 into a little Eden, and I believe there is to-day no 
 more attractive spot in the world. 
 
 "But think of the minutiae of the labor! Garden 
 seeds, bulbs, shoots and young trees had to be im- 
 ported and planted, and so did the fertilizer. Small 
 shipments were first consigned to Padre at Lima and 
 he brought them to the islands in his coasting vessels. 
 Later it became necessary to import by the cargo load. 
 
 "By this time there wxre thousands of articles 
 needed and so steamers and sailing ships were char-
 
 A Short Trip to Sea 93 
 
 tered by the Lima houses I have mentioned and also 
 by the newly established firm, Garcia y Garcia. The 
 destination of these vessels, as given in the papers 
 filed at the customs houses located at sailing points, 
 was changed from time to time, Rio de Janeiro, 
 Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, Valparaiso, Iquiqui, 
 Arica and Gallao being named. Although the ships 
 were ostensibly bound for one of these ports they all 
 steered for the Chincha Islands, and as the crews 
 were in our employ none was ever the wiser as to the 
 true port of destination. 
 
 "But I am somewhat in advance of my story. After 
 the vegetable world was established it was necessary 
 that animal life should be propagated, then towns had 
 to be built and a system of government established, 
 for although a large military force was maintained on 
 the islands, it was done for the purpose of coping if 
 necessary with outside interference, not for the regula- 
 tion of internal affairs, and martial law was never 
 declared. 
 
 "With the establishment of village life it was neces- 
 sary that other operatives should be secured than those 
 directly employed in building a navy. Storekeepers, 
 bakers, butchers and all the tradespeople one meets 
 in a city were brought to the Chinchas. They signed 
 the same contracts as did the artisans. If they did 
 not care to invest their money, we furnished them with 
 the goods. All were allowed their profits, and the day 
 the fleet sailed they were told they could return to 
 their homes. Only a few cared to go, and these were 
 mostly persons who had not brought their families
 
 94 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 with them. A number said they would visit their 
 native land for a short time and then return, while the 
 majority preferred to remain on the islands. 
 
 "You may think that these persons were prisoners, 
 but none of them ever looked at the matter in that 
 light. They went to the Chinchas knowing full well 
 what was expected and they were not there very long 
 before they became as much interested in the work 
 as we were, and they realized how necessary it was to 
 keep everything secret. 
 
 "With all our isolation we were closer in touch with 
 the world than one might suppose. The newspapers, 
 latest books and magazines were brought us regularly, 
 letters were written and letters received. The only 
 restriction concerning the former was that no mention 
 be made of the manner of work engaged upon or of 
 the exact location of the sender, Lima always being 
 given as the postofifice address. No inspection of mail 
 matter was attempted, the promise of a correspondent 
 being deemed sufficient, and it speaks well for human 
 nature that not in a single instance was the trust be- 
 trayed. But this is not to be wondered at, for the men 
 and women we employed were persons of recognized 
 worth in the community from whence they came." 
 
 "Women!" ejaculated Admiral Skerrer. "Women 
 to aid in building battleships?" 
 
 "Yes, many women were engaged on the islands, 
 but hardly in the direct work of constructing the navy. 
 There were of course the wives and children of the 
 inhabitants. Then you must bear in mind that the 
 actual construction of the fleet was the easiest part
 
 A Short Trip to Sea 95 
 
 of it all, and that for three years we labored at pre- 
 liminaries before even the design of a warship was 
 made. The women, aside from those who came as 
 members of families, were brought to the Chinchas 
 as school teachers, as nurses, as seamstresses and as 
 domestics ; there were others who found employment 
 in architects' offices, as stenographers and as clerks. 
 Physicians also came and a hospital was built. In 
 like manner we have churches, libraries and schools. 
 In fact, special attention was paid to educational mat- 
 ters, for we well knew this would in the end increase 
 the efficiency of our working force. 
 
 "But now, gentlem.en," and Admiral Garcia pointed 
 to a clock that stood on his desk, "it is time for us to 
 adjourn to the deck if you wish to enjoy the return 
 trip, which I promise you shall be at nearly the speed 
 of an express train." 
 
 "You have entertained me as I was never enter- 
 tained before," said Admiral Skerrer. "President 
 Pedro said that certain matters would be published 
 to-day in the 'Diary Official,' but I would much pre- 
 fer hearing you relate them all." 
 
 "So should I, if it were possible," said the senior 
 Heutenant, who had accompanied the American com- 
 mander. 
 
 "Very well, then," replied the Peruvian. "When 
 we return to the harbor please consider yourselves 
 my guests at dinner, and in the evening, after we have 
 finished our repast, I will conclude the history of the 
 Chinchas. Now, gentlemen, shall we go on deck?" 
 
 From the admiral's cabin it was but a dozen steps
 
 96 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 to the wheel-house, a large, roomy structure, con- 
 structed of hard woods, with circular windows of plate 
 glass, permitting a view in every direction. It was 
 such a wheel-house as one might expect to see on a 
 yacht or a passenger steamship. For that matter all 
 the deck work was in harmony with the idea that the 
 Oroya was an immense pleasure craft, and as Admiral 
 Skerrer looked about him he remarked for the second 
 time that day : "Were it not for the thick sides of 
 this vessel I could not believe we are on a battleship. 
 As it is, I cannot understand this light deck-work, this 
 abundance of plate glass and these exposed super- 
 structures that would be carried away by the smallest 
 of round shot. Why, even a rifle ball would penetrate 
 anything in sight. As for guns, I have seen nothing 
 save the Httle brass pieces in the bow, and I know 
 they are solely for salutes. And your sailors. Admiral 
 Garcia, they have the appearance of being clad in 
 yachting costume, the few that I have seen. At pres- 
 ent only two or three of them are about, yet there must 
 be a great number on board to man such a craft!" 
 
 "Nearly a thousand, sir," Admiral Louis said. 
 
 "But why is all this so?" inquired the American. 
 "Will you tell us the meaning of the riddle? Come, 
 now, I see an officer on the bridge and a marine pacing 
 up and down in front of your cabin ; what other war- 
 like sign is there?" 
 
 Admiral Louis smiled as he said : "I see that I must 
 satisfy you, and I agree to do so as soon as we come 
 about. But it is exactly eight bells, the hour I said 
 we should return to port, and now watch this neat
 
 A Short Trip to Sea 97 
 
 maneuver, and also notice that no land is in sight, 
 although we have been gone from the anchorage but 
 sixty minutes." 
 
 They looked around when their attention was called 
 and saw only the deep blue ©f the Pacific ; in the east, 
 where they knew the shore line lay, the ocean and 
 sky seemed to meet. 
 
 At that moment the officer on the bridge pulled 
 over the pointer on the dial and at the same time sang 
 out an order to the quartermaster. Over went the 
 wheel and the Oroya's bow com.menced to swing. The 
 motion was as if she were turning on a fulcrum. In 
 thirty seconds the great battleship was steaming east- 
 ward at full speed. 
 
 "Turned in her own length while running thirty 
 knots an hour ! How is that ?" asked iVdmiral Louis. 
 
 "Remarkable," replied the American. "It is some- 
 thing I could not have believed without being an 
 eyewitness." 
 
 "And now, gentlemen," continued the Peruvian 
 admiral, "if you will step this way I will explain to 
 you the peculiar construction of the ship, indeed of 
 all the vessels of the Peruvian Navy," and he led them 
 to the side. 
 
 "The armor plate of the Oroya," said the Admiral, 
 "is at no place over two feet thick when we are in 
 action, yet how thick should you judge these sides 
 to be?" 
 
 "About four feet," replied Admiral Skerrer, as he 
 glanced in surprise at the Peruvian. 
 
 "Three feet, eleven and one-half inches," said the
 
 98 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 latter. "Now look closely and you will perceive that 
 it is not one solid plate, but that the side is composed 
 of two plates, an inner and an outer, each of which is 
 a fraction of an inch less than two feet thick." 
 
 "Yes, that is so," said Admiral Skerrer, as he rose 
 from the stooping posture he had assumed in the 
 close examination necessary to see the fine dividing 
 line between the plates. 
 
 "When we prepare for action," continued Admiral 
 Louis, "the inner plate is raised by powerful machin- 
 ery. It is convex, and as it rises it rounds over the 
 deck until it meets the plate rising on the opposite 
 side. They form a complete covering of steel and the 
 Oroya is at once transformed into a whaleback." 
 
 "But the masts, do they not interfere with raising 
 the sides?" 
 
 Admiral Louis looked intently at his questioner for 
 nearly a minute, then said: "Would you like to see 
 the Oroya prepare for action ?" 
 
 "Indeed I should," said the American. 
 
 Admiral Louis beckoned a messenger to approach, 
 then dispatched him for Captain Beausire. "Step this 
 way," he said to his guests, and he led them to a 
 place on deck a few feet forward of the wheel-house. 
 "This will be the best place from which to witness the 
 transformation." 
 
 At that moment the commander of the Oroya joined 
 them. 
 
 "Prepare for action, captain," said Admiral Garcia.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 A SHORT TRIP TO SEA— METAMORPHOSIS OF 
 THE OROYA. 
 
 Captain Beausire saluted after receiving the order 
 to prepare for action and stepped into the wheel- 
 house. Immediately the sound of electric bells was 
 heard, their musical notes apparently coming from 
 every quarter. 
 
 "They are ringing all over the ship," said Admiral 
 Louis to his guests, "in the ward room and in the mes- 
 sengers' bunks, in the stoke holes and in the pantries : 
 they sound a warning of the great transformation 
 that is about to take place and in which every man 
 on board has a part to play. Watch closely, and if 
 you care to mark the time you will see the complete 
 metamorphosis of the Oroya within ten minutes." 
 
 As he finished speaking the loud, sweet note of a 
 bugle rang out and instantly a dozen hatchways opened 
 in the deck, and men began to swarm through the 
 apertures : they came in squads, so many that it was 
 difficult to count them ; each man seemed an athlete 
 and the American officers gave expression to their 
 surprise at the sailors' appearance. These men were 
 not clad in the loose, airy uniforms that the visitors 
 had characterized as more befitting yachtsmen than 
 men-of-wars-men, but wore jerseys of black woolen, 
 close fitting trousers of the same somber hue, and 
 
 99
 
 loo Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 caps that came close around the head just above the 
 
 ears. 
 
 They separated after leaving the hatchways that 
 had been so suddenly opened for them and ran to the 
 shrouds. Another second and there was a stream 
 of humanity ascending the rigging. Then everything 
 seemed to be in confusion, lifts were let loose, guy 
 ropes were unbent and there was a tangled mass 
 above. A boatswain's whistle sounded and the royal 
 masts were swung down and disappeared through an 
 aperture into the hold. The top-gallant yards fol- 
 lowed, then the lower cross-pieces. They came so 
 fast that the effect is best described by the newspaper 
 correspondent, Hawkins, who, in writing of the scene 
 afterward, said : 'Tt was as if a cyclone had released 
 its burden of trees picked up in a forest." 
 
 In exactly four minutes the Oroya's masts were 
 denuded of every cross-piece and all the sailors were 
 on deck again, where they formed in squads. 
 
 There was another shrill whistle and then was heard 
 the clanking of machinery, and the American officers 
 called out in astonishment as they saw the masts 
 apparently melt away before their eyes. The top- 
 gallant masts disappeared into the top-masts and 
 these in turn into the lower masts, until there were 
 but three stumps left. 
 
 "The masts are hollow," explained Admiral Louis, 
 "and the lower steel tubing holds the others. It is 
 only the application of the telescopic principle." 
 
 Again the whistle sounded, followed by more clank- 
 ing of machinery, and there ensued a most peculiar
 
 A Short Trip to Sea loi 
 
 spectacle. The sides of the Oroya commenced to rise 
 slowly, and as they rose they rounded out, so as to 
 form a roof overhead. They met just above the stumps 
 of masts and their edges rested on these steel posts. 
 By 'them the Oroya's deck was completely covered, 
 except at bow and stern, and just as the side pieces 
 met overhead similar sheets of armor rose fore and 
 aft, to an equal height, and for a moment the group 
 near the wheel-house were in partial darkness. But 
 it was only a moment, the next thousands of electric 
 lights made the place as bright as day. All this time 
 the sailors remained at their stations, in squads, officers 
 being in command. 
 
 "Look ! Look !" exclaimed Hawkins, after the 
 whistle had blown for the third time. 
 
 He pointed to the large elliptical cabin of the admiral, 
 which was disappearing before their eyes, and so were 
 the superstructure aft, the bridge, wheel-house, and all 
 the light deck work. 
 
 Immense trap doors had opened, and when the 
 superstructures were half out of sight something glis- 
 tened in the dark places that yawned on many sides 
 and gradually the glistening masses came more into 
 view, ascending as the deck works disappeared. 
 
 "Guns !" exclaimed Admiral Skerrer. "And such 
 guns !" 
 
 The pieces were very long for their bore, and it 
 could be seen at a glance by the naval witnesses that 
 the principle of rapid-fire had been apphed to them 
 all. When they were on a level with the deck, the 
 breaches were amidships and those on opposite sides
 
 IQ2 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 almost touched. The men, who had formed in squads, 
 sprang to positions the moment the hoisting machin- 
 ery had stopped, and in a few seconds tackle was at- 
 tached to the huge pieces of steel. With this, which 
 was evidently worked by electricity, they were pulled 
 from the stages that had borne them from below, onto 
 the solid deck, and then their muzzles were thrust 
 through gun ports that had been opened in the shell. 
 
 "Seven pieces, that is all," remarked Captain Beau- 
 sire, "but their execution is terrible. The three on 
 each side are fifteen-inch caliber, and the one in the 
 bow sixteen-inch. A shell from any of them can 
 pierce any battleship that floats." 
 
 "Is the armament the same on the other vessels of 
 your navy?" he was asked. 
 
 "Each battleship carries the same number of guns, 
 but the caliber is smaller on the others, fourteen and 
 fifteen-inch." 
 
 "When in action, do not the electric lights inter- 
 fere with the gunners' aim?" Admiral Skerrer ques- 
 tioned. 
 
 "They are turned off," said Admiral Louis. "Suffi- 
 cient light comes through the gun ports." 
 
 While they were talking there had been rising 
 directly in front of them a steel cylinder about five 
 feet in diameter and eight feet long. It was sup- 
 ported by a solid steel piston that forced the cylinder 
 up until it projected a distance of four feet above the 
 shell, passing through the only aperture, except the 
 gun ports and the opening for the funnels, in this 
 svhaleback of armor.
 
 A Short Trip to Sea 103 
 
 ''Now, gentlemen," said Admiral Louis, ''if you will 
 accompany m^e we will enter the conning tower," and 
 he led them up a flight of steps that had unfolded as 
 the covering was raised. They ascended twenty-five 
 feet and were then on a plane with the base of the 
 cylinder. A door was open and they entered. 
 
 "This is the conning tower I spoke to you about, 
 Hawkins," said Admiral Louis. "You will notice that 
 half of your body is above the shell and half below." 
 
 Standing beside a small wheel in this tower was 
 the quartermaster who, before the transformation, 
 had been steering the ship below. "He came up with 
 the cylinder," the Peruvian remarked. "It took just 
 five seconds to shift the steering gear from the wheel- 
 house which you remarked was like that on board a 
 yacht, to this wheel in the tower." 
 
 Near the quartermaster was an officer who was 
 introduced as Mr. Cordero. He had succeeded Cap- 
 tain Heatherton as flag lieutenant. At one side was 
 Captain Beausire. There were many speaking tubes, 
 levers and buttons in the little place, as well as a 
 signal dial for the engine-room. Pigeon holes were 
 filled with flags, neatly rolled into small compass and 
 also fireworks for signaling purposes. A platform, 
 two feet from the floor, encircled the little place. By 
 stepping upon it the officers could look through the 
 narrow slits that were only a few inches below the top 
 of the conning tower. They saw beneath them a 
 round mass of highly poHshed steel that was rushing 
 through the water with express train speed. Dead 
 ahead the shore line was slowly coming into view.
 
 I04 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "You will observe," said Admiral Louis, "that al- 
 though the tower is a perfect cylinder from the out- 
 side, from within it is smaller at the top than at the 
 bottom. That is because half of it is exposed and 
 half protected by the shell. The half that is exposed 
 of course has thick sides, while that below is but 
 quarter-inch." 
 
 "The Oroya, then, is protected in every part," re- 
 marked Admiral Skerrer's aide. 
 
 "Yes, sir. The only apertures through which shells 
 might enter are the gun ports, the slits in this conning 
 tower and the circular place above our heads through 
 which signals are hoisted on the steel rod that you 
 notice projects several feet. But look dead ahead," 
 said Admiral Louis, suddenly changing the subject, 
 "and tell me what you see." 
 
 Admiral Skerrer leveled his marine glasses In the 
 direction indicated, and after gazing a moment he 
 exclaimed : "Why, there is a most peculiar craft in 
 the bay ! Now I recognize what it is. Surely, it must 
 be one of the vessels of your squadron, prepared for 
 action in the same manner as the Oroya." 
 
 "Yes," said Admiral Louis. "Captain Heatherton 
 has taken the position ordered and is ready for any 
 emergency. "And how about the Britisher?" 
 
 "She is coaling. There are lighters alongside, quite 
 a number of them. The commander evidently intends 
 carrying his threat into execution. He little knows 
 what such an act will entail and I think, in the in- 
 terest of humanity, that I should board him and give 
 warning of the probable consequences."
 
 A Short Trip to Sea 105 
 
 "Please do nothing of the sort," Admiral Louis said. 
 "I will do everything within my power to save lives. 
 I only wish to sink the ship, and I assure you it will 
 be done with the least possible loss to the crew." 
 
 They were soon back amid the shipping of Callao 
 bay and as the Oroya darted, at her wonderful speed, 
 past the vessels at anchor, all persons on board these 
 ships crowded to the sides or hurried into the rigging 
 to get a better view of the mysterious visitor, for 
 none suspected that she was the same craft that had 
 steamed from the harbor two hours before. It could 
 also be seen that the shore line was black with assem- 
 bled humanity. The Oroya glided to her former 
 anchorage, the ponderous screws were reversed, and 
 even as she seem.ed to be dashing on shore she came 
 to a full stop. Her cable was picked up, and as 
 Admiral Louis led the way from the conning tower 
 her head swung to meet the flood tide. 
 
 Once more the bells rang all over the ship and 
 officers and men took the positions as in preparing 
 for action. First, the conning tower slowly descended 
 into the hold, then the guns, having been swung over 
 the traps, were lowered ; and as they disappeared the 
 superstructures rose. The deck had again assumed 
 its peaceful appearance and the stern and bow pieces 
 were lowered, letting in the light of day; next the 
 ponderous sides sank below the water line, where 
 they fitted close to the hull. As they went the top- 
 masts crept out of the lower masts, and then the top- 
 gallant masts out of the shells that held them. By 
 the aid of the guy ropes three men ascended the bare
 
 io6 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 sticks. Other men followed, the yards came up from 
 the hold: soon the rigging was peopled, and within 
 a quarter of an hour the Oroya had taken the form 
 she had when she steamed out of the bay. Ten min- 
 utes were consumed in changing the apparent mer- 
 chantman into a warship and fifteen in divesting her 
 of a warlike appearance. 
 
 But far out in the harbor the Miraflores still ap- 
 peared in her deadly armor, and those who had taken 
 the trip on the flag-ship knew what terrible instru- 
 ments that whaleback of steel concealed. 
 
 Admiral Louis led the way into the cabin. Every- 
 thing there was as when they left the apartment ; evi- 
 dently not even the delicate ornaments on the etageres 
 had been jarred by the journey the superstructure 
 had taken into the hold.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 AT DINNER ON THE OROYA— THE STORY OF 
 THE CHINCHAS CONCLUDED. 
 
 In the tropics the transition from day to night is 
 sudden, and it was dark when Admiral Louis and his 
 guests sat down at the dinner table. They had re- 
 mained on deck witnesssing the pretty ceremony of 
 "colors," which occurred as the sunset gun was fired, 
 and consisted in the lowering of the ensigns on all 
 vessels of the fleet while the band on the flag-ship 
 played the national anthem. This over, they had ad- 
 journed to the cabin, a party of five. Admiral Skerrer, 
 his aide, Captain Beausire, Carey Hawkins and the 
 host. Admiral Garcia. 
 
 The south trade wind, that springs into existence 
 on the Peruvian coast every afternoon, ruffled the 
 surface of the bay and swept through the admiral's 
 apartments, an invigorating, salt-laden current, wel- 
 come after a day of heat. The Oroya and her sister 
 ships rolled lazily as the heavy, glassy swells came in 
 stately procession from afar out, to lift the vessels at 
 will, then undulate to the shore, then to break one 
 after another in sullen roar, their line being marked 
 from La Punta to Los Banos by phosphorescent fire. 
 
 When the diners had been at table half an hour the 
 officer of the deck sent word by a messenger that the 
 last three lighters had just made fast alongside the 
 Shamrock, but that the crew of the Britisher were 
 
 107
 
 io8 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 working quite slowly and it would be from two to 
 three hours before she could clear. 
 
 By this messenger Admiral Louis sent word to his 
 flag lieutenant to report to him at once, and when 
 Mr. Cordero arrived he said: "Signal for an officer 
 from each ship except the Miraflores to report on 
 board the flag-ship, and when they have all arrived 
 let me know." 
 
 So close was the formation of the squadron and so 
 swift the barges in which trips around the bay were 
 made by officers of the Peruvian navy that at the end 
 of fifteen minutes the report was brought to the cabin 
 that lieutenants from the other vessels of the fleet 
 were waiting the admiral's orders. The following in- 
 structions were sent them: "Your captain will hoist 
 away all boats at eight bells, and have them manned. 
 Let them lie close under the side, to prevent their 
 being seen by the Britisher. The moment the Mira- 
 flores opens fire have the small boats start at full speed 
 for the place where the Shamrock now lies at anchor, 
 for the purpose of rescuing the men who will be in the 
 water." 
 
 When the lieutenant who conveyed these instruc- 
 tions to his brother officers had left the cabin, Admiral 
 Louis said to the Americans : "Two hundred boats 
 will be on the spot within five minutes after the gun 
 fire, perhaps they will reach the Britisher's side before 
 she sinks." 
 
 "Then you still intend to sink her?" questioned 
 the American. 
 
 "Certainly ; that is, of course, if she tries to leave the
 
 At Dinner on the Oroya 109 
 
 harbor. And now, gentlemen, what say you to Hght- 
 ing cigars and going on deck, where, if you wish, I 
 will resume my narrative of the Chincha Islands?'* 
 
 The admiral's guests eagerly seconded the propo- 
 sition and were led by him to the large bridge, which 
 not only ran from side to side but extended for a 
 considerable distance fore and aft. So firm was this 
 structure that it could hardly be believed, unless one 
 had seen it happen, that it folded and disappeared like 
 other parts of the superstructure when the battleship 
 prepared for action. 
 
 It was a dark night, for the moon had not risen and 
 a thin haze dimmed even the starlight. Hundreds of 
 small boats were still plying between the fleet and the 
 shore, the occupants of which gazed with awe at the 
 floating leviathans that had come to the rescue of their 
 country. Lights were twinklmg in the city of Callao 
 and others marked the broad roadway that led to 
 Lima. The slow roll from the ocean rocked the great 
 ships in cradle motion and the electric Hghts at the 
 mastheads described arcs against the black density 
 above. The hum of steam winches and the sharp 
 commands of ofhcers came from H. M. S. Shamrock, 
 proving that the labor of coaling ship was still under 
 way. 
 
 For several minutes there was no conversation car- 
 ried on by the officers, and it was only after some one 
 reminded him of his promised narrative that Admiral 
 Louis began : 
 
 *'I told you this afternoon," said he, "of the prepara- 
 tions for home life on the Chinchas. Now I w411
 
 no Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 describe the construction of this fleet. As I have 
 said, every employe was treated as a confidant the 
 day he arrived at the islands and was told that any 
 suggestions he might ofifer would be most welcome. 
 Not only that, but we offered rewards for ideas that 
 would directly or indirectly benefit the work in hand. 
 Before three years had passed we had the best men 
 the world had to offer in every branch of the mechan- 
 ical arts; they were experts in every line, from re- 
 ducing ore to pig iron to the delicate adjustment of 
 chronometers. Naval architects were there from the 
 leading maritime powers of the world, with the excep- 
 tion of England, and to all these brainy me we pro- 
 pounded this problem : Needed, a fleet, small in num- 
 ber but of sufficient power to successfully combat with 
 any navy in the world. 
 
 "The men went to work with a will upon these lines 
 and for two years there was a making and a destroying 
 of models and draughting and erasing of plans. Mean- 
 while the importation of basic articles was carried on. 
 Our fleet was to be built of steel, so iron was needed. 
 The first cargo of ore was shipped from Duluth to 
 Buffalo, by canal from there to New York and loaded 
 upon a ship which we had purchased. This shipment 
 caused considerable comment, the Americans being 
 more inquisitive than other people, so for over two 
 years we did not secure any more of the raw material 
 from that country, in the meanwhile bringing schooner 
 loads from Algeria and Japan. As the demand in- 
 creased Belgium, Sweden, Russia and Germany were 
 made contributors and one cargo came from Bilboa,
 
 At Dinner on the Oroya m 
 
 Spain. Toward the last the lake region was again 
 levied upon. 
 
 *'Our first furnaces and converters were of course 
 imported, but later, additional and better plants were 
 manufactured on the islands. And such was the case 
 with trip-hammers, rollers for mills and the thousand 
 and one necessary pieces of machinery. 
 
 "The term 'malleable steel,' which I have used in 
 describing our armor plate, does not describe it ; in 
 fact is a misnomer, but one which, having been ap- 
 plied, is used for lack of a better term. The process is 
 a secret, closely guarded on the Chinchas. 
 
 "In addition to cargoes of iron ore and several of 
 pig iron, many loads of coal and coke were brought 
 from abroad, and here let me remind you that some 
 day I wish you to see our coaling station. I think 
 you will agree that it has marvelous capacity, consid- 
 ering the space taken up by our intricate machinery. 
 
 "It is impossible for me to go into details concern- 
 ing the articles that were imported aside from those I 
 have described, but I must not fail to mention the 
 quantities of hard woods from Brazil with which all 
 the ships were finished in the interior and which were 
 used in the construction of the light buildings on the 
 Chinchas. It is astonishing to me that this timber 
 is not imported by the people of other nations more 
 than it is. 
 
 "By the time the material was all ready the plans 
 had been drawn. The idea of a disappearing arma- 
 ment was conceived by a young Swede; that of an 
 armored cover, which would swing within the hull
 
 112 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 when not in action, originated with a former United 
 States naval officer. 
 
 "The design has many advantages, some of which, 
 no doubt, have occurred to you. While at sea or in 
 port with the sides down there is plenty of air and 
 space for everybody; it is a pleasure to be on board, 
 as much so as on a yacht. In action the ship simply 
 becomes a great turret. With the sides down in rough 
 weather the ship is more steady than any modern 
 vessel, for the mass of metal below so lowers the cen- 
 ter of gravity that the motion is reduced to the min- 
 imum. And although the sides are raised in action 
 the masts are lowered and the equilibrium is thus 
 maintained. Of course the ships are more top-heavy 
 with the sides hoisted than with them down, but battles 
 are usually fought in smooth water. Should an en- 
 gagement take place during a gale we can fight at 
 long range with clear decks, or we can raise the sides 
 only a few feet and then have as much protection for 
 the crew as is afforded on many modern battleships. 
 For this purpose there are plates on the side armor 
 three feet from the edge, which when unscrewed reveal 
 gun ports. 
 
 "The idea of using triple longitudinal screws also 
 originated with an American, and it has given us a 
 perfect motive power. 
 
 "By a new process the gases which are generated 
 in the fire boxes are used again for fuel, and there is 
 the minimum waste of force, so that our coal consump- 
 tion is comparatively small. Our bunker supply on
 
 At Dinner on the Oroya 113 
 
 the other hand is unusually large, and each vessel has 
 a steaming radius of 30,000 knots. 
 
 *'But to return to the story of the work on the 
 islands. Our headquarters were on what is known on 
 the charts as the Isle del Norte, the largest of the 
 three. It is about two miles long and nearly as wide. 
 We found half of the surface a valley considerably 
 below, the sea level, and with a little labor it was made 
 into an excellent basin of equal depth. Then the rocks 
 were blasted away on the west side and the ocean 
 rushed in. The channel was widened at places where 
 necessary and there v/as a passageway from the sea, 
 wide enough to accommodate any vessel afloat, leading 
 to a land-locked harbor, view of which from the Pacific 
 was impossible, because of the cliffs that rose to a 
 height of 200 feet. Our ships were built on all sides 
 of the basin and so were launched within the island. 
 But the labor did not end by any means with the con- 
 struction of the fleet, for after the vessels were afloat, 
 their boilers and engines set and the guns mounted 
 it was necessary to make trial trips and then drill the 
 crews." 
 
 "Trial trips!" interrupted Admiral Skerrer. "Where 
 had you room for such?" 
 
 "We had the entire Pacific ocean and the Atlantic 
 as well," replied Admiral Louis, smiling.' "Do not 
 think that our appearance in Callao bay to-day is the 
 first time we have put to sea. Ships of our navy have 
 not only made long voyages from the Chinchas, but 
 we have maneuvered as a squadron for weeks at a 
 time. You must remember that while several men
 
 114 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 in this navy formerly served in like capacity for other 
 nations, yet the vast majority have never been on ships 
 other than ours. Therefore it was necessary that they 
 should be educated to a maritime life. One of the 
 first institutions established on the islands was a naval 
 academy with a training school attached, and while 
 the fleet was building I attended the school as regu- 
 larly as anybody. The course lasted four years, and 
 \\-Q were graduated about the time the first battleship 
 was launched. The class immediately started on a 
 cruise, and, leaving Padre in command of the station, 
 I went out on the Pisco, sailing as a watch and division 
 officer. We cruised six months, returning twice for 
 coal, and on the second trip rounded Cape Horn and 
 steamed to the latitude of Buenos Ayres. Our speed, 
 as you know, enabled us to keep far enough away 
 from passing craft in the day time to prevent the 
 peculiarities in our build being recognized. Once or 
 twice we were sighted at night and signaled, but wc 
 did not reply and steamed away. 
 
 "The Oroya was the second vessel launched, and 
 I went out on her for a four months' cruise as execu- 
 tive officer under Captain Beausire. Eight months 
 ago the fleet was ready for sea and there followed a 
 series of squadron maneuvers that lasted until a week 
 before we sailed for Callao. For many days, far out 
 on the Pacific, we practised with the great guns at 
 targets, and while the battleships were thus engaged 
 the cruisers formed a cordon on the horizon, to warn 
 us of any approaching vessel. 
 
 "Thus you will understand, gentlemen, that I do
 
 At Dinner on the Oroya 115 
 
 not command this fleet simply because I was fortunate 
 enough to be shown the gold mine of the Incas. I 
 have had ten years of the most thorough education in 
 naval matters, comprising not only school instruction 
 and work with the fleet but practical naval construc- 
 tion in the yard at the Chinchas. 
 
 'There, it is eight bells !" exclaimed Admiral Louis, 
 rising. "My narrative is complete so far as it lies 
 within my power to describe. What I have failed to 
 tell you will be seen when you visit the Chinchas and 
 when the fleet is in action." Saying this he pushed 
 back his deck chair, and walking to the rail, gazed for 
 several minutes through marine glasses in the direction 
 of the British battleship Shamrock. 
 
 "It is as I thought," he exclaimed returning to the 
 group. "The Britisher has worked more rapidly the 
 last half hour. I would not be surprised if he were 
 about to slip his cable." 
 
 While the admiral was speaking, the small boats of 
 the Oroya were being lowered into the water, and 
 those on the bridge recalled the order that had been 
 given for execution at eight bells. Once in the water 
 boats were manned and the crews rested on their oars. 
 
 Admiral Garcia turned to his flag officer and said : 
 "Signal the Miraflores that the Britisher will probably 
 slip her cable." 
 
 A few seconds after the lieutenant entered the wheel- 
 house a brilliant flash shot from the round structure 
 on the Oroya's forward deck and shone against the 
 black night. It was followed by others, some long 
 others short — dots and dashes of Hght.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 SINKING OF THE SHAMROCK 
 
 "That is an electric flash signal," remarked Admiral 
 Louis, noticing the surprise expressed by his guests at 
 the darts of light that shot from the wheel-house. "It 
 can be seen even below the horizon line on dark nights 
 because of reflection on the clouds, and when the 
 moon is shining it is better than any other system of 
 communication at sea because of the brilliancy of the 
 rays." 
 
 "But you have rockets, candles and red and blue 
 flares on board," ventured Hawkins. "I noticed them 
 in the wheel-house." 
 
 "True, but they are for the purpose of signalling 
 merchant ships or vessels of another navy. In such 
 instances we have to employ the international code 
 and fireworks are necessary. But the electric flash is 
 the only system in vogue in the Peruvian navy." 
 
 At this time the admiral and his guests were stand- 
 ing on the port side of the Oroya's bridge and were 
 looking in the direction of the British battleship. Her 
 position was plainly defined by a red reflection that 
 hung over her two funnels, telling those who watched 
 that her fires were being fanned by forced draught. 
 Lights were moving like will-o-the-wisps about her 
 decks, evidently lanterns carried by men who were 
 
 ii6
 
 Sinking" of the Shamrock 117 
 
 superintending the stowing away on board of the last 
 tons of coal that were coming over the sides from the 
 lighters : more lights shone through port holes, from 
 mess rooms, cabins, pantries and living quarters below 
 deck; and one light shone from the forestay, an in- 
 ternational signal that the ship was at anchor. 
 
 The visitors from the American flag-ship, the 
 admiral who was their host, and those of his suite who 
 had accompanied him upon the bridge, made no com- 
 ment as they closely watched these preparations. All 
 understood that a crisis was at hand ; that there could 
 be no escape from carrying into execution the ulti- 
 matum of the afternoon. 
 
 Five miinutes passed and then the little light that 
 hung over the Shamrock seemed to detach itself from 
 the forestay, waver a few seconds in mid-air, as if un- 
 decided what to do, and then moved slowly toward 
 the deck. As this happened the faint stroke of a gong 
 came over the water. 
 
 "The nig-ht is so still that we can hear the bell in 
 her engine-room," remarked the American fiag officer 
 to Hawkins. These two had stepped a few paces to 
 one side, that they might talk 'together without in- 
 terrupting the admirals. 
 
 As the American officer spoke. Captain Beausire 
 hurriedly left the bridge and hastened forward. A few 
 seconds later a bolt of light darted from the side of the 
 Oroya and instantly struck and surrounded the British 
 v.'arship. Rays from a searchlight far more powerful 
 than any ever seen by the visitors had been thrown 
 over the waters by the Peruvian flag-ship, and the
 
 ii8 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 Shamrock became the center of a fiery circle that had 
 eaten a great hole in the night. So brilliant was the 
 glare that the smallest detail on the Britisher c^ould 
 be discerned, and those on the Oroya who had marine 
 glasses could watch the actions of the men who moved 
 about the decks and even the features of the officers 
 who stood in silhouette on the bridge. 
 
 As they gazed intently in this direction they saw 
 the bow of the Shamrock commence to swing slowly 
 to starboard, her head being brought up to shape a 
 course, and then they saw a splash of spray under 
 her stern and a churning of the water; at the same 
 moment dense clouds of smoke poured from the fun- 
 nels, extinguishing the red glow that had hung there. 
 
 "She has slipped her cable," said Admiral Garcia to 
 Admiral Skerrer. **Now watch." 
 
 Hardly had the words been spoken than a blinding 
 flash cam^e out of the night from port. It resembled 
 sheet lightning but sprang from the water instead of 
 from the sky, and for a second the glare showed in 
 silhouette all the ships in the bay and the buildings 
 that graced La Punta. Darkness, seemxingly more 
 intense, followed, closing in upon everything save the 
 Shamrock which was still centered in the fiery circle 
 thrown by the Oroya's searchlight, and when those 
 who had been startled by the flash from a mile away 
 turned again to look at the British battleship, they 
 noticed that she staggered, as if struck a powerful 
 blow : and that instant there came to their ears the 
 thunderous report of the Miraflores' great gun, the 
 sound following the flash, and it rolled on over Callao
 
 Sinking of the Shamrock 119 
 
 and up the broad road to Lima, where its reverbera- 
 tions caused persons to spring from their beds. 
 
 And then, from every ship in the Peruvian navy, 
 sprang beams of Hght — not gunflashes, but broad, 
 steady rays like those from the Oroya — and the Sham- 
 rock and the water about her was the center of a 
 broader circle of brilliancy. 
 
 Those who w^atched this marvelous scene — and by 
 this time there were thousands, both on ships in the 
 harbor and on the water front of Callao — saw the 
 English battleship commence sinking slowly by the 
 bow ; and as the stem w^ent foot by foot into the sea 
 the stern rose and the big blades of the propeller, 
 emerging from the water, began to revolve faster and 
 faster as the engines raced, and they threw spray high 
 in the air, like a geyser, the drops of which sparkled 
 in the artificial light that was thrown upon the spot 
 by the enemy. 
 
 There had been a rush on board the Shamrock for 
 the small boats but, despite the discipline, the crew 
 was successful in launching only one, which was 
 swamped soon after it touched the water. Then it 
 became evident to those who were watching the thrill- 
 ing scenes through marine glasses that the British 
 commander had given orders to abandon ship and 
 "every man for himself," for some of the sailors were 
 seen running to the sides and jumping into the sea. 
 
 Even as the first man did this he was picked up, 
 for at that moment there had darted from the black- 
 ness into the circle of Hght a small boat, the first of 
 the rescuing fleet ordered by Admiral Garcia to dash
 
 120 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 to the spot after the Miraflores' gun fire. Another 
 boat followed, and yet another, and they crowded 
 around by dozens, until the English warship, as she 
 lurched her deck nearer and nearer the waters' surface, 
 was completely surrounded by launches, cutters and 
 gigs of the Peruvian navy, the crews for the nonce 
 having no object but to save life. 
 
 As the Englishmen saw that rescue was assured, 
 those who had hesitated to leave the ship waited no 
 longer. Sailors sprang from the gun deck, firemen 
 and stokers crawled through port holes, followed by 
 waiters, pantry-men and cooks ; and the marines, less 
 agile than their brothers of the service, let themselves 
 down to the water by ropes they lowered over the side. 
 
 Within three minutes the battleship was deserted 
 except by five men, evidently of^cers, who stood on 
 the bridge — and it was time they were leaving, for the 
 Shamrock's bowsprit was within a few feet of the sea 
 and her deck was inclined at such an angle that it 
 would have been difficult for one to have climbed to the 
 stern had he wished ; and it was evident the great 
 warship was about to take a final plunge. 
 
 'Thank God they are nearly all off!" exclaimed 
 Admiral Garcia. "But I wonder why those ofBcers 
 are lingering on the bridge?" 
 
 He looked sharply through a telescope that was 
 m.ounted at the Oroya's side, then added, "The cap- 
 tain will not desert his ship, and the others are begging 
 him to go with them." 
 
 That such was the case Hawkins and the other 
 guests of the Peruvian admiral could see by the aid of
 
 Sinking of the Shamrock 121 
 
 their marine glasses. The officers on the sinking 
 Shamrock were gesticulating excitedly — that is, four 
 of them were; the fifth stood in the center of the 
 group, his arms folded over his breast. Then one of 
 the officers, who had been urging and entreating, 
 placed a hand on the shoulder of the person who re- 
 sisted their voices. It was shaken off by an angry 
 motion, and the captain of the Shamrock evidently 
 gave a command, for the others retreated from his side 
 toward the rail. There they hesitated, looked back, 
 and it was evident to the breathless watchers that they 
 called out in more urgent tones than they had yet 
 used. The reply from their commander was a threat 
 to shoot them if they failed to obey. All this was plain, 
 for in that great bright light he was seen to draw a 
 revolver from his pocket and level it at the men who 
 hesitated to abandon ship. Only then did they, slowly 
 and reluctantly, throw themselves one by one into the 
 sea. They did not dive, as the sailors had done, with 
 intention to break the force of the fall, but threw 
 themselves carelessly, as if they did not care whether 
 they were saved or not. But the small boats were too 
 thick around the sinking battleship for anyone to 
 drown, and the officers were picked up as they rose 
 to the surface. 
 
 "Signal the cutters to make every effort to save the 
 British commander," ordered Admiral Garcia, and a 
 m.oment later the flashes of light were carrying the 
 message high in air, against the night. 
 
 But there was no need for them; the little boats 
 gathered even closer to the wounded, staggering battle-
 
 122 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 ship ; they were Hke threshers around a whale, crowd- 
 ing in to the death of the leviathan. 
 
 At this moment the panorama changed; a white 
 cloud rose from the main hatch of the Shamrock and 
 curled upward between the masts. The water had 
 reached the fires and as the steam rushed up its hissing 
 could be heard by those gathered on the Oroya's deck. 
 This winding shroud rose straight to the top of the 
 masts and there, becoming of the samic density as the 
 air, spread out and hung over the vessel. 
 
 So quickly had all this happened that it was not 
 five minutes from the time the startling flash had come 
 from the side of the Miraflores until the pall of steam 
 settled down over the doomed British battle-ship and 
 it was evident to those who watched that another sixty 
 seconds would see the end of this great tragedy, the 
 first in Peru's struggle to wrest back from the modern 
 world the position she once held. 
 
 The picture was one that remained the most pro- 
 nounced in the minds of all who witnessed it ; 
 for although many were to be present at more exciting 
 events, and perhaps some that could be termed more 
 tragic, these later scenes were rendered less awesome 
 by gun-fire and carnage ; that which was being enacted 
 this night was done without noise, save the faint hiss- 
 ing of steam, and the quiet heightened the solemnity. 
 
 The frame was the night, black and overcast, not a 
 star showing. From the edge of this frame radiated 
 twelve broad beams of light that sprang to a common 
 center and none could see the ships from whence these 
 rays came, for reflectors were arranged so as to throw
 
 Sinking of the Shamrock 123 
 
 all the background into shadow. Thus it was that the 
 only ship within that picture that had night for a 
 frame was the staggering, sinking ironclad that formed 
 a target for these rays. Half in and half without this 
 circle of light were the small boats, crowded to the 
 gunwales by the persons who had been rescued from 
 the sea. The rowers rested on their oars, ready, at a 
 word of command, to send the little craft spinning for- 
 ward to save the one man who remained on the ship, 
 or to go with equal speed away from the spot when 
 the final plunge should be taken by the great mass 
 of iron, a plunge that would cause a whirlpool fierce 
 enough to seize and engulf them all. 
 
 The steam that poured from the hatch of the Sham- 
 rock now spread out into a gray-white cloud, shaped 
 like a bush and enveloped everything on the deck, 
 causing the ventilators, the skyhghts and the binnacles 
 to assume grotesque shapes, as things do in a fog 
 that waves to and fro before a light w4nd. And 
 although the soft breeze, that moved lazily over Callao 
 Bay this night, was enough to cause this steam to 
 swing to and fro, as it mounted from the ship's bovv^els, 
 it was not of sufficient force to drive it to leew^ard, and 
 so only at intervals could be seen the solitary figure 
 that remained on the bridge of the Shamrock, that of 
 her commander. He stood as his officers had left him, 
 with arms folded. Those who watched him noticed 
 that he did not look about in an effort to see the 
 enemy, nor even at the small boats gathered under the 
 side ; he looked steadily within board, at his own ship 
 that had received her death blow.
 
 124 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 These ten thousand tons of steel and iron had been 
 slowly sinking by the bow. The deck was on a level 
 with the water line when the fore foot rose suddenly, 
 as if spurning the water that sought possession, and 
 then, after this one titanic struggle, the end came. The 
 sea opened; it parted about the Shamrock and she 
 sank into space, not slowly, but of a sudden, and the 
 water came together again over her masts. As the 
 waves met they formed in a vortex, w^hirling, swirling 
 and foaming. 
 
 The small boats had darted from the spot just in 
 time, and the rowers could be seen straining at their 
 oars, for the whirlpool formed by the disappearing 
 battle-ship drew them toward its center with a force 
 not easy to combat. 
 
 And so, in this picture framed by night, there ap- 
 peared in the center of brilliancy not a modern battle- 
 ship with great guns frowning from turrets and 
 sponsons, with funnels breathing tokens of the power 
 concealed in the hull — a thing of strength, peopled 
 with as many persons as many a village has — but a 
 seething mass of water and pieces of wreckage that 
 came to the surface, shooting from below, thrusting 
 their torn sides out from the foam, then falling back, to 
 be whirled around and around. 
 
 But no human body came up from the depths. 
 
 Great air bubbles could be seen forming, then small 
 geysers, showing that steam had been released from 
 below; more wreckage came, probably following the 
 submarine explosion of a boiler. And then gradually 
 the water became calmer and the small boats were
 
 . . "SLOWLY THE ENGLISH BATTLESHIP SANK. . . 
 THE CENTER OF A BROAD CIRCLE OF BRILLIANCY,
 
 Sinking of the Shamrock 125 
 
 rowed slowly back and forth over the spot where the 
 Shamrock had been. 
 
 But still no body came to the surface. The British 
 captain remained with his ship. 
 
 The small boats patroled the spot for half an hour, 
 then the Oroya signaled the return and when the gigs, 
 cutters and launches left the center of light the picture 
 was suddenly blotted out and Callao Bay was black, 
 save for the twinkling masthead lights that told where 
 ships rode at anchor.
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 THE DEPARTURE. 
 
 The signal, "weigh anchor," was hoisted on the 
 Oroya and the rattle of cables came from over the bay 
 as the chains were brought swiftly inboard. A few 
 minutes later anchors showed at the surface near the 
 bows of nine of the large ships of the Peruvian navy 
 and of the six little torpedo-boats. Then flags hoisted 
 on the Oroya's signal halyards sent this message, "Fol- 
 low the flagship. Close sailing order. Column of 
 divisions." 
 
 Immediately all the ships except the Miraflores got 
 under way and glided over the peaceful, sunlit waters 
 of Callao harbor, parallel with La Punta, toward the 
 point abreast San Lorenzo where they had been 
 sighted two days before. 
 
 It was a morning when nature was lavish with deep 
 indigo, painting both sea and sky that color, so that 
 the picture was indigo and brown, the latter being the 
 sandy stretch of coast. Between the two was a line of 
 white foam where the breakers rushed high. A brisk 
 breeze came from the south and the flags on the war- 
 ships stood out straight, even the long pennants that 
 had been unfurled from the main-trucks. 
 
 Once under way another signal was hoisted on the 
 Oroya. It called for thirty-five knots speed — over 
 forty miles an hour, landsman's measurement — and 
 
 126
 
 The Departure 127 
 
 then the thousands, who had again assembled on the 
 beach, witnessed a sight that had never been viewed 
 in Peru or elsewhere. 
 
 Maintaining the same relative position, not a ship 
 forging ahead of another even a yard, nor falling back, 
 the entire squadron moved majestically at the speed of 
 an express train toward the horizon line. The little 
 torpedo-boats seemed buried as they threw crests of 
 water high over their hulls. Spray was dashed from 
 the sides of the battle-ships and the cruisers, forming 
 rainbows as it fell, and waves that rose almost to the 
 deck level, swept past them to port and to starboard. 
 
 Grand as was the panorama when the fleet glided 
 away from the city, it became grander when the squad- 
 ron swung to port after the island of San Lorenzo 
 was cleared and shaped a course to the south, toward 
 Chile. The arc described in rounding on this new 
 course was of so small a circle that one ship was 
 turning all the time, and within five minues the fifteen 
 vessels were steaming at right angles to the course 
 they had taken from the harbor. In the van was the 
 Oroya, the admiral's pennant flying, and an ensign at 
 the gaff, the ends of which would have touched the 
 water had the breeze not been so stiff. Following were 
 the Payta and the Chorillos, keeping perfect line. Two 
 cables' length astern were the Pisco and the cruiser 
 Matucana and then came the four other cruisers. Be- 
 tween them all were the torpedo-boats, nesthng close, 
 as tugs do alongside the big liners. 
 
 The hosts gathered on the beach had no more than 
 time to exclaim at the wonder of the spectacle than
 
 128 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the panorama was changed and nothing but the blue 
 ocean could be seen to the north and east of San 
 Lorenzo, for the fleet had disappeared behind the 
 island, to be seen no more by the inhabitants of Callao 
 and Lima until the vow made years before should be 
 fulfilled. 
 
 And then not only all Callao and all Lima, but 
 many who had journeyed from Payta, from Pisco, 
 from Chorillos and from other Peruvian cities, went 
 back to their homes, to talk of what had happened 
 and say to one another, "Is not this all a dream?" 
 But no, for there, out in Callao Bay, rolling gracefully 
 at anchor, was one of those wonderful ships, the Mira- 
 flores, left to guard the port. 
 
 This occurred on the 8th of June, the second day 
 after the appearance of the fleet and the declaration 
 made to the people by the brothers Garcia y Garcia. 
 Matters of moment had happened in the interim, but 
 as they were afifairs of state, and did not directly 
 afTect the progress of events, and, moreover, as they 
 might prove uninteresting to the reader, who is doubt- 
 less anxious to arrive at the main points of this history, 
 they will be briefly told, in order that we may bear 
 down upon the squadron before the southern part of 
 the Peruvian coast is passed. 
 
 The night of June 6, after the searchhght had been 
 turned from the spot where the Shamrock had gone 
 down and darkness had fallen over the v/ater. Admiral 
 Garcia turned to his American guests and said : 'The 
 Britisher was a brave man. It showed rare courage 
 to face such a death; no clash of arms to stimulate,
 
 The Departure 129 
 
 only a slow sinking into a grave from which the 
 slightest motion would have saved him." 
 
 **He died a sailor's death," was Admiral Skerrer's 
 comment. 
 
 By this time the small boats had commenced to 
 return to the ships, and as the rescued Englishmen 
 reached the decks they were sent below with the Peru- 
 vians, who were told to furnish them with clothing 
 and relieve them of their wet garments. 
 
 An officer stepped from the second boat to reach 
 the Oroya and walked quickly to the bridge, water 
 dripping from his clothing. Approaching Admiral 
 Garcia, he exclaimed haughtily : "Sir, I am, or rather 
 was, the executive officer of the Shamrock. As our 
 captain has gone down with his ship and as he pre- 
 vented my going with him, it happens that I am rank- 
 ing officer of those who are left. I therefore ofifer you 
 a surrender, for I cannot well do anything else, and 
 I request that we be treated as prisoners of war." 
 
 "Keep your sword, sir," repHed Admiral Garcia. 
 "War has not been declared, although Great Britain 
 will now probably take that step. What we wished to 
 prevent has been accomplished and you and your men 
 may consider yourselves our guests until to-morrow, 
 when you may go elsewhere. As you must be chilled, 
 sir, Mr. Cordero will conduct you and other officers 
 of the Shamrock to the ward room, where you will be 
 furnished dry clothing and whatever else you may 
 require." 
 
 The British lieutenant-commander saluted and left 
 the bridge, accompanied by Admiral Garcia's flag
 
 130 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 officer. He had been gone but a few minutes when the 
 American admiral asked that his barge be called along- 
 side, and shaking hands with Admiral Louis, he wished 
 him good-night. 
 
 An hour later Carey Hawkins and the old friend of 
 his boyhood days stood alone on the bridge. A heavy 
 fog had settled over the bay, obscuring the shore 
 lights and even the masthead lights of the ships that 
 rode at anchor near the Oroya. 
 
 "Carey," said the admiral, after a long pause, "the 
 death of that brave officer oppresses me. I had hoped 
 to sink the Shamrock without the loss of a single life." 
 
 "But he chose to die; it was not directly your do- 
 ing." 
 
 "I know. I know. And, Carey, that very trait of 
 the Englishman demonstrates what an undertaking is 
 ours. Obstinate, tyrannical, preferring death to yield- 
 ing even with honor, the British sailor and soldier is a 
 foe not to be treated lightly." 
 
 "Are you then sorry that you have taken this step ?" 
 
 "No, it had to be done and now is as good a time 
 as any, perhaps better. But we should turn in. I will 
 show you the state-room I had in mind for you even 
 when the Oroya was building," and he led the way 
 to the cabin. 
 
 The next morning, by breakfast time, all Lima was 
 in holiday attire. From the flagstaffs on houses there 
 floated red, white and red ensigns, and those persons 
 w^ho could not display the national colors in this man- 
 ner draped the bunting in windows or on balconies. 
 The streets were thronged, the crowd being the densest
 
 The Departure 131 
 
 in the vicinity of the Oroya Railroad station, where, at 
 any moment, Admiral Louis Garcia y Garcia and his 
 staff, as well as other officers of the Peruvian navy, 
 were due to arrive from Callao. 
 
 A regiment of infantry marched down the street 
 from the large plaza and a company was left at each 
 corner, from where the men side-stepped until there 
 was a double row of soldiers from the station entrance 
 to the capitol building, where Congress was in session, 
 waiting the arrival of the fleet commander. 
 
 At 10 o'clock the rumble of an approaching train 
 was heard. It drew into the station, stopped and 
 when the noise of the wheels on the rails died away 
 a roar burst from the multitude that had gathered on 
 the streets and surged onto housetops and balconies, 
 for they had seen emerging from the door of the sta- 
 tion, a man of commanding presence, clad in a uniform 
 of black, ornamented with gold braid and a golden sun 
 upon his breast — a uniform they had learned the day 
 before was that of the new Peruvian navy — and near 
 him were a score of officers similarly dressed. At this 
 the rush of the populace was so great, in their eager- 
 ness to press nearer these heroes, to lift them from 
 their feet and carry them to the public plaza, that the 
 visitors would have been swept from the carriages 
 that were in waiting had it not been for a squad of 
 sailors who surrounded the admiral's party and rein- 
 forced the infantry. A few minutes later the equipages 
 were driven at a rapid trot to the palace, and as 
 the last carriage 'moved along, the space behind was 
 immediately filled with people. You have sat upon
 
 132 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the beach and traced your finger along the sand and 
 watched the water follow it and fill the space, have you 
 not? And so that day did the people of Lima close 
 in behind the procession. Before the officers reached 
 the palace the plaza was crowded from side to side and 
 even the fountain was blotted from view by the persons 
 who had climbed to the very top, in their efforts to 
 secure vantage points. 
 
 It had been the intention to have the admiral at once 
 appear before the Congress, but this the people would 
 not agree to, and he was compelled to address them 
 from the large balcony. Even when he appeared they 
 would not let him speak, being determined to first give 
 him an ovation, and when their overwrought feelings 
 at last found vent it seemed as if the sound waves that 
 rose and fell over that great plaza would never cease, 
 nor did they until the shouters — and they were every- 
 body — could shout no longer. It is said that strong 
 men fainted in the crowd that day, to such height 
 was their excitement carried; women became hyster- 
 ical and all Lima seemed mad. 
 
 At last, when the uproar had abated somewhat. 
 Admiral Garcia y Garcia raised his hand and there 
 was at once silence, a hush so profound that men 
 could hear the ticking of watches, for all over that 
 city street car and carriage traffic was suspended. 
 
 Then the admiral told his hearers the story of the 
 Inca, of the vow, of the treasure and of the building 
 of the navy ; he told them of happenings with which 
 you and I are familiar and of which they had heard 
 only in brief, by word of mouth or from the columns
 
 The Departure 133 
 
 of the official newspaper. He told it in such a manner 
 that they lost sight of Admiral Garcia, commander 
 of the navy, and thought of him only as a patriot; they 
 forgot that they were being addressed by a man who 
 was of their day and it seemed as if an Inca, of whom 
 tradition spoke, had appeared before them. 
 
 When the admiral had finished, the cries were re- 
 newed and in response President Pedro stepped from 
 the large chamber that opened on the balcony and 
 added a few words concerning matters of state. And 
 as the brothers stood side by side it was as if two great 
 Inca chiefs were gazing across the plaza at the wonder- 
 ful city of Lima. 
 
 It was noon-day before the President and the ad- 
 miral could persuade the populace to permit their 
 retiring from the balcony, and only then was it made 
 possible by attention being attracted by the band from 
 the flag-ship that marched into view, playing the 
 national anthem. 
 
 The reception of the admiral by the Congress was 
 as sincere, if not as demonstrative, as that accorded 
 by the populace. After a half hour before this body the 
 officers were driven to the executive mansion. There 
 they were entertained at luncheon, and when the 
 repast w-as finished Admiral Louis and his brother 
 found a few minutes for conversation in the latter's 
 study, the only other person present being Hawkins, 
 who had accompanied the party from the fleet. 
 
 "And now, Pedro, what of the morning?" asked the 
 admiral, when they were seated. 
 
 'Tt has been a busy day," was the reply. ''First is
 
 134 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the matter of the British minister. He apphed for his 
 passports." 
 
 "Which of course were granted?" 
 
 "Immediately." 
 
 "And the Congress?" 
 
 "The Congress approves our action in every partic- 
 ular. It has empowered me to declare war, should 
 I deem such a course necessary, but I do not think 
 it is, for war exists and our only step, as I view the 
 matter, is to issue a proclamation to the ministers 
 resident as to the status of affairs." 
 
 "What about the transfer of the treasure and the 
 rights to property in the Chincha Islands ?" 
 
 "As to that, Louis, the Congress has shown the 
 most gratifying appreciation. Our offer to turn over 
 everything to the nation has been rejected and a bill 
 has been passed calling for a special election, at which 
 a constitutional amendment will be voted upon." 
 
 "And the amendment, what are its terms ?" 
 
 "It provides that the President of Peru, the admiral 
 in command of the naval forces and the secretary of 
 state shall have full control of the Chincha Islands 
 and everything thereon for a period of twenty years, 
 after which all shall revert to the Government and be 
 treated as other state property." 
 
 "By that time Cuzco will be rebuilt and will be a 
 city as in the days of our forefathers," said Admiral 
 Louis. 
 
 At this point in the conversation the brothers were 
 interrupted by a knock at the door, followed by the 
 announcement that a delegation waited outside. From
 
 The Departure 135 
 
 that time, during the afternoon, delegation followed 
 delegation and there was no opportunity for more 
 privacy. Hawkins excused himself from attending 
 more affairs of state, urging that he should write the 
 account that he wished to cable to the United States 
 as soon as communication was restored, and President 
 Pedro found him a place where he would not be dis- 
 turbed. 
 
 The rejoicing, the merry-making and the celebrating 
 continued until late in the night, and it was ii o'clock 
 before the naval party left for the seacoast. They 
 were accompanied by the President, who wished to 
 pass the hours before the departure of the fleet with his 
 brother, and soon after midnight the three friends 
 w-ere again seated in the cabin of the Oroya. 
 
 The next morning, after farewells had been said, 
 the fleet steamed out of port, bound for Valparaiso. 
 Hawkins accompanied the squadron and before he 
 sailed he handed to President Pedro a bulky package 
 which he asked might be given to the cable company as 
 soon as wire traffic was resumed. This was the history 
 to date of the wonderful Peruvian fleet and the sinking 
 of the British battle-ship Shamrock by the Peruvian 
 battle-ship Miraflores.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 AT SEA. 
 
 Late in the afternoon of June 8th a small steamship 
 stood off and on near Buena Vista. 
 
 There were, perhaps, a score of houses in this settle- 
 ment, also a church and some office buildings ; two 
 piers jutted into the bay a distance that enabled deep- 
 water vessels to come alongside for the loading or 
 discharge of cargo. High promontories completely 
 shut off the town from north and south and the topog- 
 raphy was such that those familiar with this history 
 would have at once recognized the place from descrip- 
 tion as the former storehouse of the Incas' treasure, 
 even had not the name been mentioned. The great 
 headlands were almost on a level with the mountain 
 peaks that here deviated from the line maintained by 
 the Andean chain and approached nearer the ocean 
 than at any point on the coast. A glance showed 
 that the promontories could not be scaled by man, and 
 in this granite maw Buena Vista was secure from 
 invasion except by sea. 
 
 The little vessel steamed slowly and was evidently 
 waiting the arrival of another craft, or a signal from 
 shore; probably the former, for a man was stationed 
 at her foretop, something not at all necessary at the 
 distance maintained from land^ had communication 
 from the village been looked for. The officer on the 
 136
 
 At Sea 137 
 
 bridge had a telescope poised, and glanced through it 
 
 every few minutes. 
 
 She was a trim little craft, having every appearance 
 of being a pleasure boat, for no gun save a saluting 
 piece could be seen and her build was such as to 
 preclude the possibility of heavy armament. Beneath 
 her counter one could read in white letters the name of 
 the place near which she cruised. The men on her 
 decks were clad in the uniform peculiar to the Peru- 
 vian navy. 
 
 The commanding officer was a junior lieutenant, 
 acting as captain. By his side on the bridge was a 
 man of much higher rank, judging from the golden 
 sun on his breast and the broad bands on his sleeves. 
 His height would have attracted attention anywhere, 
 being something over six feet, and his erect figure 
 was cause for marvel, the lines on his face and the 
 white of his hair and beard bespeaking great age. His 
 features were not those of the Inca race ; they at once 
 called attention to his being of African descent, but 
 the massive forehead and the clear white of the eye 
 told that he was gifted with more intelligence than the 
 majority of those who come from the Dark Continent. 
 
 'They should be in sight within the half hour, sir," 
 said the Heutenant, as two strokes sounded on the 
 little bell amidships ; "that is, provided they left before 
 noon and have maintained full speed." 
 
 "I have no doubt but we will soon sight them," was 
 the reply. "Admiral Louis always carries out his pro- 
 gramme unless something unforeseen prevents." 
 
 "Were you not loth to leave the islands, sir?" the
 
 138 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 lieutenant said after a pause, during which he swept 
 the north horizon with his glass. 
 
 "Yes, in a way, but old as I am I would like to 
 take part in some action. But, sir," he added, "are we 
 not steaming out too far? The point of meeting was 
 named as a mile from town and at present I can barely 
 make out the residence of the captain of the port, which 
 is the largest house of the settlement." 
 
 The lieutenant gave a command to the quartermas- 
 ter, over went the wheel, around spun the Buena 
 Vista and a minute later they were steaming toward 
 the shore line. 
 
 The sun at this hour was slowly sinking to the sea 
 and a dazzling path gilded the water between the boat 
 and the segment of the ocean where it seemed as 
 though the fiery planet must plunge. 
 
 The Buena Vista had steamed half the distance 
 between the point where she came about and the main- 
 land when the lookout called down from the foretop, 
 "Smoke on the port beam, sir !" 
 
 The lieutenant brought the bridge telescope into 
 range and the senior officer leveled his marine glass in 
 the direction indicated. 
 
 Another call came from the top. This time is was : 
 "Steamship ahoy, sir !" 
 
 Then rapidly these reports were made : 
 
 "More smoke to port, sir! Battle-ship heaving in 
 sight, sir ! Build of the Oroya, sir ! Others following ! 
 They are coming fast, sir !" 
 
 "Shall we steam to meet them, sir?" asked the junior 
 officer.
 
 At Sea 139 
 
 "Yes," was the reply, and the Buena Vista's course 
 was altered from due east to a point north by east, 
 bringing the bright sunlight on the port beam. 
 
 So rapidly did the fleet advance from the north 
 and the small boat steam to meet the arriving vessels 
 that to those on the deck of the yacht the Peruvian 
 squadron appeared to rise out of the water, and the 
 effect was like that produced by the lightning photo- 
 graphs of the present day that Mr. Edison has brought 
 forth to amuse and instruct the public. 
 
 As three strokes were sounded on the bells of all 
 the ships, telling the hour of half past five, the Buena 
 Vista reached the side of the flag-ship and came to, 
 a cable's length from that vessel. A minute before a 
 signal had caused the screws to be reversed on battle- 
 ships, cruisers and torpedo-boats, and they had come 
 to a stop, each within her own length. The moment 
 the yacht was abreast the Oroya the salute for a vice- 
 admiral rang from her brass pieces and even as the 
 guns were sounding the veteran sailor left the bridge 
 of the Buena Vista, entered an electric barge that 
 had been let down from the davits, and was taken 
 rapidly to the flag-ship. He was met at the rail by 
 Admiral Louis, who welcomed him heartily, and con- 
 ducting him to the bridge, there presented him to 
 Carey Hawkins as Vice Admiral Padre. 
 
 ''How about the British ?" queried the new comer. 
 
 "An open rupture," was the reply, "with the result 
 that I was compelled to sink the Shamrock." 
 
 "I feared this would happen, Louis." 
 
 "Feared! Why?"
 
 140 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "Because I would have been there, to see and to 
 take part." 
 
 "Ah, the wounds received on the gunboat have not 
 yet healed ?" 
 
 "No, and they never will." 
 
 By this time they were under way again, speeding 
 south and rapidly leaving astern the little Buena Vista, 
 which had shaped a course shoreward, for she was 
 ordered to return to port and coal before returning 
 to the Chinchas. In a few minutes they were off the 
 place where the treasure had been stored for centuries 
 and at that moment the sun, a great ball of red, com- 
 menced to bury itself in the sea of green. 
 
 "It is an evening like that of years ago," said 
 Admiral Louis, as he glanced from beach to horizon 
 line. "There is where the old Inca sat by the shore," 
 and he pointed toward a spot between the piers. "I 
 can see him now and hear his words, as, with his dying 
 breath, he exacted the final promise from Pedro and 
 me. O, rest in your golden tomb, our Inca! Could 
 you but waken and view this spectacle you would 
 realize how near your life's dream is to fulfillment," 
 and turning quickly, the admiral pointed to the great 
 ships that followed even as far as the eye could reach. 
 
 As he spoke the Oroya passed the little settlement 
 and the promontory that guarded it to the south, then 
 her course was slightly altered so that the fleet might 
 stand further out to sea for the night. Within twenty 
 minutes the land had become a haze in the distance 
 and by this time darkness was settling over the water. 
 
 At five bells the two senior officers of the fleet and
 
 At Sea 141 
 
 the newspaper correspondent left the bridge and en- 
 tered the forward superstructure, where dinner was 
 soon served. As they took seats at table, Vice Admiral 
 Padre asked his senior what plans he had formed for 
 the following day. "I inquire, because, according to 
 my calculations, we will be off Valparaiso to-morrow 
 night," he said. 
 
 "Between 9 and 10 o'clock," Admiral Louis as- 
 sented. "As my plans are somewhat elaborate we will 
 review them in detail this evening. I have decided to 
 divide the fleet into two squadrons, the first comprising 
 the Oroya, Payta, Matucana, Mejillones and Arica. 
 The second will be formed by the Chorillos, Pisco, 
 Tambovisa and Chosica. Two torpedo-boats will be 
 assigned to the first division and four to the second. 
 I will take immediate command of the former, which 
 will comprise two battle-ships, three cruisers and two 
 torpedo-boats ; you will command the second division, 
 having two battle-ships, two cruisers and four torpedo- 
 boat^." 
 
 "But to change the subject, Padre, did Captain Sin- 
 clair appear disappointed at being assigned to the 
 Chinchas, instead of remaining with the fleet ?" 
 
 "He may not like the berth so well," replied the 
 veteran, "but no one can tell from his manner and he 
 certainly had nothing to say concerning his likes or 
 dislikes in the matter. He undoubtedly realizes that 
 you have given him a most important position of trust, 
 and although he may not see active service, yet there 
 is a possibility for a desperate struggle where he is 
 stationed."
 
 142 Sweepers of the Sea. 
 
 ''You are right, Padre. The Chinchas may be at- 
 tacked any day, and when an attack is made a man 
 of sound judgment and one who is cool-headed will 
 be needed to direct the repulse. That is why I selected 
 Captain Sinclair for comma'ndante. He is the most 
 phlegmatic commander in the navy and I believe the 
 best tactician, so far as land operations are concerned. 
 I thought of sending Captain Heatherton to the Yard, 
 but I noticed, after his diplomatic encounter with the 
 Britisher, that he was a trifle excited and to leave a per- 
 son of that frame of mind on the islands would be 
 imwise, the temptation to advance from the base of 
 supplies being the first that will have to be resisted; 
 and the moment such tactics should be adopted by our 
 forces the chances of the enemy's success would be 
 greatly increased." 
 
 He pushed back his chair and led the way to the 
 bridge, his favorite place when on deck, for from this 
 raised platform the length and breadth of the flagship 
 could be seen, and at night the red and green Hghts 
 that shone from the vessels of the following fleet. 
 Sailors had strung canvas at the sides of the bridge 
 and in the lee of this, seated on their extension steamer 
 chairs, the party from the cabin were not annoyed by 
 the wind which whistled over their heads. 
 
 One would have thought a brisk gale blowing, for 
 the wind whistled through the rigging, carried the 
 smoke to leeward in horizontal lines and tore to shreds 
 the steam that shrieked from the escape pipes; but a 
 glance over the side showed that the sea was only
 
 At Sea 143 
 
 ruffled in places, as though stirred by an eight-knot 
 breeze. 
 
 'That ilhistrates better than anything the speed we 
 are making," said Admiral Garcia, pointing to the 
 funnels' tops. Granting that the breeze from the 
 south is eight knots, add to it thirty-three, the rate at 
 which we are now steaming, and you will have as a 
 total forty-one knots, or nearly fifty miles an hour as 
 the force with which the air strikes the Oroya, or the 
 Oroya the air, whichever way you may wish to con- 
 struct the sentence." 
 
 "What if we were running into a gale?" Hawkins 
 asked. 
 
 ''Something would give way unless we slowed 
 down," replied the admiral. 
 
 Chatting thus of matters maritime, of ships and the 
 m.en who go down to sea in them, the Peruvian, the Af- 
 rican and the American passed an hour or more, while 
 the iron-clads of the new navy rushed on into the night, 
 toward the place where the enemy was gathered. . 
 
 And such a night was this into which the steel 
 wedges flew with their armaments and their armor, to 
 wreak vengeance in the name of a vanquished and 
 downtrodden people! 
 
 Did you ever sail at night on the South Pacific 
 when there was not a cloud in the sky, not a ruffle of 
 the water, save here and there where the light breeze 
 caught; and when the long, undulating rollers, the 
 palpitations of the greatest of oceans, came in from 
 space and told of turbulence somewhere? Did you 
 ever, while in these waters, lean back in a steamer
 
 144 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 chair or lie upon the deck and watch the sights above 
 you, that moved from side to side like the pictures of a 
 panorama, as the ship rolled majestically to the force 
 of the billows ? 
 
 A long roll to port and there is Sirius just above 
 the horizon line — a red flare that might be taken for 
 a segment of the sun, were it not for absence of rays. 
 A few degrees above, and brought into the range of 
 your vision as the ship recovers, is the Southern Cross, 
 its four stars as bright as diamonds; and scattered 
 about, a veil over the blue black of night, the glorious 
 milky way, its myriads of silvery atoms sparkling in- 
 dividually, yet blending into translucent streamers. 
 
 And seeing this, can men doubt there is a God? 
 
 Even the sea bears testimony, aside from its majesty, 
 for, glance over the side of a rapidly moving craft in 
 the South Pacific and notice how the waters are peo- 
 pled ! That bright line of fire along the side tells the 
 presence of quadrillions of tiny creatures of the deep, 
 that perhaps show fight, or anger — who knows? — at 
 the rough thrusting into their midst of the great mass 
 of steel, and they, the tiny phosphorescent people, 
 shine with a bright red glow for a foot or more 
 parallel with the ship; and astern, after they are 
 churned by the powerful screws and stirred by the 
 hull, they glisten in a broad path that, as far as the 
 eye can see, marks the road the ship has taken. 
 
 This night, man added to the grandeur, for, follow- 
 ing the Oroya into the night, were eight huge black 
 forms, each with a green eye on one side and a red 
 eye on the other, and between them were six little
 
 At Sea 145 
 
 craft, leaping over the rollers as do porpoises, and 
 throwing over their bows spray that turned golden 
 as it fell. 
 
 Torpedo-boats, cruisers and battle-ships dashing to- 
 ward the point where Sirius glowed and glowered 
 above the horizon, as though a signal flare, pointing 
 to the place where war was to be waged ! 
 
 Lights were out on all ships of the fleet, except two 
 on each, the red to starboard and the green to port, 
 carried by the Peruvians in recognition of interna- 
 tional law. 
 
 Six strokes were rung on the sonorous bell that 
 hung amidships on the flag-ship and the sound waves 
 had but died avv^ay when the faint notes from other 
 bells of the fleet came over the water. 
 
 "It is late," said Admiral Garcia, rising, ''the air 
 is growing chill and. Padre, you and I have much to 
 talk over before we turn in. Suppose we return to 
 the cabin." 
 
 They waited a minute on the bridge while the ad- 
 miral exchanged a few words with Captain Beausire 
 and the three entered the forward superstructure. 
 There the correspondent seated himself at a desk and 
 began Vs^ork on some manuscript, while the senior 
 officers of the fleet unrolled a large chart, w^hich they 
 placed on a center table. 
 
 It was a chart of Valparaiso harbor, or perhaps it 
 might better be termed a model on a plane of the 
 Chilean port, for not only was the depth of water in 
 the bay noted at various points and the anchorages 
 marked, but the detail was carried out on the shore
 
 146 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 line. Thus the blocks of the city were numbered, the 
 Government buildings indicated and the foreign con- 
 sulates noted by signs. And so the fortifications were 
 marked clearly, and in foot notes were told the number 
 of guns in the coast defense and the caliber of each, 
 also their degree of efficiency, whether rifled or 
 smooth bore. It was evident that for some time, and 
 until quite recently, the Peruvians had an agent at 
 work in the enemy's territory. So recently, indeed, 
 had this vv^ork been revised that the author had marked 
 with crosses where the ships of the Chilean navy had 
 been at anchor a fortnight before and the chances 
 were that they had not moved since. Thus the spot 
 where the famous Almirante Cochrane could be found 
 was designated, and also the location of the new 
 Blanco Encalada. 
 
 ''And that red, white and red mark — something like 
 our flag — to the west ; what does that indicate ?" 
 Hawkins overheard Vice Admiral Padre ask. 
 
 "The Huascar rides there," the senior officer re- 
 pHed. 
 
 "You have marked her anchorage especially?" 
 
 "Yes, I would rather know her berth accurately 
 than that of any ship in the harbor, or all of them." 
 
 "Why; you do not intend opening fire on her, do 
 you ?" 
 
 "No, sir," emphatically replied Admiral Louis, "but 
 I intend cutting her out." 
 
 "Before the engagement?" 
 
 "Yes ; to-morrow night."
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE FIRST PRIZE OF THE WAR. 
 
 When the New York correspondent reached the 
 deck the next morning he was greeted by Admiral 
 Garcia with the exclamation, "Buenas dias ! Isn't this 
 a glorious day and a glorious sea for the sun to shine 
 upon?" 
 
 For during the night a north wind had sprung up 
 and a stiff breeze from that point of the compass — 
 something seldom experienced in the latitude of Callao, 
 but of more frequent occurrence off the coast of Chile 
 — had brought to life waves of dark green, frosting 
 many of them with foam, so that thousands of white 
 caps danced about, to port, to starboard, ahead and 
 astern. The wind bore down on the ships at about the 
 speed they were making, so that air currents were 
 neutralized and smoke rose straight from the funnels 
 of battle-ships and cruisers, and hardly a breath fanned 
 the cheeks of those on deck. The waves met the long 
 roll of the Pacific at right angles and a choppy sea was 
 the result. 
 
 "You are just in time," the admiral added after his 
 morning greeting. "We are soon to have muster and 
 general quarters." 
 
 "But this is not the fir^t Sunday of the month," 
 said Hawkins, calling to memory the naval regulations 
 with which he was familiar. 
 
 147
 
 14S Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "Neither is this the American navy," Admiral Louis 
 replied, laughing. "Our regulations prescribe muster 
 before going into action, if possible, and muster on 
 certain feast days. This happens to be both a feast 
 day and a day when we have good reason to expect an 
 engagement. But it is near two bells, so remain here 
 and be the first civilian to stand on this bridge or the 
 bridge of any ship in the navy at such a time." 
 
 Turning to Lieutenant Cordero, the admiral said : 
 "Order quarters and muster throughout the fleet sir. 
 Great guns to be brought into position, but sides and 
 superstructures to remain as now." 
 
 The lieutenant saluted and turned away. A minute 
 later six flags were broken beneath the fore truck, 
 each flag representing a word or a sentence of the 
 naval code. At that moment bugles rang out on the 
 Oroya, the martial roll of snare drums sounded and 
 all became life and action as, like echoes, bugle calls 
 and drum rolls answered from other ships. 
 
 Captain Beausire came on the bridge, the navig^ator 
 relieved the officer of the deck, who reported to his 
 gun station ; lieutenants, ensigns and cadets hastened 
 from wardroom and steerage and sailors swarmed 
 from below. All were in full dress — commissioned 
 officers in black and gold, non-commissioned officers, 
 sailors and marines in black and silver. The golden 
 suns on the breasts of Admiral Garcia and Vice Ad- 
 miral Padre told of their high rank ; the rank of other 
 officers was denoted by the width of braid on the 
 sleeves and the insignia on coat collars. 
 
 The fleet officers stepped to one side, for orders
 
 The First Prize 149 
 
 concerning the squadron had been given and exe- 
 cuted and Captain Beausire was charged with carrying 
 out the detail on the Oroya. 
 
 The shrill whistle that Hawkins had heard three 
 days before was sounded and the immense trap doors 
 — three to port, three to starboard and one in the bow 
 — swung open and the great guns commenced to rise 
 slowly to the deck level, where they were harnessed in 
 tackle and training gear and quickly hauled in position. 
 No huge concave sides were now above the deck line 
 to dwarf these pieces by comparison ; they stood alone 
 and glistened under the sunlight Hke polished silver. 
 When in place their muzzles projected at least three 
 feet over the sides, yet between the breeches there 
 was barely room for squads of men to work. Had 
 they been hauled back until the muzzles were even 
 with the sides the breeches would have touched; so 
 two of the 15-inch guns, standing end to end, would 
 cover the entire space from port to starboard, which 
 was 195 feet, proving each gun to be 97.5 feet long. 
 And at no place on any gun, from muzzle to breech, 
 could the tallest man of the ship's crew place his hand 
 on the top. 
 
 Attention was soon diverted from the cannon to the 
 men, who commenced to move, gun squad after gun 
 squad, toward an open space amidships, where Captain 
 Beausire had taken position upon steps leading to the 
 bridge. Each squad was the size of a company of 
 infantry and numbered sixty men, ofificered by a lieu- 
 tenant and two ensigns. Therefore more than four 
 hundred sailors gathered near their captain and came
 
 150 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 to "attention." Then up marched two companies of 
 marines under a lieutenant-colonel and formed ranks 
 behind the gun squads. In the rear of these assembled 
 all the men who could be spared from below, the 
 engineers and firemen, the coal passers and oilers; 
 the pantrymen and waiters, the stewards and cooks, 
 and the workers in the surgical and medical divisions 
 — for it was general muster and everybody, save the 
 few kept away "for good of the ship" and those in 
 the sick bay, was compelled to attend. When the 
 crew — a thousand men in all — had formed according 
 to regulations. Captain Beausire drew forth the articles 
 of war and read so every one could hear the creed 
 of the Peruvian navy and the punishment for violation 
 of its charges. While he did so sailors and marines 
 stood at "attention." When he had finished the cap- 
 tain's clerk handed him a list and the roll call began. 
 
 "Atahualpa !" This was the first name and as the 
 word rang out Captain Beausire drew his sword. 
 
 "Present ! Arms !" ordered the colonel of marines. 
 
 "Present! Arms!" commanded the heutenants to 
 their gun squads. 
 
 Swords flashed from scabbards, sabers were lifted to 
 cap visors and rifles were brought to the position pre- 
 scribed by manual. 
 
 Admiral Garcia y Garcia bared his head, walked 
 slowly from the bridge and took a position among the 
 men. From there he answered : 
 
 "Absent, but accounted for. He is with the heroes." 
 
 And thus at every muster and roll call the name of
 
 The First Prize 151 
 
 the greatest of all Incas is the first mentioned and 
 saluted with the ceremony due one of high station. 
 
 The call continued, the captain naming the officers 
 and the latter, in turn, going through the lists of those 
 under their immediate commands. This done, the 
 bugles and drums sounded the recall, the men were 
 dismissed and the guns sank to their places in the 
 hold. 
 
 Hardly had the deck assumed its normal appearance 
 when the flag lieutenant stepped up to Admiral Garcia 
 and reported : 'The Chosica signals a strange sail on 
 her port bow, sir!" 
 
 Those who were on the bridge and heard this an- 
 nouncement turned around and saw that several flags 
 were hoisted to the fore on the battle-ship named. 
 She was at this time on the left wing of the squadron 
 and the nearest in-shore. 
 
 "Order her to give chase and capture the stranger 
 if she proves to be a Chilean," replied the admiral. 
 
 Five minutes later the signal for the fleet to heave-to 
 was hoisted, and swinging at will of wind and sea, the 
 ships of the squadron waited the result of the chase 
 by the Chosica, which vessel had steamed due east, in 
 order to head off the stranger. 
 
 ''Admiral Garcia, would this not be an opportune 
 time for me to leave the Oroya and board the Choril- 
 los?" suggested Vice Admiral Padre. 
 
 'Terhaps it would be wise," rephed the senior. 'T 
 had planned for you to leave during the afternoon, but 
 we shall probably lose a half hour here and it may be 
 well not to make another stop."
 
 152 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "I will be ready within five minutes," said the vet- 
 eran, leaving the bridge. As he entered the forward 
 superstructure the boatswain's whistle sounded the call 
 for the admirara barge, which was at once hoisted out 
 and swung under the lee side. 
 
 All vessels of the squadron were at this time rolling 
 gracefully as they lay in the trough of the sea, and 
 the wind, no longer a foUovv^ing breeze, blew the flags 
 straight out from the halyards. It was no easy task 
 for the crew of the little barge to prevent her being 
 caught by the swinging ladder as it was drawn high 
 from water and plunged deep down again by the 
 Oroya's motion, but they were not delayed long by 
 the fleet officer, w'ho appeared on deck almost imme- 
 diately, accompanied by two servants who carried his 
 luggage. It was a difficult feat for a young man to 
 undertake — the boarding of the little barge while such 
 a sea was running, but Vice Admiral Padre ran down 
 the ladder, waited for the proper moment, then jumped 
 into the stern sheets of the craft in waiting with a 
 dexterity that surprised Hawkins. His servants had 
 a more exciting time of it, and one that must have 
 been quite nerve-racking for them, as both were soused 
 to the waist by a foaming white cap, and they were 
 hauled into the space amidships by sailors just in time 
 to save their being swept away. When all were on 
 board the barge darted from the side and danced over 
 the waves toward the Chorillos, which was to become 
 the flag-ship of the second squadron. Ten minutes 
 later the launch disappeared to leeward of the battle- 
 ship that lay about half a mile astern of the Oroya
 
 The First Prize 153 
 
 and then a pennant was hoisted to the fore truck, 
 announcing that Vice Admiral Padre had assumed 
 command. 
 
 'The Chosica is returning, sir, and she signals the 
 capture of a prize !" reported Lieutenant Cordero. 
 
 Admiral Louis and Captain Beausire took marine 
 glasses from shelves on the bridge and stepping to 
 the port side gazed intently at the returning Peruvian 
 cruiser and even more intently at the little craft that 
 was following astern. 
 
 "Can you make out her ensign, captain? Isn't it 
 red, white and red?'' asked the admiral. 
 
 "Yes, sir. There is a large Peruvian ensign hoisted 
 over a smaller flag." 
 
 "She must be a Chilean man-of-war, Beausire, for 
 Captain Biggs would not have molested a merchant- 
 man. And her funnel, captain, is it not painted yel- 
 low?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Then she must be the Pilcomayo. Yes, I am certain 
 she is. You remember the little cruiser, do you not, 
 Hawkins? She w^as at anchor in Callao Bay when 
 war was declared in 1878 and was captured by the 
 Chilenos soon after the Huascar fell into their clutches. 
 Mr. Cordero," he said to the flag officer, "signal the 
 vice admiral to send a crew to the prize and order her 
 to steam slowly to the north, so as to arrive at Arica 
 one week from to-day. We will gladden the hearts 
 of the good people at Arica by the sight of the little 
 Pilcomayo about the time that Callao and Lima will
 
 154 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 be feasting over the return of the Huascar," the ad- 
 miral remarked to Hawkins. 
 
 The orders were given, and when the Pilcomayo 
 crept into the fleet, barges were seen moving between 
 the cruiser and the prize. A half hour later Vice 
 Admiral Padre signaled "all clear," and the flag-ship 
 ordered, "Thirty-three knots speed ahead ; two squad- 
 ron formation." As the fleet got under way again the 
 red, white and red ensign on the Pilcomayo was dipped 
 in salute and then her bow was turned toward the 
 north. At this time the vice admiral signaled, "Cap- 
 tain Biggs reports the capture of seventy prisoners of 
 war, which number includes eight commissioned 
 officers." 
 
 The two-squadron formation now adopted was that 
 decided upon by Admiral Garcia the evening before, 
 and the second division, under the vice admiral, main- 
 tained a position to starboard and somewhat astern of 
 the first. 
 
 These incidents of the morning over, the day slowly 
 wore away without happenings out of the ordinary. 
 There were no preparations necessary for the impend- 
 ing conflict, everything possible having been done 
 before the ships left the Chincha Islands. An expres- 
 sion of anxiety might have been observed upon the 
 faces of some of the younger officers and seamen, but 
 the majority of the Oroya's crew were veterans of the 
 sea and a man who has fought foam-crested waves and 
 conquered them is in position to participate in a 
 war where powder and shot mingle, without shrinking ;
 
 The First Prize 155 
 
 and so it always is that sailors under fire for the first 
 time are cooler than are land recruits. 
 
 Unusual care was taken with the noon observations, 
 Captain Beausire ordering several officers to work with 
 the navigator, and when the course was finally pricked 
 off on the chart it was announced that the fleet would 
 be in the latitude of Valparaiso by lo o'clock that 
 evening. 
 
 "I cannot understand why you warned the foreign 
 men-of-war not to leave Callao bay for three days," 
 said Carey Hawkins to Admiral Garcia, as they stood 
 watching the ships late that afternoon. "Nothing that 
 floats could have carried the news ahead of your ar- 
 rival." 
 
 "1 know that, Carey," replied the commander-in- 
 chief. ''Our purpose was to ascertain positively the 
 disposition of the foreign commanders, so there could 
 be no doubt as to how we should proceed. They had 
 no reason to believe at the time that the vessels of 
 this navy could steam faster than theirs." 
 
 'Was not communication by wire to be restored 
 after three days ?" Hawkins then asked. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "This is the third day; will not the news reach 
 Valparaiso this afternoon ?" 
 
 "No ; traffic was restored at noon to-day, but there 
 will be a strict censorship and nothing except com- 
 mercial messages, written in Spanish or English, will 
 be allowed over the wires until to-morrow morning." 
 
 "What about the dispatches I left with Pedro?" 
 
 "Don't worry about them," assured the admiral.
 
 156 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "They will be put on the cable to-night, vSo as to reach 
 your newspaper in time for publication in the morning 
 and that pubhcation will be the first announcement to 
 the outside world of the events below the equator. 
 Perhaps the first intimation to Chile of what has hap- 
 pened will be the query that her minister at Washing- 
 ton or her consul-general at New York will send after 
 reading what you wrote day before yesterday in 
 Lima." 
 
 The afternoon dragged for both the commander-in- 
 chief and the newspaper correspondent. The previous 
 days had been so replete with events of a stirring na- 
 ture and there was so much about to happen that the 
 monotony of inactivity was oppressive ; so the occu- 
 pants of the cabin were glad when the sun commenced 
 to sink below the horizon and the officers of the ward- 
 room shared their feelings. 
 
 When the evening was advanced Captain Beausire 
 ordered careful observations, and officers read the 
 star angles through sextants while others computed 
 the logarithms from this reading. An hour later — it 
 was by this time nearly 10 o'clock — the stars were 
 again called upon to furnish information and when 
 the results of calculations were compared. Captain 
 Beausire announced to Admiral Carcia y Garcia : "Sir, 
 I have the honor to report that we are in latitude 33-22 
 and longitude 72-2." 
 
 "Directly opposite Valparaiso and about thirty miles 
 distant !" exclaimed the admiral. "Mr. Cordero, signal 
 the fleet to heave-to." 
 
 The lights that carried these orders over the waters
 
 The First Prize 157 
 
 were soon flashing from the tube that led from the 
 wheel-house, and in the distance repeating lights could 
 be seen above the vice admiral's flag-ship. 
 
 As soon as the Oroya was hove to and rolling in 
 the trough of the almost calm sea — for the wind of the 
 morning and early afternoon had died away — orders 
 were given the flag lieutenant to summon the vice 
 admiral and the commanding officers of all the vessels 
 of the two squadrons to board the Oroya for a council 
 of war. 
 
 Within twenty minutes the reception room of Ad- 
 miral Garcia's suite was thronged, three captains of 
 battle-ships, five captains of cruisers and six com- 
 manders of torpedo-boats having responded to the 
 summons. There were also present the commander- 
 in-chief, the vice admiral, Captain Beausire of the 
 Oroya, Lieutenant Cordero and Ensign Romero, 
 the admiral's secretary — nineteen officers in all. They 
 were magnificent types of manhood and not only were 
 the leading nations of the modern world represented 
 in this council, but men were there the lines of whose 
 faces spoke of ancient history's times. Standing near 
 the upright piano, that gave such an effect of a dil- 
 ettante's apartment to Admiral Garcia's cabin, was a 
 tall, handsome Greek, Captain Demetrio, commander 
 of the cruiser Matucana. He was engaged in conversa- 
 tion with Captain Olsen of the Tambovisa, a Scan- 
 dinavian, whose massive shoulders, hair almost golden 
 and eyes of blue, spoke of the time of Eric the Bold. 
 The United States was represented by Captain Biggs 
 of the Chosica; Germany by Captain Paschall of the
 
 158 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 Chorillos, and France by Captain Beausire. With the 
 exception of the commander-in-chief, Peru had but 
 two representatives present, Captain Rodriguez of the 
 Payta and Commander SedalHo of the torpedo-boat 
 Anita. Even the Emerald Isle had a son high in 
 power in this new Peruvian navy, Commander Crane 
 being in attendance at this conference by virtue of his 
 position on the torpedo-boat Maria. The gold upon 
 the black uniforms of those in the cabin shone bril- 
 liantly under the electric lights that illuminated the 
 room. For a few minutes the officers talked with one 
 another concerning the events of the last few days, 
 then there was silence as Admiral Garcia y Garcia 
 stepped forward. 
 
 '"Sirs," said he, "I have summoned you for the pur- 
 pose of instruction, also to seek counsel from many 
 minds concerning a matter that I wish acted upon this 
 night, and to compliment you all upon the efficient 
 manner in which you have handled your ships since 
 we left the Chinchas." 
 
 As the commander-in-chief addressed the officers of 
 the navy the American newspaper correspondent, who 
 had been admitted to this, as to other conferences, re- 
 marked that his friend towered above all in the room, 
 both mentally and physically ; and while watching the 
 descendant of the greatest of all Incas he called to 
 mind the legends that told of marvelous deeds by this 
 once powerful race and was convinced they bore more 
 truth than fiction. 
 
 The officers had saluted when the words of praise 
 were uttered and the admiral continued: ''We will
 
 The First Prize 159 
 
 take the Chileans by surprise in the morning. I shall 
 at once demand an unconditional surrender, which 
 will probably be refused. As the resultant battle will 
 undoubtedly be fought in the bay and shells may fall 
 in the town, I shall give twelve hours' notice before 
 opening fire. A combined Chilean and British fleet 
 will in all probability be opposed to us, for long before 
 sunset to-morrow the English will have learned what 
 has occurred. There is but one large battle-ship in 
 Valparaiso at present. She flies the cross of St. George. 
 With her are two cruisers, one of the first class, the 
 other of the second. Our navy is of course vastly 
 superior to these fleets and victory should be quickly 
 and easily won. But the instructions I wish to impress 
 upon you, sirs, are : Keep a careful lookout for the 
 enemy's torpedoes and fire low, so as to destroy hulls 
 and spare human Hfe as much as possible. In this 
 respect imitate Captain Heatherton's attack on the 
 Shamrock. 
 
 "And now, sirs, I seek counsel. Lying in five 
 fathoms of water in Valparaiso Bay is the Huascar. 
 Her exact anchorage is marked upon the chart that 
 hangs yonder on the wall. We are thirty knots from 
 there. I would have this vessel captured to-night with- 
 out a spar on her being riddled by shot and with as 
 little loss of life as possible, so that she may be brought 
 into our fleet and steam with us to-morrow when we 
 enter Valparaiso Bay, even as she steamed in mockery 
 before Callao years ago, flying the lone star flag from 
 her gaff. What plans have you to suggest, sirs?" 
 
 After a moment's silence Captain Paschall said : "A
 
 i6o Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 torpedo-boat might run alongside, sir, and put a 
 boarding crew on the Huascar. She will only have an 
 anchor watch and the little battle-ship would soon be 
 in our possession." 
 
 "But there is a chance that a marine might be on 
 guard," rephed the admiral, ''and a rifle shot w^ould 
 arouse the bay. The surprise of the Huascar's disap- 
 pearance and reappearance later would not have the 
 effect I desire." 
 
 "Would it not do, sir, to send in boats' crews, ac- 
 cording to tactics, and board her from all sides, over- 
 powering the sentry immediately?" asked Captain 
 Biggs. 
 
 "That plan is the best that I have been able to 
 form," said the commander-in-chief, "but I would 
 there were a better." 
 
 There was silence for a few minutes, then Com- 
 mander Crane rose and saluted. "Sir," said he, "my 
 rank is not as high as that of others who are present, 
 but if they have nothing further to suggest may I be 
 heard?" 
 
 Admiral Garcia motioned for him to continue. 
 
 "I noticed as I came on board, sir," said the Irish- 
 man, that a mist bank was bearing down from wind- 
 ward. May I ask, sir, that the officer of the deck in- 
 form us as to the state of the weather at present ?" 
 
 The officers in the cabin looked at the young com- 
 mander of the Maria in surprise. Admiral Garcia 
 summoned an orderly, sent word by him to the lieu- 
 tenant who was on the bridge and soon received reply
 
 The First Prize i6i 
 
 that a fog had crept over the fleet within the last ten 
 minutes and that no Hghts were visible. 
 
 "I wish to inquire of officers who have cruised in 
 this latitude as to the probable duration and intensity 
 of such fogs," said Commander Crane. 
 
 'They become heavier as the night advances," Cap- 
 tain Rodriguez replied, "and are usually dissipated by 
 sea breezes soon after sunrise." 
 
 ''Another question, sir," continued the commander 
 of the Maria. ''How many officers came to the flag- 
 ship to-night in electric barges ?" 
 
 Admiral Garcia inquired and the reply was that nine 
 had used these swift little craft, the others having come 
 in their gigs. 
 
 "And you have three electric barges on the Oroya, 
 Captain Beausire?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Then, Admiral Garcia y Garcia, if you could send 
 my brother officers back to their ships in gigs and 
 cutters and give me their barges, together with those 
 attached to the Oroya for five hours I will agree to 
 bring the Huascar into this fleet within that time and 
 none in Valparaiso harbor shall be the wiser, nor shall 
 anyone on board the Huascar know^ definitely what has 
 happened, nor shall a life be lost." 
 
 "Your plan, sir," said the admiral, stepping quickly 
 to the commander's side. 
 
 Concisely and rapidly the Irishman detailed what 
 he had conceived and as he spoke the officers came 
 closer and eagerly listened to his words. 
 
 "That will do, sir," finally said the commander-in-
 
 i62 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 chief. ''Gentlemen," he added, addressing the other 
 line officers, ''Captain Beausire will provide you with 
 the means of reaching your ships, as I shall loan the 
 fleet's barges now near the Oroya to Commander 
 Crane." 
 
 Then to the officer who had volunteered he said : 
 "Your services are accepted, sir. The launches you 
 wish are subject to your orders and you may select 
 such members of the Oroya's crew as you wish to 
 accompany you. Commander Crane, if you are suc- 
 cessful you will find a captain's commission awaiting 
 you upon your return. Sirs, the council is dismissed."
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 CUTTING OUT THE HUASCAR. 
 
 Fearing collision in the fog the electric barges and 
 the gigs that had been slowly moving around the flag- 
 ship, while waiting the return of captains and com- 
 manders, had drawn close to the Oroya and made fast 
 alongside. So dense was the mist that neither the hulls 
 of these small boats, nor the men who were on board 
 of them, could be made out from the deck ; only the 
 small binnacle lights, far below the rail, which re- 
 sembled glow worms as they rose and fell, and swung- 
 from side to side. 
 
 As the ofiBcers left the cabin boat calls were sounded 
 and cutters and gigs, ordered to relieve the electric 
 barges which were needed for the cutting out expedi- 
 tion, were hoisted away. Crews ran out on the booms 
 and sHpped into their places ; commands were given by 
 petty officers and oars were let fall ; there was heard 
 the rhythm of the strokes, as the rowers bent to their 
 work; there were warning whistles and ringing of 
 bells as the cutters passed the barges ; then all became 
 quiet, for positions had been taken — and those on the 
 Oroya knew that the boat immediately astern of the 
 starboard ladder was the vice admiral's gig, that the 
 one next in line was intended for the senior captain and 
 that in turn the boats would move up to the ladder as 
 the officers went over the side, in accordance with the 
 
 163
 
 i64 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 rules of naval etiquette. As none of these boats could 
 be discerned through the fog, so their occupants could 
 see no more of the Oroya than a mass of cold black 
 steel, against which the waves were thrusting them and 
 from which men in bow and stern kept the shells from 
 crushing by dexterous use of boat hooks. 
 
 Ten minutes after the council's adjournment all vis- 
 iting officers except Commander Crane had left the 
 ship, the commander of the torpedo-boat Madeline be- 
 ing the last over the side. The measured strokes of 
 the cutters' oars became fainter and fainter, as the 
 distance from the flag-ship of the receding boats was 
 increased. 
 
 "Some of them will have difficulty finding their ships 
 because of the thick weather, will they not?" asked 
 Hawkins. 
 
 "A little, no doubt," Admiral Garcia replied, as he 
 stepped from his desk to the cabin door. ''But each 
 small boat is provided with a compass and the petty 
 officers know the bearings of the ships, having taken 
 sights just before the fog closed in." 
 
 At that moment Commander Crane stepped to the 
 admiral's side, saluted and said : "With your permis- 
 sion, sir, we can leave." 
 
 "Have you everything that is necessary, captain?" 
 
 "Yes, sir. Captain Beausire has supplied us with a 
 short hawser for each barge and with one that is suffi- 
 ciently long for the flotilla. I have selected an ensign, 
 two electricians, a coxswain and two able seamen for 
 each barge. The diver will go with me in the Valeria." 
 
 "Would it interfere with your plans, captain, to have
 
 Cutting Out the Huascar 165 
 
 two passengers in your barge, providing they obeyed 
 your instructions implicitly?" 
 
 "Certainly not, sir ; if you so wish. Are they ready 
 to leave, sir ?" 
 
 "Yes, immediately. The passengers will be Mr. 
 Hawkins and myself. No, I am not going as an officer 
 and shall leave everything to you. I will not tell any- 
 body that I am going and none need be the wiser. 
 Precede me down the ladder, Captain Crane, as though 
 I were a junior, and from the time we cast off until 
 we return pay me the same attention that you do Mr. 
 Hawkins, and no more. 
 
 "Now, Carey," he said to the correspondent, "hurry 
 with your great coat, for the air is chill." 
 
 Admiral Garcia selected for himself a long military 
 cape, the high collar of which he turned up, and in 
 place of his uniform cap he wore a felt slouch hat. So 
 completely was he disguised by this apparel that the 
 sentry at the gangway failed to recognize him and only 
 saluted Commander Crane, who led the way. 
 
 The barge chosen by the commander of the expe- 
 dition for his own occupancy, and which at once be- 
 came the flag-ship of the flotilla of small craft, was 
 the largest of the twelve, and was the one that had 
 borne the newspaper correspondent and the two 
 brothers from the mole to the Oroya in Callao Bay 
 the day the fleet arrived from the Chinchas. She was 
 a roomy launch, was the Valeria, about thirty feet long 
 and wide of beam, as were all vessels, large and small, 
 of the Peruvian navy. Ten feet of space amidships 
 was occupied by the storage battery, the magnets and
 
 i66 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 other electric apparatus. So there were two compart- 
 ments of equal size in bow and stern, the latter for 
 commissioned officers and the former for seamen and 
 the petty officers. The launch was steered by a small 
 wheel placed in the bow and three longitudinal screws 
 were the propelling power, as on the larger ships of 
 the navy. 
 
 "What is the speed of the slowest barge in the 
 flotilla, sir?" Commander Crqne had asked Captain 
 Beausire just before he left the flag-ship. 
 
 "Twenty-five knots," was the reply. 
 
 Word had been passed to the ensigns in command 
 of the barges to move ahead slowly and receive in- 
 structions from Commander Crane, and the Irishman 
 and those who accompanied him had no sooner taken 
 their seats in the Valeria than a light gray hull darted 
 out of the black mist and a junior officer said : 
 
 "Ready for orders, sir." 
 
 One by one they approached and then forged ahead, 
 after receiving the following commands : 
 
 "Take a line from the barge ahead of you. Keep 
 within twenty feet of her stern. Have your oiler watch 
 that every bearing is working smoothly. If any part 
 of the machinery creaks so that it might be heard ten 
 feet distant pass the word and drop out of line. Main- 
 tain a twenty-five-knot speed for about seventy min- 
 utes. The moment the boat ahead of you alters her 
 course suddenly and swings sharply at right angles 
 you do the same, then come to a dead stop and wait 
 further orders. After you heave to, close up slowly 
 on the boat you have been following. When we have
 
 Cutting Out the Huascar 167 
 
 been under way a half hour all talk in the boats must 
 cease and not even a command must be given above 
 a whisper." 
 
 When the eleventh barge had disappeared into the 
 fog Commander Crane's launch shot ahead and passed 
 the boats one by one, finally taking up a position in 
 the van. A line was passed to the barge immediately 
 astern, and the chain being complete, away started this 
 strange flotilla into the mist-burdened night, east- 
 bound for the harbor of Valparaiso. 
 
 They glided like ghosts over the calm surface of the 
 Pacific, the machinery working noiselessly and not a 
 sound came from the submerged screws, which cut 
 cleanly into the water. There was a swish at the bow 
 and along the sides, hke the swish of a whip-lash 
 when thrown through air, and occasionally spray was 
 dashed on board ; but these were sounds due to high 
 speed, and a decrease in the number of revolutions 
 would prevent them. 
 
 Commander Crane sat in the stern sheets of the 
 large barge. By his side was Ensign Romero, who 
 had been the first to volunteer for the expedition. 
 Several feet from these officers, and near the low par- 
 tition that separated the engine-room from the after 
 compartment, Admiral Garcia and the newspaper cor- 
 respondent were seated. The commander-in-chief had 
 purposely moved away from the officer commanding 
 the expedition so as not to interfere with his plans 
 even by his presence, and no one on board the little 
 craft, save two persons, was aware of his identity, so
 
 i68 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 unostentatiously had he come on board, and so com- 
 pletely did the cape and hat alter his appearance. 
 
 "Louis," whispered Hawkins, when they had been 
 gone from the Oroya's side several minutes, "1 notice 
 that there is a diver in the bow and that he has his 
 armor with him. What is he going to do?" 
 
 "Don't you remember Commander Crane's plan, 
 as outlined to me in the cabin ?" the admiral repHed. 
 
 "O, yes ; now I understand. It is a clever idea ; 
 is it not?" 
 
 "I think so ; but we can tell better after a trial." 
 
 Then the two were again silent, until Admiral Gar- 
 cia said : "Carey, do you know why I was so anxious 
 to come on this expedition?" 
 
 "No ; but I suppose you wished to personally ob- 
 serve the manner in which it was conducted." 
 
 "Not at all. Commander Crane is a most efficient 
 officer and can do this work of cutting out as ably 
 as anyone in the fleet. No, Carey ; the reason is sen- 
 timental. Some might ridicule it, few could under- 
 stand, but I think that you can, for we were boys 
 together in old Callao. What impelled me to come 
 was a desire to be near the Huascar, at the moment 
 of her restoration to the Peruvian navy. Pedro and I 
 have an intensity of feeling for that little battleship 
 which it would be difficult to describe. As boys we 
 admired her in Callao Bay, and we then looked upon 
 her as the embodiment of power. When war was 
 declared we thought the Huascar would save Peru. 
 When the ship met defeat the country's heart was 
 stabbed. When the Huascar was paraded in front of
 
 Cutting- Out the Huascar 169 
 
 Callao by the enemy the image of what she had been 
 was more deeply imprinted than ever and these emo- 
 tions were shared to a greater or less degree by all 
 Peruvians at that time. And so, w^hen brother and I 
 took that vow, it included the recapture of the Huas- 
 car; and when, in the mountains, we discussed our 
 plans, the first declaration ahvays was that we would 
 bring the Huascar back. 
 
 ''She is an old boat now, Carey. Her hull is crusted 
 with barnacles, her engines are out of date, her guns 
 are antiquated smooth-bores and her armor-plate is 
 thin, but she is the same glorious Huascar that made 
 such a gallant fight off Punta Angamos for the honor 
 of Peru, and I love her. Many a time, Carey, when 
 I have been out on vessels of this new navy for a 
 practice cruise I have been tempted to risk a dash 
 into Valparaiso harbor, seize the monitor and tovv^ her 
 out. Knowing all this, Carey, can you understand 
 my reason for washing to take this trip to-night?" 
 
 The correspondent's reply was a pressure on his old 
 chum's arm. For the moment they were once more 
 boys together, rowing around Callao Bay in their shells 
 and watching the men-of-war roHing at anchor. 
 
 Their conversation had been carried on in subdued 
 tones, so that none other on the barge could hear 
 what was being said. Soon after Admiral Louis had 
 finished. Commander Crane was seen to hold up his 
 hand as a signal for silence. A glance at the little 
 clock on the engine-room partition showed that the 
 barges had been gone from the flag-ship half an hour 
 and the orders of Commander Crane, that not a word
 
 170 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 must now be spoken above a whisper, were recalled. 
 
 This dash into the night was cheerless, depressing 
 and uncanny. From the sternsheets the dim outline 
 of the coxswain at the wheel could be seen and ahead 
 of him all was black — it might be space ; it might be a 
 a wall ; it seemed unfathomable. In the engine-room 
 a dim light glowed. The rays came from a half-cov- 
 ered lantern, used by the oiler as he inspected the 
 bearings. At a signal even this faint glimmer would 
 be extinguished. Astern was a hawser that sagged 
 to the sea level and swayed, proving that the barge be- 
 yond was maintaining an equal speed. This hawser pro- 
 truded like a serpent that was moving away from the 
 Valeria on its belly, and phosphorescent fire darted 
 around its far end — the end where the head of such 
 a snake would be — showing where the cut-water of 
 the following barge was plowing into the sea and 
 stirring the myriads of the deep. But the glow died 
 as it shone, for the mist buried it. 
 
 The fog was so heavy that it came against the 
 faces of those in the barges like fine rain and sank 
 into their clothing. 
 
 Hawkins found that his gaze had become fixed on 
 the clock that was attached to the partition a few feet 
 from him. Its dial was illuminated, not enough to 
 cause a reflection, but sufficient to show the dark 
 hands against a light background. He watched the 
 long pointer move slowly toward the quarter, and then 
 toward the hour of twelve. 
 
 A few minutes later Commander Crane passed them,
 
 Cutting Out the Huascar 171 
 
 and going into the bow, took a position beside the 
 coxswain. 
 
 The clock hands pointed to five minutes past twelve. 
 
 Admiral Louis, bending close to Hawkins, whis- 
 pered : ^'Do you hear that roar?" 
 
 The correspondent listened, then said interroga- 
 tively, "Breakers?" 
 
 "Yes," whispered the commander-in-chief. "We are 
 nearing shore." 
 
 At that moment the coxswain threw over the wheel 
 as far as the spokes would travel and the bow of the 
 barge swung sharply to port. The stern hawser be- 
 came taut, then loose as the second barge swung 
 round. The machinery was stopped and in the mist- 
 weighted night the twelve launches rose and fell on 
 the incoming rollers, and the boom of breakers told 
 that they were near the scene of action. 
 
 The Valeria dropped the hawser that had been made 
 fast on board and swung astern of the other boats, 
 then passed them at slow speed. Commander Crane, 
 who still stood by the coxswain, said to the officer in 
 charge of each, as the Valeria moved by, "Remain 
 where you are till we return, unless you hear firing in 
 the bay ; in which case, make speed back to the ship." 
 
 Then he waved his hand to the electrician, and the 
 Valeria darted ahead again at full speed, turning and 
 shaping her course in-shore. The roar of the breakers 
 grew louder as they moved and the direction from 
 which the sound came changed, the boom soon com- 
 ing from off the beam, instead of the starboard bow. 
 After three minutes the electrician was signaled again.
 
 172 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 and the barge slowed down until she was creeping over 
 the water so cautiously that not a bearing nor a ripple 
 made a sound. 
 
 "Commander Crane is feeling for the Huascar's 
 anchorage," whispered Admiral Garcia. *The break- 
 ers we hear are pounding on the beach near Point 
 Angelos, which is several miles off our starboard bow. 
 Valparaiso lies to the north of this point, and we are 
 headed toward the city. At present we are almost 
 opposite Fort Bueras. Near this fort the water shoals 
 to five and a half fathoms, and it is here the Huascar 
 was anchored when our agent made his last report. 
 She w^as some distance from the other vessels of the 
 fleet, for she was having repairs made and had to lie 
 close in shore. 
 
 "There, they are preparing to take soundings !" 
 
 The Valeria's screws had been stopped and a sea- 
 man, leaning over the side, was carefully paying out 
 a lead line. When his report had been made Com- 
 mander Crane signaled the electrician and the launch 
 crept forward again into the fog-laden night. They 
 were moving now in circles, the diameters of which 
 grew smaller. 
 
 "There is not much of this five and a half fathom 
 water," Admiral Louis whispered. 
 
 A sudden gesture by the commander attracted the 
 attention of everyone. Over went the lever and the 
 engines stopped. The Valeria forged ahead a length 
 or so by her own momentum, then at another signal 
 she backed as silently away. 
 
 "See ! See ! Hawkins," whispered Admiral Louis,
 
 Cutting Out the Huascar 173 
 
 and the hand he pressed on the correspondent's arm 
 trembled. 'The Huascar!" 
 
 There had risen for a second out of the mist a huge 
 form — a massive prow, a low-lying, almost wave- 
 lapped deck, and a turret. Hawkins recognized her 
 by that one glance — and then she was lost to sight. 
 
 The Valeria drew away steadily, swung around and 
 when three cables' length distant, started at full speed 
 back to the flotilla, her course being directed by com- 
 pass. The tide was just turning, there was no wind 
 and the launches had kept the same position, so were 
 easily found. 
 
 Hurried instructions were passed and the little fleet 
 started in-shore, this time formed as a narrow letter 
 V, the Valeria at the angle, six launches on one side 
 and five on the other. They still maintained the 
 distance between one another by means of the lines 
 from bow to stern. While thus moving a seaman on 
 the Valeria placed the large hawser, that had been 
 coiled in the stern, in such position near the rail that 
 it could be easily paid out. The diver had also moved 
 into the stern and was adjusting an electric light with- 
 in his helmet. 
 
 They had gone about half the distance when a stroke 
 on a bell rang out and other bells sounded all over 
 the bay, the notes from those farthest away coming 
 over the water like echoes. 
 
 "Half past twelve!" whispered Admiral Louis. 
 "That first stroke came from the Huascar. She is 
 nearer the other ships of the Chilean fleet than I sup-
 
 174 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 posed; they have probably changed their anchorage 
 within the last few days." 
 
 A moment later the signal to stop was given, then 
 the Valeria crept ahead slowly, leaving the flotilla still 
 in the wedge formation. By this time the two ends 
 of the hawser on the little flag-ship had been placed 
 over the stern rail. The middle of this hawser was 
 made fast to a bitt. Thus the big rope could be paid 
 out like the traces of a horse's harness, on each side, 
 and the middle of it would be firmly held on the 
 Valeria. The launch had swung around and was creep- 
 ing toward the Huascar stern first. Commander Crane 
 had come aft and he and the ensign peered into the 
 mist. As suddenly as before the iron-clad loomed 
 out of the water. This time the Valeria did not retreat, 
 but moved closer and closer. The diver was ready, 
 his armor on, and the head-piece screwed in position. 
 
 She was almost under the Huascar's bows when 
 Commander Crane raised his arm to the horizontal, 
 a signal to go ahead, and the Valeria shot away from 
 the prize. She was out of sight again when the com- 
 mander stepped to where the admiral was seated and 
 whispered: "I fear it cannot be done, sir." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "Because the diver cannot work. I expected him 
 to cut the cable below the water line, and she is not 
 anchored, sir." 
 
 "Moored?" 
 
 "Yes, sir: to a large iron buoy." 
 
 "Is she moored fore and aft?" 
 
 "No, sir; only forward."
 
 Cutting- Out the Huascar 175 
 
 "Then it can be done." 
 
 ''How, sir; will you take command?" 
 
 *'No; your plan is too good to be interfered with. 
 All you need is a man to swim to the buoy and cut 
 the hawser," explained the admiral. 
 
 'Then I shall ask for a volunteer." 
 
 "You already have one." 
 
 "Who, sir?" 
 
 "I." 
 
 "But " 
 
 "There, not a word. Captain Crane. Secure me a 
 light line," and Admiral Louis began to rapidly divest 
 himself of outer garments and shoes. He was soon ready 
 for the plunge, and his handsome features were drawn 
 firmer than ever in lines of determination. He fas- 
 tened the end of a line that was brought him to his 
 wrist, then, securing the sharpest knife that was on 
 board, he let himself gently over the side. 
 
 "Go astern, captain, and get as close as you were 
 before," he whispered, and holding the knife between 
 his teeth, he let himself into the water, then resting 
 one hand on the gunwale he allowed the Valeria to 
 tow him slowly toward the Huascar. 
 
 Again the iron-clad's sides loomed up, again the 
 launch was stopped, and then Hawkins saw the hand 
 disappear from the gunwale. They thought the dense 
 fog caused Admiral Louis to be hidden from view 
 until he reached the buoy ; later they learned that he 
 swam under water until the iron float was reached. 
 After several seconds they discerned a form on the 
 buoy and could see a powerful arm work vigorously
 
 176 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 back and forth. The form bent over the buoy for a 
 few seconds and then disappeared. In half a minute 
 the admiral's hand shot out of the water at the Val- 
 eria's stern. This was a signal to pull on the line, and 
 even before the commander-in-chief had swung him- 
 self in-board, the captain and Ensign Romero were 
 carefully hauling in, hand over hand, the light rope, 
 to the end of which Admiral Garcia had fastened the 
 Huascar's hawser. This process naturally drew the 
 Valeria closer to the iron-clad, and before the cable 
 was safely on board, the barge was almost directly 
 under the warship's bows. It was then the moment 
 of greatest danger, for lying where a stone could be 
 dropped from the deck of the iron-clad into the small 
 boat, they must make fast the two ends of the hawser, 
 that lay coiled in the stern sheets, to the end of the 
 Huascar's cable. 
 
 Not a second was lost, not a wrong move made. 
 Admiral Garcia, in his dripping clothing. Commander 
 Crane, Ensign Romero and one of the seamen, worked 
 at those bulky strands as only men can work who 
 have been years at sea. They bent and spHced, wove 
 pieces of tarred rope in and out until the Huascar's 
 hawser seemed moulded into that of the Valeria, and 
 then the barge slowly forged ahead, the sailors paying 
 out the double strands of cable from her stern as she 
 moved. 
 
 To understand the plan formed by Commander 
 Crane and the carrying out thereof one must remem- 
 ber that the barge flotilla was lying by and preserving 
 the double formation. The Valeria soon lost sight of
 
 Cutting- Out the Huascar 177 
 
 the Huascar, although connected with her by cable, 
 and crept up on the fleet, then forged ahead, moving 
 between the two rows of launches. As she passed them 
 a line was thrown from each barge and a section of 
 one of the hawsers was hauled aboard. This was 
 passed over bitts and allowed to run again. Thus the 
 portion of cable being let out on the port side of the 
 Valeria was picked up on the starboard sides of those 
 launches that lay to port of the passing flag-ship; 
 while the other half of the cable ran along the port 
 sides of the remaining boats of the flotilla. When the 
 last two barges had been passed the Valeria came to 
 a stop at their head. The barges were again forming 
 an acute angle, but now the Valeria, once more the 
 apex, was headed toward the open sea, instead of to- 
 ward shore. As soon as the large launch stopped and 
 the hawsers ceased running through the bitts at the 
 sides of the stationary barges these cables were made 
 fast, and then the signal, "Slow speed ahead," was 
 given. As the hawsers tautened the barges came to- 
 ^gether at the sides and were firmly lashed one to the 
 other, the Valeria being lashed by the stern to the 
 bows of the two launches abaft her. Thus a huge 
 catamaran was formed and the two hawsers that held 
 the Huascar's cable passed through the center. 
 
 And then the twelve electric barges commenced to 
 tow the iron-clad to sea ; and as the flotilla got under 
 way the ropes creaked for a few seconds as they drew 
 taut. 
 
 Two strokes sounded sharp on a bell astern. It was 
 one o'clock. The note was so clear that it might have
 
 178 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 come from any barge of the flotilla, and the nearness 
 of it told how close the Huascar followed, but the fog 
 was so dense that the slowly moving prize could not be 
 seen, only that black wriggling hawser, that disap- 
 peared into the mist. 
 
 Then from all over the bay came the sweet music 
 of other bells, sounding the hour. 
 
 "At half-past one the Chilenos on the Huascar may 
 discover v/hat has befallen them," whispered Admiral 
 Louis, who was at last changing his wet clothing. 
 
 "How so?" inquired Hawkins. 
 
 "When the half hour comes the Huascar's bell will 
 sound, but no other bells will be heard, and those on 
 watch may notice the strange silence. But I am put- 
 ting my trust in their stupidity." 
 
 "Is there not danger of discovery at any moment?" 
 
 "I think not. The very boldness of this plan recom- 
 mended it to me, and so far everything has happened 
 as I expected. I noticed when on the buoy that sev- 
 eral of the Huascar's small boats were gone, which 
 proved that many of the officers and a part of the 
 crew were on shore. In time of peace the officer of 
 the deck usually sleeps at night in the cabin, although 
 he is supposed to be on duty. The anchor watch on 
 Chilean ships is composed of two men, a marine and 
 a seaman, so I have been informed. The seaman, 
 because of his superior knowledge, and because of his 
 detestation of the marine, always contrives that the 
 latter shall be ordered to sound the hours on the bell. 
 Then the seaman, knowing that anchors cannot drag.
 
 Cutting- Out the Huascar 179 
 
 nor buoys break loose when the weather is calm, hunts 
 a coil of rope for a pillow and goes to sleep. 
 
 "The Huascar's captain, whose cabin is the most 
 exposed to sounds, is probably on shore to-night; it 
 would be the exception for him to be on board while 
 his ship is in a home port, especially the port w^here 
 his family reside. Such officers as are on ship to-night 
 are asleep in the w^ard-room, and other members of the 
 crew are in the steerage and the forecastle. The night 
 i? chill and port-holes are closed. In all probability 
 the only person awake on the Huascar is the marine, 
 who knows nothing but his drill as a soldier, except 
 to ring the bell amidships when the half hours are 
 reached. The fog holds and he cannot see that his 
 ship is moving; she was rolling at her moorings, 
 which were quite exposed, and she cannot roll much 
 more when in the open. There will be no wind to 
 attract attention and the receding sound of the break- 
 ers will be so gradual as not to be noticed. Should 
 the marine glance into the binnacle he might learn 
 something from the compass, but even then he would 
 probably think the Huascar had swung with the tide. 
 No, Carey, those Chilenos will not know what has 
 happened before the sun rises." 
 
 By this time the engines on the barges were work- 
 ing at full speed, and a heave of the log showed the 
 flotilla was making eight knots an hour. 
 
 "Better than I expected," said Commander Crane. 
 "We will be with the fleet some time before dawn." 
 
 All watched the clock closely as the hands crept 
 toward half-past one, and for several seconds after
 
 i8o Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the strokes rang out amidships on the Huascar they 
 held their breath and Hstened. But not a sound came 
 from her decks. She was four miles from her moor- 
 ing buoy, four miles from the other ships of the fleet 
 and not a man on board of her knew it. 
 
 The newspaper correspondent felt the general relief 
 that all on the flotilla experienced — and with that relief 
 came drowsiness, so he leaned back and his head sank 
 against a cushion. 
 
 Some one tapped him on the shoulder. "Come, 
 Carey," a voice said. "You have had a nice nap." 
 
 He looked about him in surprise. The mist was 
 lighting up and he saw they were alongside a big 
 vessel. Half awake and half asleep he followed 
 Admiral Louis up a ship's ladder. 
 
 "Why," exclaimed the correspondent, when they 
 reached the deck, "this is the Oroya !" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "And where is the Huascar?" 
 
 "She lies over there," the admiral said, pointing to 
 port. "We brought her safely in and are allowing 
 her to drift until sunrise." 
 
 "And no one on board knows that he is far out 
 at sea and a prisoner ?" 
 
 "No ; not one." 
 
 "Well " But whatever the correspondent was 
 
 about to say was cut short by the commander-in-chief, 
 who drew from his pocket a parchment, and stepping 
 to the officer who had conceived and carried out this 
 brilliant maneuver, he said :
 
 Cutting Out the Huascar i8i 
 
 "Commander Crane, here is your commission as 
 captain. To-day, during the preliminary negotiations 
 in Valparaiso harbor I shall make the Huascar my 
 flag-ship. Those who come to treat with me shall do 
 so on her deck. And during to-day, Captain Crane, 
 you will command the Huascar."
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 A SURPRISE. 
 
 A wind which blew away the fog arrived with the 
 dawn. At first came a breath from the south, then 
 pufif followed puff, until steady air currents were play- 
 ing about the hulls and masts of the vessels that had 
 drifted at will during the night. 
 
 The wind first cut the fog into fantastic shapes and 
 drove segments of it to leeward, away from other 
 vapory billows that lingered, suspended above water. 
 Then in places could be seen clear patches of dark 
 green, with banks of clouds on the sides : the prow 
 of a warship would protrude from a bank, and perhaps 
 a mast ; and they seemed phantom sections of a ves- 
 sel, separate from a hull and standing alone. 
 
 Of a sudden it had all lifted, or was swept away, and 
 none noticed where the fog went, for the sun's rays 
 came across the water from the coast line, causing 
 the brass works on the ships to shine resplendent, 
 and, glinting through port holes and cabin windows, 
 flooded the deck rooms of the ships with the light that 
 comes on a cloudless day. 
 
 As the mist cleared, watch officers throughout the 
 fleet reported signals hoisted on the flag-ship. The 
 reading of them was followed by a maneuver that 
 brought battleships and cruisers of the Peruvian navy 
 on the circumference of a circle, the diameter of which 
 
 182
 
 A Surprise 183 
 
 was a mile; and in the center was the Huascar. It 
 was evident that the Chileans first became aware of 
 their changed conditions while this maneuver was be- 
 ing executed, for the stirring call to general quarters, 
 sounded by drum and bugle came over the water 
 from the low-lying iron-clad, as battleships and cruis- 
 ers were taking new positions. 
 
 The anchor watch on the Huascar must have 
 changed at eight bells, while the little iron-clad was 
 being towed to sea, but the newcomers on deck had 
 not noticed the peculiar strain on the hawser : some- 
 time before sunrise the cooks must have gone forward 
 to the galleys, and the early watch must have turned 
 out to wash down decks ; but not one of all these had 
 noticed that their ship was moving. 
 
 Those who watched the Huascar from the Oroya's 
 bridge saw a dozen or more sailors, who had stripped 
 to the waist for action, hurry into the superstructure 
 that led to the turret ; others climbed the shrouds to 
 the miiiitary top, where the machine guns were sta- 
 tioned : then an officer ran along the deck from the 
 ward-room, buckling his sword belt as he entered the 
 conning tower. The hinged bulwarks were let down 
 and the w^ater rippled but a few inches below the Huas- 
 car's side. She was ready for action. 
 
 'That is how she stripped for combat with the 
 Blanco Encalada and the Almirante Cochrane of? 
 Punta Angamos in 1879," said Admiral Garcia in ad- 
 miration. "Look at her lines, Carey — but, carrambo, 
 what is this !" 
 
 At that moment a Chilean ensign was unfurled at
 
 i84 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the gaff of the little iron-clad, a cloud of white smoke 
 burst from her turret and a great round shot plunged 
 into the water ahead of the Oroya, richocheted and 
 struck a wave half a mile further out to sea. 
 
 "Why, what on earth can those fellows mean? 
 Surely, they cannot think of fighting us!" 
 
 "Have you not forgotten something, Louis?" sug- 
 gested Hawkins. 
 
 "What, pray?" 
 
 "Look around you! The Oroya and all ships of 
 the two squadrons are as peaceable in appearance as 
 merchantmen. The Huascar is so near that those on 
 board can tell that the fore and aft superstructures 
 are not turrets. You are not showing a gun, and they 
 have no idea that a fleet of battleships surrounds 
 them." 
 
 "I believe you are right, Carey," said the admiral, 
 and his tones showed that he felt somewhat chagrined. 
 "But they will certainly see " 
 
 The sentence was interrupted by another burst of 
 smoke from the Huascar's turret, followed by a crash 
 forward on the Oroya, and those on the bridge saw 
 splinters fly ; then an ensign hastened to where Admiral 
 Garcia stood and reported : "Round shot passed 
 through your cabin, sir !" 
 
 "This is serious!" said the commander-in-chief, 
 grimly. "Sound general quarters, Captain Beausire! 
 Send up the guns, lower forward and after super- 
 structures, but let the bridge remain ! Raise the pro- 
 tective sides to the six-foot limit !" 
 
 Then, as if apologizing for taking such measures,
 
 A Surprise 185 
 
 he said to the correspondent: *'It would be unfortu- 
 nate to have one of those round shot hurt anybody. 
 But what have we now?" 
 
 A quartermaster was running along the deck. He 
 spoke excitedly to the watch officer, who dispatched 
 messengers in several directions, and a moment later 
 another call was sounding, the notes of the bugle fol- 
 lowing with but a few seconds interval the call for 
 general quarters issued by Captain Beausire. 
 
 "What, fire!" exclaimed the admiral. "That shot 
 did do mJschief!" 
 
 Smoke could be seen pouring from the admiral's 
 cabin, and for a few minutes there was just a trifle 
 more confusion than should be on a well disci- 
 plined warship. But the drill that makes machines of 
 men soon brought order, a gun's crew extinguished 
 the blaze, and even as the sailors were working with 
 hose and buckets the superstructure was lowered and 
 the great rapid-fire pieces were brought into position. 
 
 It was evident that the Chileans thought they had 
 put the Oroya hors de combat, and that the smoke 
 rising from the supposed merchantman was proof 
 thereof. For, while the flag-ship's guns were being 
 brought from below the iron-clad's turret swung 
 around and a burst of smoke issued to windward. 
 
 "Carrambo !" exclaimed Admiral Garcia, "this is in- 
 deed aggravating ; they are now firing at Padre. Mr. 
 Cordero, signal the vice-admural to prepare for action, 
 but not to fire at the enemy." 
 
 Soon after the shot at the Chorillos, which fell 
 astern, it was evident that the commander of the Huas-
 
 i86 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 car noticed the preparations being made on the Oro- 
 ya, and he was seen stepping from the conning tower 
 to the bridge, that he might get a better sight with 
 his telescope. 
 
 "Mr. Cordero, use the international code and signal 
 the Chileans to cease firing until a launch can board 
 them." ordered the admiral, and then to Hawkins he 
 added, "We must put a stop to this nonsense. I have 
 been taught a lesson by those fellows. It's a kind 
 Providence that protected the men and did not cause 
 lives to be forfeited for my over-confidence. I am 
 rather curious, Carey, to know what damage was done 
 by that fire, and as I cannot leave the bridge for some 
 time would you mind visiting the cabin ? One of the 
 messengers will show you the way into the hold, for 
 I believe the path is unfamiliar to you." 
 
 Admiral Garcia then instructed Captain Beausire to 
 order out the first cutter and asked that Ensign 
 Romero report to him in full dress. The junior officer 
 soon came on the bridge and was told to place a flag 
 of truce in the bow of the cutter and board the Huas- 
 car. "Explain to the commander," said the admiral, 
 "that he is surrounded by two squadrons of the Peru- 
 vian navy and that resistance would be folly." 
 
 As the cutter left the side of the flag-ship, twelve 
 sailors clad in black, bending to the oars, a white flag 
 in her bow and a red, white and red ensign in her 
 stern, the newspaper correspondent returned from his 
 tour of inspection below. 
 
 "Well, what damage?" asked the admiral. 
 
 "The shot passed through the reception room and
 
 A Surprise 187 
 
 the fire destroyed half of your library. The cabin is 
 a nice mass of water and charred stufT." 
 
 Admiral Louis said something that was not very in- 
 telligible, although the tone conveyed a great deal, 
 then taking up a marine glass he watched the progress 
 of the cutter. The Huascar had ceased firing and the 
 crew of the little iron-clad had poured from the turret 
 and from below, to the sides and the rigging, from 
 where they gazed in astonishment at the Oroya and 
 Chorillos, which had undergone such a metamor- 
 phosis. Ten minutes after Ensign Romero had board- 
 ed the monitor he re-entered the cutter, which put 
 back to the flag-ship. 
 
 "A Chilean officer accompanies him, sir," said the 
 flag-lieutenant, who was watching the prize through 
 a telescope. 
 
 "Perhaps they wish to state upon what terms they 
 will surrender," said the admiral, sarcastically. 
 
 His surmise was correct. The officer proved to be 
 a junior lieutenant, who bore a message from the cap- 
 tain of the Huascar, to the effect that, in the face of 
 vastly superior force, the Chileans would surrender, 
 providing the officers could retain their side arms. 
 
 "You can retain nothing, sir," said Admiral Garcia. 
 "But I will surprise you all by giving you liberty as 
 soon as we reach Valparaiso. As for the side arms, 
 we are collecting a quantity of such relics for the 
 National Museum at Lima. The cutter will now takt, 
 you back. Tell your captain that ten minutes after 
 your return, a prize crew will board the Huascar. As 
 you leave this bridge, sir, look around, and what you
 
 i88 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 will see should convince you that it would not be 
 wise to disregard what I have said." 
 
 As the lieutenant left, Admiral Garcia gave orders 
 that a crew be sent to the prize and that the Chileans 
 be transferred to one of the cruisers. Before the cut- 
 ter had reached the little iron-clad's side, boats lowered 
 from the flag-ship were being filled with officers, 
 sailors, marines, engineers and stokers — a full com- 
 plement for the monitor. Captain Crane being in 
 command. 
 
 It was 9 o'clock before the transfers had been made. 
 By that time breakfast was over in the cabin and 
 Admiral Garcia y Garcia, his suite and Correspondent 
 Hawkins, entered the Valeria and were soon along- 
 side the Huascar. As the commander-in-chief stepped 
 over the side he lifted his hat, and those who followed 
 did likewise. A large Peruvian ensign was soon float- 
 ing at the gafif, above the lone star flag of Chile, and 
 when Admiral Louis stepped on the bridge his pen- 
 nant was broken beneath the fore truck. 
 
 "Get under way, sir," said the admiral to Captain 
 Crane. ''Mr. Cordero, signal the squadrons to follow, 
 maintaining the same formation as last night, and to 
 steam at six knots." 
 
 Five minutes later the fleet had started for Valpa- 
 raiso, thirty miles distant. 
 
 As the morning advanced the breeze died away and 
 by six bells there had fallen a dead calm. Battleships 
 and cruisers rolled in a curious, lumbering fashion, for 
 the long swells caught under the counters and tip-tilted 
 them, as well as causinp- them to lurch to one side.
 
 A Surprise 189 
 
 "This motion is the most disagreeable of any that 
 is possible at sea," remarked Captain Crane to Carey 
 Hawkins, as the two were looking back at the tum- 
 bling ships. "They would be all right if they could 
 put on steam and run ahead of the swells, but this 
 six-knot speed, necessary so as not to out-distance 
 us, is just sufficient to keep them from rolling decently 
 and not enough to permit a genuine pitch. Look at 
 the Oroya ! Captain Beausire has had life-Hnes 
 stretched, as though he were in a gale." 
 
 The fleet now presented the same appearance as it 
 did before the Huascar commenced the annoying gun 
 fire of the morning, the Oroya and the Chorillos hav- 
 ing lowered their protective sides and guns, and 
 hoisted the superstructures. At seven bells — 11:30 
 landsman's time — Captain Crane ordered a quarter- 
 master into the Huascar's military top as a lookout, 
 and the signal, "Same formation ; close sailing order," 
 was hoisted. A quarter of an hour later, when land 
 might be sighted at any moment. Admiral Garcia or- 
 dered the torpedo boats Rosita and Avita to detach 
 themselves from the fleet and do scout duty. The 
 Rosita was signaled to make for the East end of Val- 
 paraiso bay, opposite Vina del Mar, and the Avita to 
 approach at the west end. 'Tf ships are leaving the 
 harbor, report at once ; if not, stand by at those points 
 until the fleet is close in shore, then rejoin," were the 
 instructions. 
 
 Away darted the boats at full speed, their wicked 
 looking black hulls throwing curves of spray over 
 their bows. They diverged at angles as they dashed
 
 190 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 past the Huascar and rapidly increased the distance 
 between them and the flag-ship. 
 
 At eight bells the quartermaster stationed in the 
 military top sang out : ''Land off the starboard bow, 
 sir!" and then all knew that the fleet would soon be 
 within sight of Valparaiso; in fact the blue haze in 
 the horizon, that appears before the shore line can be 
 distinguished, could be seen from the iron-clad's 
 bridge. 
 
 "Carey, come to luncheon," said Admiral Louis. 
 "We have some time to pass in idleness before active 
 work begins, and it may as well be passed at table. 
 Paul has informed me that he brought several w^ell- 
 filled hampers from the Oroya." 
 
 When in the cabin the correspondent asked the 
 admiral if it would be possible for him to send away 
 dispatches after the impending engagement. 
 
 "Sooner than jthat, Carey." 
 
 "How so? Do you intend landing a force in Val- 
 paraiso?" 
 
 "No ; better still," and he drew from his pocket a 
 map of the city and its environs. "Notice that thin 
 black line traced to the east from the town? It repre- 
 sents the only telegraph line leading from Valparaiso, 
 which carries both the cable and the land wires. At 
 this point," and he placed his finger on a cross, "which 
 is twenty miles from the city, the cable goes under 
 water and the land wire branches off. When I return 
 to the bridge I shall order the Maria and the Mercedes 
 to capture this position at once. Fifty marines will be 
 placed on board each and, as you know, the torpedo
 
 A Surprise 191 
 
 boats are well armed with machine gnns. There is 
 no railroad to this telegraph junction, and it will be 
 impossible for troops to reach the place from Val- 
 paraiso before we are ready to abandon the position. 
 So, Hawkins, have your correspondence in shape to 
 send by one of the junior officers at two bells, and it 
 will have the right of way after a few government 
 dispatches." 
 
 ''Then excuse me, please," said the American, rising 
 from the table. "I haven't written a line about the 
 Huascar's attempt to capture your fleet." 
 
 'The less you say about that bad quarter of an hour 
 the better I shall be pleased," said Admiral Louis, 
 laughing. "Step into the adjoining room, if you wish. 
 I saw pen and ink on a desk. Paul can take your 
 coffee in there." 
 
 The commander-in-chief remained a few minutes 
 longer at table, then busied himself with some charts 
 and reference books that he had brought with him 
 for the day. Fortunately, these valuable works wxre 
 not in the library on the Oroya when the fire broke 
 out. He was about to readjust his sword belt when 
 an orderly reported : "Captain Crane says the enemy 
 is in full sight, sir." 
 
 At a quarter to one Admiral Garcia returned to the 
 bridge. Ahead, four miles distant, could be seen a 
 forest of masts and groups of hulls. Back of these was 
 the city of Valparaiso, the old quarter built on the 
 narrow strip of land that is but a few feet above sea 
 level, and the new quarter on the foothills. And back 
 of the city were the spurs of the Andes.
 
 192 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "What do you make out, captain ?" asked the com- 
 mander-in-chief. 
 
 "The Chilean fleet is lying close in-shore, to the west, 
 sir; near the place where we cut out the Huascar. 
 There are British ships further out and to the east. 
 There is an American in the harbor and an Italian." 
 
 "The place is pretty well crowded with merchant- 
 men, is it not?'' 
 
 "Yes, sir. I have made out one hundred and forty- 
 two vessels, steam and sail, in addition to the war- 
 ships." 
 
 "And how many do they number?" 
 
 "British and Chilean combined, do you mean, sir?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Sixteen." 
 
 "And we are sixteen, counting the Huascar. But . 
 what a difference ! Let me take your glass a minute, 
 captain, until an orderly fetches mine from the cabin." 
 
 "Yes, that's the battleship Sampson," he added, after 
 a minute's inspection. "She is the most powerful ves- 
 sel of the combined fleet. Lord Harvey's pennant as 
 rear-admiral is hoisted on her. I think he outranks 
 the Chilean commander and will direct the engage- 
 ment. Now I can plainly make out the Almirante 
 Cochrane, the new Blanco Encalada and El Capitan 
 Pratt. Do you notice. Captain Crane, that all have 
 steam up? Dispatches have evidently been received 
 and the disappearance of the Huascar has proved that 
 we might be expected. Isn't that a torpedo boat com- 
 ing toward us ?" 
 
 "A steam launch, I think, sir."
 
 A Surprise 193 
 
 "Mr. Cordero, signal the fleet to heave-to." 
 
 They were three and a half miles from shore when 
 this order was issued. 
 
 "Summon the Maria and the Mercedes alongside, 
 for instructions," was the next command. As the 
 torpedo boats dashed up, two bells sounded. 
 
 "On time to the moment," said the admiral to Carey 
 Hawkins, who came from the cabin. "Give your dis- 
 patches to Mr. Cook, who is going with the expe- 
 dition." 
 
 The ensign thus designated also bore several tele- 
 grams addressed to President Pedro, one of which 
 read: 
 
 ''The Huascar is my Hag-ship for to-day. She was 
 cut out during the night without the loss of a life. 
 Special honors are due Crane, whom I have promoted 
 one grade. Huascar leaves this evening for Callao. 
 Pilcomayo captured yesterday and sent to Arica. Viva 
 Incaland! Louis." 
 
 Ten minutes were occupied transferring the marines 
 necessary for the expedition to the Maria and the 
 Mercedes, then the torpedo boats steamed for the vil- 
 lage, twenty miles up the coast, which they were or- 
 dered to hold until the next morning, and prevent the 
 sending of any messages except those vised by the 
 commander-in-chief. 
 
 By this time the launch that had put out from the 
 harbor was within hailing distance. 
 
 "Boat ahoy !" shouted an ensign who was stationed
 
 194 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 on the Huascar's forecastle. "Sheer off there, or we 
 will put a shot through you!'* 
 
 The boat stopped and an English officer, standing 
 up in the stern sheets, replied : "Aide from the British 
 admiral wishes a conference with the commander-in- 
 chief." 
 
 "Then run up a flag of truce !" 
 
 "We have none on board." 
 
 "Tie a white handkerchief to that stick in your bow. 
 You should know better than to approach a hostile 
 fleet in that fashion." 
 
 "He's an original, is that ensign," remarked Admiral 
 Garcia to Captain Crane. "But it is evident that he is 
 acquainted with the regulations." 
 
 In a few minutes something white fluttered in the 
 bow of the launch and international law being thus 
 complied with, she was permitted to come alongside 
 the Huascar. The English officer who had spoken 
 from the little craft, and a Chilean lieutenant, were 
 conducted to the bridge by Lieutenant Cordero, who 
 had met them at the side. The expression of aston- 
 ishment on the visitors' faces was patent to everyone ; 
 it was not because of the peculiarity of the vessel which 
 they had boarded — the Huascar being familiar to both 
 — but was caused by the fanciful uniforms worn by 
 the Peruvians and the evidence of seamanship they 
 saw on every hand. This birth of a new navy was a 
 revelation to them. 
 
 "Sir," said the Englishman, as soon as he could 
 find voice, "I am aide to Lord Harvey, commander-in- 
 chief of Her Majesty's naval forces in the South
 
 A Surprise 195 
 
 Pacific. At daybreak Lord Harvey received advices 
 that the Peruvians had secured a navy, had declared 
 war on England and Chile, had sunk the Shamrock 
 in Callao bay and were due to arrive off Valparaiso 
 at any hour. Lord Harvey authorizes me to say that 
 since his first advices he has received instructions to 
 give battle as soon as your fleet appeared. He has 
 united his fleet with that of the Chileans, and now 
 commands the combined forces. First, he gives you 
 the opportunity to surrender." 
 
 "He is very kind ; I am sure," replied Admiral Gar- 
 cia. "And what does your commander say?" he asked, 
 turning to the Chilean officer. 
 
 "That if you return the Huascar to her anchorage 
 and salute the Chilean flag, the matter will be allowed 
 to pass with the infliction of a Hght indemnity." 
 
 "That also is kind. And now, gentlemen, you may 
 return to your respective commanders with this mes- 
 sage : 'Admiral Garcia y Garcia, commander-in-chief 
 of the Peruvian navy, is only too anxious that any 
 British or Chilean ship, or the combined fleets, should 
 come into the open and do battle. Were it not for 
 the comity of nations, which recognizes the right of 
 non-combatants, he would at once sail into Valparaiso 
 harbor and sink your ships as they lie at anchor. But 
 as there are non-combatants, and as shells are liable 
 to fall in the city, he will cause no shot to be fired 
 until midnight, unless there is provocation. At that 
 hour, if your ships fail to come out, the Peruvian fleet 
 will enter the harbor and engage both your fleets and 
 the shore batteries. Good afternoon, gentlemen."
 
 19^ Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 The English officer started to reply, but the admiral 
 had stepped to the other side of the bridge and had 
 summoned his flag lieutenant; so the visiting lieu- 
 tenants re-entered the steam launch and put back to- 
 ward the harbor. 
 
 The next half hour was a busy one for the Peruvians. 
 Signal after signal was hoisted on the Huascar, and 
 the result of the many orders was a complete realign- 
 ment of the fleet for the afternoon. By two o'clock 
 stations had been taken as follows : 
 
 Two miles to the west of the Huascar was the Chor- 
 illos, stationary, her protected sides up and ready for 
 action. Two miles to the east the Payta, similarly 
 prepared, stood as a sentinel. These battleships were 
 in position to head ofif any ship that might try to 
 escape, or they could converge to a point, should the 
 combined fleets steam out. Within two cables length 
 of the Huascar were the Oroya and the Pisco. Their 
 sides had not been raised, no signal having been given 
 them to prepare for action. Two miles north of the 
 Huascar and the battleships, the five cruisers steamed 
 up and down, at fifteen knots, guarding the harbor, 
 from point to point. They covered a distance of fifteen 
 miles and maintained a complete cordon. For this 
 maneuver, Vice-Admiral Padre had transferred his 
 flag to the Matucana, and he therefore had tmder his 
 command, in addition to the cruiser mentioned, which 
 became the flagship of the flying squadron, the cruis- 
 ers Tambovisa, Chosica, Mejillones and Arica. 
 
 To the south of the Huascar and the closest in-shore 
 of any vessels of the Peruvian fleet were the torpedo
 
 A Surprise 197 
 
 boats Anita, Maria, Rosita and Avita — the last named 
 having rejoined the fleet after doing scout duty. The 
 MadeHne and the Mercedes were twenty miles to the 
 east, and the boom of a signal gun coming from that 
 point of the compass proved that they had occupied 
 the village designated by Admiral Garcia. The posi- 
 tions taken by the Peruvian vessels can be seen in the 
 following diagram: 
 
 O CO 
 
 s g J 1 I 
 
 I i I I . ? ? 
 
 RJ C 
 
 "^ fn C3 rH „ ^ 
 
 S ^ S . U H < 
 
 * n: ♦ ♦ ^j. ^fr 
 
 o 
 
 N o I u 
 
 w- 
 
 Oh 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 Ji >• o ^ 
 
 < < f^ ^ 
 
 * * * * 
 
 VALPARAISO HARBOR. 
 
 While these maneuvers were taking place Ensign 
 Romero, following instructions given by the admiral, 
 had arranged tables showing the strength of the op- 
 posing fleets. The result of his labors, after consulting 
 books brought from the Oroya, was as follows :
 
 •ssBio 
 
 
 
 •ri w 
 
 (•sjonji) 
 •paads 
 
 •ssqnx 
 opadjoi 
 
 "^^i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 •Ha 
 
 a 
 
 • 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 be . 
 • 
 
 .r. 
 
 : 
 
 
 
 
 "•""S-l 
 
 , 
 
 
 o^c 
 
 au 
 
 <;^ <^ 
 
 u 0; 
 
 _ c 
 
 TJ C 
 
 ^•-< 
 
 ^f 
 
 «i 
 
 c o 
 
 
 
 
 (•snox) 
 -aoBldsja 
 
 5-no 
 A4UA4 
 
 55 > J «^ 
 
 (198)
 
 (199)
 
 200 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 Down in the chart room, which was near the steer- 
 age, a junior heutenant and an ensign were busy for 
 several hours over a chart of Valparaiso bay that had 
 been brought from the Oroya. One of them would 
 come on deck at intervals and take sights, then dis- 
 appear below again. They were marking with flags 
 the positions of all the British and Chilean ships, and 
 also the shore batteries. At eight bells, Admiral Gar- 
 cia announced that he would transfer his flag back 
 to the Oroya, but before doing so he summoned the 
 engineer who had been placed in charge of the works 
 below deck and asked him if there was enough coal 
 on board for the voyage to Callao. 
 
 "Plenty, sir," was the reply. 
 
 "Captain Crane," said the admiral, "you will return 
 to the Oroya with me and take command of the flag- 
 ship. Captain Beausire has applied for sick leave and 
 he will take the Huascar home." 
 
 The expression of glad surprise visible on the Irish- 
 man's face as he acknowledged the appointment by a 
 salute caused Hawkins to grasp his hand and say, "I 
 congratulate you." 
 
 The officers and sailors who had been detailed to 
 the Huascar remained on board, the admiral being 
 accompanied back only by the members of his suite, 
 the correspondent and Captain Crane. When the 
 Oroya was reached. Captain Beausire bade adieu to his 
 associates on the flag-ship and left for the little iron- 
 clad. It could be seen that it was with reluctance he 
 did so, and Admiral Garcia's cheery "You will be all 
 right soon," brought but a feeble smile to his lips.
 
 A Surprise 201 
 
 Hawkins noticed for the first time that the captain's 
 cheeks were thin and drawn, and that he appeared to 
 be suffering great pain. "What is the matter with 
 him, Louis?" he asked. 
 
 "An abscess has formed near the ear drum, and he 
 has not slept for nearly a w^eek. It was caused by the 
 great gun fire before we left the Chinchas. The fleet 
 surgeon says it is absolutely necessary for him to be 
 treated by a specialist in Lima. He refused to go until 
 I ordered him to do so." 
 
 It was a busy afternoon, and so the time passed 
 quickly. There were many things to be done before 
 the Huascar sailed, and then there was the return to 
 shore of the Chilean prisoners, which had been prom- 
 ised by the admiral. This was accompHshed by the 
 torpedo boat Rosita. She was detached from her sta- 
 tion by the admiral soon after he again hoisted his 
 flag on the Oroya, and was sent to the cruiser that had 
 provided temporary quarters for the former crew of 
 the Huascar. When these men were on board a flag 
 of truce was placed in the Rosita's bow, and she en- 
 tered the harbor, where she delivered the prisoners to 
 the Almirante Cochrane, then returned to her station. 
 At two bells of the dog-watch the signal was hoisted 
 for the Huascar to get under way, and a few minutes 
 later the little iron-clad steamed slowly through the 
 fleet on her way north, dipping her ensign as she 
 passed each vessel of the new Peruvian navy. 
 
 "Is there not danger of a Chilean ship overhauling 
 her?" asked Hawkins.
 
 202 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "There will not be any left to do so," Admiral Louis 
 replied. 
 
 Although none of the vessels of the two fleets lying 
 in the harbor had ventured outside during the after- 
 noon, it could be seen that they were not idle. Several 
 of the Chilean ships had drawn up near one of the 
 forts, evidently to take on board an extra supply of 
 ammunition. The EngHsh ships were coaling. 
 
 When the sun set the three fleets occupied the same 
 positions as earlier in the day. By this time the Huas- 
 car was hull down on the horizon. Then night com- 
 menced to spread over the waters of the Pacific and 
 the land of Chile.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 THREE FLEETS IN ACTION. 
 
 At this day the population of Valparaiso numbered 
 140,000, which included some 5,000 foreigners. Half 
 the natives could trace their ancestry to the shores of 
 Spain; of the other half some could not name their 
 ancestors at all, and others did not wish to, Indian 
 blood being in their veins — which the descendants of 
 old Castile had taught them, was degrading — and they 
 were satisfied to be called ''peons." 
 
 Spurred on by British influence and example, Chile 
 had vied with Argentine in progressiveness and had 
 forged ahead rapidly in the commercial world since 
 the crushing defeat she administered to Peru in the 
 war of 1879-80. 
 
 The city of Valparaiso nestles at the base of hills 
 that are 1,000 to 1,400 feet high. The old town, termed 
 El Puerto, is but a few feet above high water mark; 
 the new, or Almendral, constructed on hillsides or 
 cuttings from the clififs, is in places difficult of access. 
 The semi-circular bay is two and a half miles wide at 
 the point where ships usually lie at anchor ; but widens 
 rapidly beyond, for the land falls back toward the 
 coast line on the east. Although Santiago is the 
 capital city, Valparaiso boasts some fine state build- 
 ings, among them a government palace, the architec- 
 ture of which arrests attention, a customs house and 
 
 203
 
 204 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 several large warehouses. The city has been the scene 
 of many fierce encounters, during internecine strife of 
 recent date and during struggles with foreign invaders. 
 
 Juan de Saavedra founded Valparaiso in 1536, but 
 Valdivia found it deserted eight years later and estab- 
 lished a trading station there. The place was captured 
 by Drake and a third time by a Dutch corsair. Spanish 
 rule finally prevailed and continued until Chile threw 
 off the yoke early in the sixties and declared herself 
 independent. At this time a chain of forts was con- 
 structed in the city and their armament proved suffi- 
 ciently powerful to repulse the Spanish attacking 
 squadron. Since then, earthworks and castles had been 
 rebuilt and modern artillery mounted. 
 
 As the sun was setting on this loth of June, Admiral 
 Garcia y Garcia took a last careful look at the ships 
 in the harbor, and then, closing his telescope, he said 
 to Captain Crane : "They intend giving battle in the 
 bay so that the forts can join in the action. Lord 
 Harvey is undoubtedly impressed with what he has 
 seen and with what he has learned from the officers we 
 held as prisoners. He is wise in a way to select in- 
 shore fighting, for our superior speed will not' count 
 to great advantage in the harbor. He unwittingly 
 makes the mistake, however, of believing that our great 
 speed and heavy armament constitute our sole elements 
 of superiority. To-night we will show him that the 
 armor manufactured on the Chinchas will have to be 
 taken into consideration in the future in all engage- 
 ments with a Peruvian squadron. 
 
 "Observe, captain," continued the admiral, "the
 
 Three Fleets in Action 205 
 
 merchantmen are preparing to move to the lower end 
 of the bay, in fact some of them have already changed 
 their anchorage; and if you look sharp, before twi- 
 light shuts off the vision, you will see that Valparaiso 
 is being depopulated : there is a steady stream of 
 humanity wending from the city to the foot-hills. 
 
 ''When I gave orders yesterday for the formation of 
 two squadrons I expected the enemy would come into 
 the open, but now I think it well to preserve the order 
 of this afternoon." 
 
 The commander-in-chief motioned for his flag lieu- 
 tenant to approach and told him to signal the vice- 
 admiral and the commanders of the Pisco, the Payta 
 and the Chorillos to report on board the flag-ship for 
 instructions. At this hour the Matucana, which flew 
 Vice-Admiral Padre's flag, was almost abreast the 
 Oroya on her eastern trip, while performing duty as a 
 patrol of the flying squadron. She hove to when the 
 signals were hoisted and a barge put off from her side. 
 It reached the flag-ship but a few minutes after 
 the small boats which brought the commanders of the 
 three battleships, and at fifteen minutes after six the 
 officers were seated in the cabin. 
 
 Hawkins and others who were assembled noticed 
 that the admiral was more earnest of speech and more 
 deliberate of action than usual. His orders were not 
 given as quickly as heretofore, nor when given was 
 there an intimation in the tone that he wished a word 
 of advice, or a suggestion. This was not a council of 
 war, as was the gathering in the same apartments the 
 night before ; it was an assembling of subordinates to
 
 2o6 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 receive orders. One man was master of the situation 
 and he was Admiral Louis Garcia y Garcia. 
 
 "I have summoned you," he said deHberatety, "to 
 explain the plan of battle and to tell you the part you 
 are to take to-night. The enemy, as you have prob- 
 ably surmised, vv^ish the engagement to take place in 
 the harbor, where the shore batteries can aid the ships. 
 They expect that our entire fleet will steam in and 
 become engaged. Should we do this they would have 
 opportunity to use with effect the only weapon that 
 we on the battleships have reason to fear — the torpedo. 
 Therefore I have decided that but one vessel of the 
 Peruvian fleet will engage the enemy at close quarters 
 and that ship will be the Oroya.'' 
 
 The offlcers and the newspaper correspondent could 
 not prevent exclamations of surprise at this announce- 
 ment, but the admiral continued his instructions with- 
 out noticing their words, saying: "Vice-Admiral 
 Padre, you will maintain the same station as at present 
 with the cruisers, except that, after nightfall, you will 
 move closer in-shore until the distance from point to 
 point is five miles, and over this stretch of water you 
 will maintain a perfect cordon. If a vessel attempts 
 to escape from the bay capture her if possible ; if not, 
 sink her. While on this station, do not show more 
 lights than are absolutely necessary to avoid collisions, 
 and do not enter the harbor until you are signaled to 
 do so." 
 
 Turning to the three captains he said : "Upon you, 
 gentlemen, will devolve the duty of preventing the 
 enemy sinking the Oroya during the engagement.
 
 Three Fleets in Action 207 
 
 Captain Paschal, you will move the Chorillos to the 
 west end of the bay. Captain Camara, the Pisco will 
 lie at the extreme east. Captain Rodriguez, the Payta 
 will occupy a station between the two, about where 
 she is at present. Your duties will be the same. When 
 the Oroya enters the harbor at midnight throw your 
 searchlights to each side of her and astern, then watch 
 for any attack on the flag-ship by torpedo boats or by 
 floating torpedoes, which you must prevent being suc- 
 cessful. Do not throw your lights upon the flag-ship, 
 but illuminate the waters on the sides. I shall so rely 
 upon you and your gunners that I shall pay no atten- 
 tion to these craft and devote all efforts to the destruc- 
 tion of the enemies' fleets with our great guns. Gentle- 
 men, you may return to your commands." 
 
 Twilight was fast deepening into night when they 
 stepped on deck. Lights appeared here and there in 
 the bay, and the fact that they were all moving slowly 
 in one direction proved they were on merchantmen 
 that were seeking to get out of range. A few lights 
 could be seen in the city beyond. Black clouds were 
 rising from the horizon, and although they promised 
 to overcast the sky, there was no indication that an- 
 other fog would close in. 
 
 "Are you not taking a great risk, Louis?" asked 
 Hawkins, as they glanced around the bay before going 
 to supper. 
 
 "Not as much as one might think," he replied. 
 "Should our fleet move in, there would be more or less 
 confusion and the enemy would have more chance to 
 deliver a fatal blow. They will not expect the man-
 
 2o8 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 euver now contemplated, and during the first half of 
 the battle we will have the advantage, for they will be 
 working in the dark. The only target at which they 
 can fire, unless they go outside, will be the Oroya and 
 although we will appear to be fighting the two fleets, 
 yet it will be impossible for more than two or three 
 vessels to engage us at once, for fear of inflicting 
 damage upon one another. The same will hold true 
 with the shore batteries, and you will find that their fire 
 will be rendered almost useless. But that reminds me, 
 Carey, the Oroya is going to be a warm place when 
 once we get into the thick of it, and perhaps you would 
 like to go on board one of the other vessels ?" 
 
 "Louis, do you really think that of me?" 
 
 "There, I beg your pardon, old man ; I didn't mean 
 it that way at all. Only, it is not your fight, you know, 
 and your duty toward your newspaper, so it seems to 
 me, requires that you keep a whole skin if possible." 
 
 "Duty requires me to witness everything possible," 
 replied Hawkins, "and that and my comradeship of 
 years will cause me to remain in the conning tow^er 
 of the Oroya, if the admiral of the Peruvian navy will 
 permit !" 
 
 "Indeed I will, Carey; and now let us adjourn to 
 the cabin for a half hour or so." 
 
 Later in the evening the correspondent asked : "In 
 your plans for the engagement, have you not forgotten 
 the torpedo boats ?" 
 
 "No," said the admiral, smiling at his friend's earn- 
 estness. "They will open the ball, as you shall see." 
 
 As they returned to deck, eight bells rang out
 
 Three Fleets in Action 209 
 
 sharply on the flag-ship ; eight bells came musically 
 from the Pisco and the Payta, which lay to port and 
 to starboard ; then the same number of sweet sounds 
 swept in from the Chorillos and from, the torpedo- 
 boats ; and finally, like faint echoes, the notes of many 
 bells swept out from the harbor. Night was fully born 
 and a black arch rounded overhead, for the clouds 
 had shut out the starlight. There were lights twink- 
 ling at the mastheads of the three Peruvian battleships 
 and the torpedo-boats, but not a sign to indicate where 
 the cruisers of the flying squadron were moving to and 
 fro : there were few lights in the city of Valparaiso 
 and none on the vessels of the British and Chilean 
 fleets. Occasionally, close in shore, a funnel sputtered 
 forth a little blaze, showing that fires were roaring in 
 the furnaces, and then blackness would blot out the 
 glow. 
 
 The sounding of the hour of eight had been followed 
 by a long electric flash from the cylinder that pro- 
 truded above the Oroya's wheel-house ; it was a signal 
 for the fleet to prepare for general action. No roll of 
 drums or blare of bugles followed, for orders had been 
 passed to work as silently as possible. Down came the 
 Oroya's royal and top-gallant yards and then the m.asts 
 sank into one another. The deck opened its many 
 maws and swallowed the light superstructures; then 
 the great guns, more powerful than any in the world, 
 whether on ship or shore, cam.e in sight and were 
 drawn into position. Up went the sides until the shell 
 of armor was arched overhead, and last there rose the 
 conning tower. When the metamorphosis was com-
 
 210 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 plete Admiral Garcia y Garcia took his station in the 
 steel round house. With him were Captain Crane, 
 Lieutenant Cordero and Ensign Romero of the staff, 
 two lieutenants of the line, Messrs. Spencer and Smith, 
 a quartermaster and Correspondent Hawkins. Be- 
 neath them, at their stations, were the guns' crews. 
 
 "It will probably be three hours before we go into 
 action," said the admiral, "but now that night has 
 fallen the enemy may come out and It is well to be 
 prepared. Captain Crane, keep a sharp lookout." 
 
 At that moment the Oroya's commander was in- 
 structing Lieutenant Spencer to take the first watch of 
 an hour, to be relieved by Lieutenant Smith. Marine 
 glass in hand, the officer designated mounted the nar- 
 row platform and took a position from where he could 
 see in all directions through slits in the towxr. The 
 others were grouped below the platform, where chairs 
 had been placed, and there they talked of the impend- 
 ing conflict. Through the opening in the bottom of 
 the tower could be seen the deck, the great guns and 
 the sailors at stations. Electric lights were shining 
 and the men were gathered in groups, some chatting, 
 most of them smoking, for they had been told to rest at 
 ease until needed, and special privileges had been 
 granted during the long wait in the use of tobacco on 
 the gun deck. The men of the Oroya were a picked 
 crew, tall, broad-shouldered and of magnificent phy- 
 sique. They were half clad, but some of them had 
 thrown light jackets over their bare chests and shoul- 
 ders until the call to guns should be sounded.
 
 Three Fleets in Action 211 
 
 "Why is it that men strip to the waist before going 
 into action ?" Hawkins asked the admiral. 
 
 "So that spHnters, let fly by bursting shells, may not 
 carry bits of cloth into the wounds," he replied. 
 
 They were twenty-five feet above the deck level 
 while in this conning tower and the space beneath them 
 resembled a vast amphitheater, as viewed from the raft- 
 ers. There was nothing visible on the deck except 
 the seven great guns and the sailors and oi^cers who 
 manned them. The smaller pieces had not been hoisted 
 from the hold for this night's engagement. 
 
 ''You cannot use the machine guns while the sides 
 are up, can you?" asked the newspaper correspondent. 
 
 "Yes, there are sHdes that can be opened for them, 
 should there be need, but to-night we will rely on the 
 great gun fire. No attention will be paid to the 
 enemy's torpedo-boats, and machine guns are only 
 useful against such craft and when at close quarters." 
 
 Two bells sounded on the Oroya, the clanging sound 
 reverberating in the hollow steel shell as it might in 
 a cavern. It was nine o'clock and there had been no 
 move made by the ships in the harbor, nor by the 
 vessels that blockaded the port. 
 
 The next hour passed slowly, as does time always 
 when one is waiting for something to happen. At 
 half past nine Lieutenant Smith relieved Lieutenant 
 Spencer, but beyond this incident nothing occurred to 
 break the monotony. 
 
 Soon after four bells the watch officer uttered a 
 warning exclamation that at once brought Admiral
 
 212 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 Garcia and Captain Crane to their feet and to positions 
 at his side on the platform. 
 
 "Over to port, sir/' the junior officer said. "See 
 her, creeping along close in shore!" and he pointed in 
 the direction. 
 
 His seniors saw a dull red glow and at once recog- 
 nized it as the glare from the funnel of a ship whose 
 furnaces were burning briskly. 
 
 "Throw the light on her, Crane," said the admiral. 
 
 The execution of this order was another proof of the 
 perfected mechanical apparatus on the Oroya. Pres- 
 sure on a button caused powerful searchlight rays to 
 be cast from the side of the flag-ship. By moving a 
 small lever in the conning tower an officer directed the 
 course of the light at will. In a second the beams 
 were thrown on the place where all had been glancing, 
 and there was revealed, as if she stood forth in day- 
 light, a ship of the Chilean navy, headed toward sea, 
 but close in shore, and under full steam ; her men at 
 quarters, standing by the guns and gathered in the 
 mihtary tops. 
 
 *The Almirante Molinas !" exclaimed Admiral Gar- 
 cia. "She has a speed of twenty-two knots and is one 
 of the swiftest boats of the combined navies. I won- 
 der what she is coming out for? Keep the light on 
 her. Captain Crane, and, Mr. Cordero, signal the vice- 
 admiral to capture her when she is five miles out." 
 
 The correspondent noticed that the flash signal ap- 
 paratus was as simple as the other pieces of mechanism 
 and that the flag officer used a key, resembling that 
 employed by telegraph operators. Dots and dashes
 
 Three Fleets in Action 213 
 
 of light from the top of the conning tower followed 
 his manipulation of the little brass lever. 
 
 Under the searchlight's fierce glare the officers of 
 the Molinas could be seen on the bridge, marine 
 glasses in hand, examining the bay and endeavoring, 
 to locate the vessels of the hostile fleet. But owing 
 to the use of reflectors it was impossible for them to 
 see the ship which cast the brilHant rays upon them, 
 and the others had hauled down their lights. 
 
 "Where can she be heading for ?" again queried the 
 admiral. For the Molinas, despite her having been 
 discovered, kept on her course, and the spray at her 
 bow and wave lines at the side told that she was steam- 
 ing at full speed. For five minutes the Oroya illumi- 
 nated her path and then it became apparent that the 
 Chilean was edging closer in shore and shaping her 
 course as close to the east as was possible. 
 
 "Now I understand," said the admiral, when there 
 could be no doubt of the way the Molinas was head- 
 ing. "Lord Harvey has discovered that the cable has 
 been cut beyond Vina del Mar and he has sent out the 
 swiftest vessel of the two fleets with orders to restore 
 telegraphic communication with the outside world. 
 Let her go for the present, Captain Crane; she will 
 soon be in the clutches of the flying squadron." 
 
 The searchlight was extinguished and the Chilean 
 man-of-war was blotted from the scene even as a pic- 
 ture disappears from the white screen when the slide 
 is drawn from the magic lantern. The officers in the 
 conning tower peered into the darkness and listened 
 attentively for fully ten minutes ; and then there shot
 
 214 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 forth in the night, from out at sea, a flash as of light- 
 ning, and five seconds later there rolled over the water 
 sound waves of such magnitude that the instruments 
 of observation on the flag-ship trembled as if shaken 
 by a hand. The roar swept over the city of Valparaiso 
 and then back came the echoes, thrown from the foot- 
 hills. 
 
 "If I mistake not that was an eight-inch on the 
 Matucana," said the admiral ; "and there go more of 
 them," he added, for flash followed flash until half a 
 dozen brilliant darts pierced the night. Following, at 
 intervals, came reverberation after reverberation, roll- 
 ing in from the ocean, and then again all was quiet. 
 
 "The enemy is on fire!" soon reported the watch 
 officer, and the occupants of the conning tower could 
 see a red haze forming in the distance. 
 
 Groups as curious as the one in the conning tower 
 had formed on the gun deck, where sailors and officers 
 crowded to the apertures at the starboard side and 
 gazed in the direction where the enemy was last seen, 
 in an effort to view the sequel to the bold dash of the 
 Chilean from the harbor. That the sight of all on 
 board might not be interfered with the electric current 
 that supplied the incandescent lamps was turned off 
 and the Oroya was in darkness. 
 
 "Mr. Cordero, instruct the vice-admiral that he may 
 use the searchlight until he has rescued the crew of 
 the Chilean and has captured the prize," said the com- 
 mander-in-chief. A few seconds after the signal was 
 flashed, pursuant to these orders, the burning warship 
 was so brilliantly lighted by the glow thrown from the
 
 Three Fleets in Action 215 
 
 Matucana that the bursting flames on board her, which 
 as they gained progress had changed from red to 
 yellow, again turned to red, and to a darker red, in 
 contrast with the artificial light. This electric glare 
 was so bright that those on the flag-ship who used 
 marine glasses could see that the crew had become 
 panic-stricken and were crow^ding forward to escape 
 the flames. The Molinas was drifting aimlessly, proof 
 that her steering gear had been shot away, and she 
 was rolling in the trough of the sea. A few minutes 
 later barges and cutters from vessels of the flying 
 squadron dashed into the circle of light and then were 
 repeated the scenes enacted in Callao Bay, when the 
 Shamrock was sunk by the Miraflores, for men com- 
 menced to jump into the sea ; the only difference being 
 that these men were Chileans, not British. 
 
 The rescue did not take long, and just as the boats 
 were backing away from the burning cruiser the prow 
 of a Peruvian warship was seen entering the circle of 
 light. 
 
 'The Tambovisa!" reported the watch officer. 
 
 She steamed close to the burning ship and com- 
 menced to throw a pow^erful stream of water into the 
 Molinas. When ten minutes had elapsed without this 
 having apparent effect. Captain Crane suggested the 
 advisability of ordering the cruiser away because of 
 the danger from exploding magazines, and the admiral 
 was on the point of doing so when the flames began 
 to subside. Soon a barge put oft* from the Tambovisa, 
 and it could be seen that lines of hose were being 
 carried to the deck of the Chilean from the small boat.
 
 2i6 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 Then other boats, loaded with sailors formed as a fire 
 brigade, pulled alongside, the Peruvians swarmed up 
 the sides of the prize and crowded into the smoke. 
 So successful were their efforts that an hour and a 
 half after the Matucana fired the first shot the flag- 
 ship of the flying squadron flashed the word that the 
 flames had been extinguished, and a moment later the 
 searchHght was turned from the prize. At twenty 
 minutes to twelve Vice-Admiral Padre signaled the 
 following : "Have captured the Chilean cruiser Almi- 
 rante MoHnas, twelve hundred tons, four guns, eight 
 officers and one hundred and eighty men. Two offi- 
 cers and ten men killed by the bursting of a shell. 
 Three officers and twelve men wounded and being 
 cared for on the flag-ship. Molinas did not fire a shot, 
 being unable to get our range. Fire confined to deck 
 works and did little damage to hull. Prize in excel- 
 lent condition.'* 
 
 "The thanks of the fleet!" was the brief response 
 signaled back, by order of the commander-in-chief. 
 
 Once more all became silent and dark in the bay, 
 and the eyes of those who had viewed the stirring 
 scenes enacted five miles out at sea involuntarily 
 turned to the clock in the Oroya's conning tower and 
 watched the hands creep slowly to the hour of twelve. 
 The British and Chilean ships in the harbor showed 
 no lights, and the few lights that had been seen earlier 
 in the evening in the city of Valparaiso had been 
 extinguished, that the blockading fleet might not have 
 their aid in securing the range of objects on shore. 
 The masthead lights on the battle-ships of the Peru-
 
 Three Fleets in Action 217 
 
 vian navy had been hauled down ; and from shore to 
 shore, and from water front to open sea, there was 
 not a sign that man Hved or had being. Nature 
 only illumined the black intensity with a thin line of 
 phosphorescence, where breakers fell frothing on the 
 beach. The glad notes of bells were due to ring out 
 all over the harbor and sound eight strokes for the 
 midnight hour when the clock hands o'erlapped each 
 other at the perpendicular, but this night, when it v/as 
 twelve, the silence was as profound as the surround- 
 ing black was intense, save that low, musical chimes 
 came from a monastery in the new quarter of the city, 
 accentuating the silence by contrast, as the phosphor- 
 escent breakers accentuated the darkness. 
 
 As the notes were dying away w^ord was passed from 
 bow to stern on the battle-ship Oroya, and men sprang 
 to positions assigned them when in general action. 
 The sailors had stripped to the waist and their bare 
 backs and chests glistened under the electric lights 
 that had been turned on for a few minutes, until every- 
 one could place himself in position. They were all 
 large men, but they seemed short of stature when 
 beside the great guns, the muzzles of which had been 
 run through the ports. Ammunition holds were open 
 and ammunition hoists were ready to be pushed up 
 and down and back and forth ; for there was an over- 
 head railway of elliptical shape from bow to stern, and 
 along this traveled steel baskets with fifteen-inch and 
 sixteen-inch shells as burdens. Over the hatches that 
 opened into the magazines were thrown strips of felt, 
 to prevent sparks and fragments, that might be scat-
 
 2iS Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 tered by an explosion, falling among the combustibles. 
 Long lines of fire hose had been run on the deck and 
 the bulging rubber showed that water was forced 
 through their lengths, ready to be used under pres- 
 sure by the turning of cock at the nozzle. Buckets 
 filled with water were suspended from hooks and 
 chemical hand-grenades were within easy reach. 
 Standing at the head of an after companion way was 
 the fieet surgeon, the surgeon of the Oroya, two 
 assistants and a dozen hospital stewards, ready to care 
 for the wounded. Their operating room was the steer- 
 age, immediately below them on the berth deck. The 
 long mess table there had been covered with oilcloth 
 and on side tables had been placed scalpels and saws. 
 
 While the men stood thus waiting, and just before 
 the lights were turned of¥, the members of each gun's 
 crew were served with hot cof¥ee by the forecastle 
 stewards. 
 
 At the opening in the bottom of the conning tower, 
 and directly above the gun deck, Lieutenant Smith 
 was stationed, to repeat to those below the orders 
 issued by Captain Crane. He held a megaphone in 
 hand, so that his voice could be heard above the din 
 of battle. Lieutenant Spencer and Ensign Romero 
 were placed at port and starboard slits of the conning 
 tower. Admiral Garcia took the central position, that 
 he might see directly ahead. At his right stood Flag 
 Lieutenant Cordero, whose right hand grasped the sig- 
 nal apparatus, and he was ready, at a word, to flash 
 messages to other vessels of the fleet. Immediately 
 behind the commander-in-chief was Captain Crane,
 
 Three Fleets in Action 219 
 
 in position where he could direct the movements of his 
 vessel and give orders for execution below. The 
 quartermaster was at the wheel. 
 
 "Mr. Cordero, signal the Anita, Rosita, Avita and 
 Mercedes to dash into harbor and draw the enemy's 
 fire, then return to their stations." 
 
 For a few seconds there was nothing to show that 
 the admiral's order was being obeyed, then four 
 white lines could be seen on the black water, and the 
 lines were rushing at express train speed into the night, 
 away from the Oroya. The second hand of the clock 
 in the conning tower ticked two minutes away. A 
 dazzling beam of light shot out from near shore, and 
 then from the sides of ships in the harbor sprang ray 
 after ray as they turned searchlights in the direction 
 of the on-moving torpedo-boats ; for the night was so 
 still the swish of their sides through water had been 
 heard and this had sounded the alarm. Guns of Brit- 
 ish and Chileans began to ring out, but the range had 
 not been found and shells dropped all over the bay, 
 many passing the Oroya, screeching like the wind of 
 a wintry night, and falling out at sea. There was 
 perhaps a minute of this wild firing before the ene- 
 mies' pieces were trained for effective action, and when 
 shells commenced to strike near the small vessels they 
 had turned and were making their way back, pursuant 
 to orders. 
 
 The officers on the flag-ship had watched this gun 
 fire attentively, and as different ships had exposed their 
 positions ranges were taken, and comparisons were
 
 220 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 made with the chart that Ensign Romero had pre- 
 pared during the afternoon. 
 
 "None of them have moved since sundown," re- 
 marked Admiral Garcia, as the gun fire slackened. 
 
 A burst of Hght and a roar came from ofi the port 
 bow. The crash was so great that the gun fire in the 
 harbor could not be heard. The bright light disap- 
 peared in the second in which it was born and was 
 followed by a column of flame-illumined water that 
 rose to a height of fifty feet and remained stationary 
 an instant — a whirlpool in midair. In this waterspout, 
 this unnatural geyser, were dismembered human 
 bodies and pieces of deck-work : arms, legs and trunks 
 of men were gyrating and so were pieces of w^ood and 
 iron. The prow of a vessel, forced out of water by the 
 explosion, formed the base of this infernal column. 
 Suddenly it was all blotted out by the night; inshore 
 the ships had increased the gun fire and flashes on the 
 hillsides showed that the forts had opened on the dis- 
 tant vessels. 
 
 Beads of sweat had formed on the forehead of the 
 commander-in-chief. "Which boat was it, Romero?" 
 he asked. 
 
 "The Avita, I think, sir," replied the ensign. 
 
 Admiral Garcia gave a sweeping glance around the 
 conning tower and below at the gun deck, then rap- 
 idly issued the orders for action. 
 
 "Cordero, signal the Chorillos, Pisco and Payta to 
 turn on searchlights, as I directed. 
 
 "Crane, full speed ahead into the very center of the 
 fleets. Open with the bow gun at once. Engage with
 
 Three Fleets in Action 221 
 
 both port and starboard batteries as soon as possible." 
 
 He stooped over long enough to whisper to the 
 newspaper correspondent : "Carey, when you hear 
 the order given to fire, raise yourself on your toes ancf 
 open your mouth wide. That will save your ear drums 
 from the concussion !" 
 
 The speed lever was thrown over to the thirty-five 
 knot mark, the great battle-ship, now all dark, trem- 
 bled slightly as the longitudinal screws raced in the 
 water, forced by engines working at full pressure, 
 then darted from the spot where she had been sta- 
 tionary so long, making straight for the middle of the 
 harbor, a course that would bring the British ships 
 on the port side and the Chileans on the starboard. 
 As the flag-ship started a circle of light sprang into 
 being around her. It was a ring with a rim of fifty 
 yards enclosing black water and the center of the water 
 was the Oroya; the light moved as the battle-ship 
 moved and the vessel and her Saturn-like circle dashed 
 into the harbor together. 
 
 ''Depress the bow gun and train for two points of¥ 
 the port bow !" shouted Lieutenant Smith through the 
 megaphone, repeating the order given by Captain 
 Crane. 
 
 Down in the dark, cavern-like gun-deck, a junior 
 lieutenant could be heard directing his gun crew as 
 the instructions from above were carried out. Shells 
 were now screeching all around them and were tear- 
 ing up the water of the bay. There were incessant 
 flashes from the two hostile fleets and from the land 
 batteries.
 
 222 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "Fire !" called out Lieutenant Smith, and the sound 
 of his voice, contorted by the megaphone so as to be 
 demoniacal, penetrated all parts of the ship. 
 
 There was an instant of suspense, a lifting on tip- 
 toe, to avoid the concussion, then came a crash that 
 caused the air to sing in men's ears, and the Oroya 
 recoiled and trembled. The roar made by the great 
 gun, like the roar caused by the explosion of the 
 Avita, drowned all other sounds for some seconds, and, 
 although flashes proved that more of the enemies' 
 pieces were opening, yet during this brief period no 
 reports seemed to follow the flames. 
 
 "Square into the Sampson's counter !" sang out the 
 ensign joyously, for a flash of gun fire had illuminated 
 the side of the British flag-ship the instant the shell 
 from the Oroya struck, and splinters were seen to fly. 
 And now, at intervals, all the vessels in the harbor 
 could be seen by the light of flames that shot from 
 their sides, so incessant had the firing become. 
 
 Powerful blows were being struck the Oroya on the 
 top and sides of her armor; they resounded through 
 the shell like the blows of a trip hammer in a great 
 factory, only they were not regular, coming at inter- 
 vals, sometimes a number crashing together. Cor- 
 respondent Hawkins first wondered what these strange 
 sounds could be, then at once rightly concluded that 
 they were projectiles, striking the protective sides. The 
 shrieking of the shells that did not strike grew louder ; 
 some of those that did fall on the hard steel burst and 
 added to the din; others splashed into the water; as 
 yet none had penetrated the armor plate.
 
 Three Fleets in Action 2.21 
 
 "Fire at will!" called the admiral, for they were in 
 the thick of it. 
 
 'Turn on all lights !" shouted Captain Crane, for 
 there was no longer need to mask the battle-ship. 
 
 The hoarse megaphone tones repeated the com- 
 mands, carrying the words above the uproar, and the 
 Oroya became as light as day. 
 
 The short dash was over. The great Peruvian 
 battle-ship was in the midst of the combined British 
 and Chilean fleets. The wonderful floating battery, 
 the result of years of labor and of study, was at last 
 in position to make possible the fulfillment of the vow 
 made by the brothers Garcia to the Inca. 
 
 Those sailors on the gun-deck ! They were working 
 like mad, swinging the ammunition hoists, turning the 
 screw^s and bending the levers that worked the training 
 gear, throwing open breeches and pushing in shells, 
 closing the breeches and locking them, dashing to the 
 breeches again even as the great pieces were fired, dis- 
 regarding all injunctions concerning prevention of ear 
 drum rupture. For years they had looked forward to 
 this encounter, there had been daily recital of what it 
 would be ; they had been magnetized by their admiral 
 with a hatred for the Chileans and for all others who 
 stood in the path of Incaland's march. To port, to 
 starboard and ahead the great guns were fired so 
 incessantly that it was a continuous roar. Fifteen- 
 inch and sixteen-inch shells were hurled into the night 
 and most of them found lodgment, for the enemy 
 seemed everywhere. 
 
 The Sampson lay to starboard, the Adele to port;
 
 224 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 astern was the Chilean Blanco Encalada. Three ships 
 were lying off the bow, but these and the Blanco did 
 not dare fire, for fear of hitting one another, and they 
 tried to get out of the way. But one of them, the 
 Ministre Zenteno, wa^ struck square amidships by a 
 sixteen-inch shell from the Oroya, which exploded the 
 magazine, and the Chilean ship burst into flame and 
 ran foul of a sister cruiser, and the two drifted in con- 
 fusion. 
 
 The din within the shell of the Peruvian battle-ship 
 had by this time become infernal. Crash followed 
 crash, as though lightning bolts were falling within 
 the space of a few feet, and the noise was so" terrific 
 that no man's voice could be heard. The men sweated 
 and toiled like mad at the ammunition hoists and the 
 breeches. One man would swing a fifteen-inch shell 
 while in this frenzy that six would ordinarily handle. 
 They pushed and jostled one another in their eager- 
 ness to load the pieces. As gun breeches were opened 
 black fumes poured forth. It was oily and sticky and 
 as it settled over the sailors grimy particles mingled 
 with the perspiration that steamed from their pores 
 and trickled down their bare chests and backs to the 
 w^aist lines. The fog-horn megaphone could not now be 
 heard, but there was no use for it. The order, "fire at 
 will," was being obeyed, and none other would have 
 been heeded had anyone wished to give it. 
 
 How the news spread from the conning tower to the 
 men at the guns that the English battle-ship Cicero 
 had been sunk no one could tell. But it did spread,
 
 d « 
 
 < .^ 
 
 O M 
 
 a - 
 
 as > 
 
 < ^ 
 
 (/3
 
 Three Fleets in Action 225 
 
 and a cheer that was heard above the crashes came 
 from the toiling, sweating crew. 
 
 That sixteen-inch gun had done it ! When the wound 
 was inflicted none could tell. But from the conning 
 tower they saw the 12,000 tons of steel lurch heavily by 
 the bow, then slowly go down, and they could see men 
 jumping into the water; but this time no boats were 
 called away, no rescue work was attempted: no, the 
 great guns kept up their crashing and the shells their 
 screeching and crushing. The Cicero had been struck 
 between wdnd and water, the sixteen-inch shell had 
 torn a great hole, had burst and enlarged it, and the 
 water had poured in. 
 
 But while the men cheered on the Oroya some of 
 them fell dead, for a shell from the Sampson entered a 
 gun port, glanced along the great piece and burst. It 
 destroyed the training gear, killed a dozen sailors and 
 an officer, and wounded a score or more of the crew. 
 
 The surgeon ran into the bloody, steaming mass, 
 and knelt rapidly by the side of body after body. His 
 assistants carried away such as he ordered taken below. 
 The others, those for whom he could do nothing, were 
 left dying there — and the fight went on. 
 
 To port there was a terrific explosion, and even as 
 the Avita was hurled in air so could those in the con- 
 ning tower of the Peruvian flag-ship see another tor- 
 pedo-boat rise above water and then see human bodies 
 twist and squirm as they were carried up by the whirl- 
 ing, seething water. 
 
 "Well caught by the Pisco !" screamed Admiral Gar-
 
 226 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 cia, for only by screaming could he be heard. 'That 
 boat was under our stern!" he added. 
 
 He turned to look to starboard, reeled and fell from 
 the platform. Captain Crane jumped to the side of his 
 commander and, lifting him, placed him in a chair. 
 In doing so he had to push to one side the lifeless 
 body of Ensign Romero, for the shell that had struck 
 the commander-in-chief a glancing blow had killed 
 the junior officer. A surgeon, detailed for duty in the 
 tower, applied restoratives and the admiral was soon 
 on his feet. Blood trickled down his cheek from a 
 wound just above the temple. 
 
 The bay was now a glare of light, for many ships 
 were on fire. The hill batteries were vomiting forth 
 flame and shells, but in the confusion these shore guns 
 did as much injury to friend as to foe. Another shell 
 had burst on the Oroya and more men lay dead. Fire 
 had also started and a gun's crew had been called away 
 to fight the enemy that threatened from within. 
 
 The ships were becoming scattered, their fire was 
 growing more uncertain every moment. Flames 
 were seen on the Sampson now; she was so close 
 to the Oroya that the heat of them could be felt 
 and men could be seen jumping through the fiery fur- 
 nace into the water, where they drowned. And so to 
 port and to starboard ships that had been the pride of 
 two navies were staggering, yet plying their guns 
 when they could. And the Oroya kept her great guns 
 going, but with not quite the vim as at first, for one 
 crew was fighting fire and portions of two other crews 
 lay dead. Lying in the conning tower was the body of
 
 Three Fleets in Action 227 
 
 Ensign Romero, for there had been no time to remove 
 it. 
 
 Hawkins closed his eyes to shut out the horrible 
 sights, and as he did so he heard Admiral Garcia ex- 
 claim : "Crane, they have struck ; Mr. Cordero, signal 
 the fleet to come in," then there was a crash and all 
 became black for him. 
 
 The correspondent awoke to find himself reclining 
 on a steamer chair, near the admiral's cabin. It 
 was morning and the sun was an hour high. The 
 Oroya's sides were down and her great guns had dis- 
 appeared. She was anchored in Valparaiso harbor, 
 close in shore, and near her rolled the other vessels of 
 the fleet, all except the Avita. 
 
 Five hulks, that the night before had been warships, 
 were smoldering near, the flames having been extin- 
 guished after hours of labor. On other vessels Peru- 
 vian ensigns flew from gaf¥s where British or Chilean 
 flags had floated the day before. 
 
 Admiral Garcia, pale of face and haggard of eye, 
 for he had been without sleep for two nights, ap- 
 proached the newspaper correspondent and asked him 
 how he felt. 
 
 Hawkins saw that the commander-in-chief wore a 
 bandage over his right temple, and then the terrible 
 scenes of the night all came back to him. He shud- 
 dered and said feebly: "Then we have won?" 
 
 *'Yes, we have won. And you had a close call, old 
 man. A shell that killed poor Cordero took off part 
 of your scalp."
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 OFF FOR THE ATLANTIC. 
 
 ''Occupation of territory is not desired. Restora- 
 tion to Peru of the Province of Tarapaca is demanded. 
 Failure to comply with these terms will result in the 
 bombardment and complete destruction of Valpar- 
 aiso. Your government will be given until noon 
 to consider the ultimatum." 
 
 ''Sir," repHed the captain-of-the-port, who was 
 spokesman for the party that had visited the flag-ship, 
 "we cannot act without conference with Santiago, and 
 telegraphic communication has been interrupted since 
 yesterday evening." 
 
 "You will find the land wire in perfect working 
 order," said Admiral Garcia y Garcia. "The embargo 
 on messages of an internecine nature was removed two 
 hours ago and only foreign dispatches are withheld 
 until affairs are settled. You should have no difficulty 
 conferring with the President and the Congress and 
 securing a definite reply before noon, for it is not yet 
 eight o'clock. No excuse you may offer wdll avert the 
 bombardment of Valparaiso if our terms are not com- 
 plied with by the hour stipula.ted." 
 
 This visit to the Oroya by the Chileans was the 
 sequel to the surrender of the early morning. The 
 Chilean navy was represented by the rear admiral of 
 the fleet, and the captain-of-the-port spoke for the 
 city's interests. Both were accompanied by their suites 
 
 228
 
 Off for the Atlantic 229 
 
 and fully a dozen officers were bowed over the side by 
 the officer of the deck when Admiral Garcia's ultima- 
 tum had been given. The British were not repre- 
 sented, because such of their ships as had not been 
 sunk were in possession of the Peruvians and there was 
 no question for negotiation, Admiral Garcia having 
 assured Lord Harvey that his officers and men w^ould 
 be treated as prisoners of war. 
 
 Soon after the Chilean officers had left the flag-ship 
 the torpedo-boat Mercedes was ordered back to the 
 telegraph junction above — Vina del Mar. A staff 
 officer was a passenger and he carried messages for 
 transmission over the cable. In addition to govern- 
 ment dispatches from the commander-in-chief he was 
 given a short account of the battle, written at Corres- 
 pondent Hawkins' dictation, for the American had 
 recovered sufficiently from his wound to attend to his 
 duty with the aid of the admiral's secretary as an 
 amanuensis. One dispatch, which the staft officer was 
 instructed to send immediately upon arrival, was ad- 
 dressed to Pedro Garcia y Garcia, President of Peru. 
 It read : 
 
 ^'Viva Incaland! Combined -fleets shattered, 
 British surrendered. Chilean surrender held in abey- 
 ance until Tarapaca is ceded. Avita, officers and crew, 
 destroyed by explosion. We also mourn Cordero and 
 Romero, and thirty-five other heroes. Complete list 
 of dead and wounded later. Viva Incaland! 
 
 Louis" 
 
 "We had better seek a few hours' rest, Carey," said 
 the admiral, as the Mercedes darted away on her
 
 230 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 twenty-mile run. ''You will do more effective work 
 after having slept." 
 
 "Can I send another message?" 
 
 "Yes. We will not up anchor much before three 
 o'clock, even if the Chileans come to our terms. The 
 Maria or the Mercedes will make another run to the 
 junction just before we sail." 
 
 Both men were haggard and pale, their cheeks were 
 sunken, dark lines were beneath their eyes, and they 
 staggered as they walked, for it was difficult for them 
 to keep their feet since being wounded in the conning 
 tower. Hawkins had left the steamer chair once that 
 morning, visiting the dining room for a few minutes. 
 Fleet commander and correspondent had suffered 
 much from the loss of blood. The heads of both were 
 swathed in bandages, which the surgeon had renewed 
 an hour before, when he again remarked the narrow 
 escape they had had from death. 
 
 It had been a great victory. 
 
 Listed heavily to port, off Fort Bueras, was the 
 English battle-ship Sampson, Lord Harvey's flag-ship. 
 Her charred deck-works were evidence of the fire that 
 had raged on board until a crew from the cruiser 
 Tambovisa had fought down the flames. Two of her 
 12-inch guns were dismounted, a portion of her 
 conning tower had been carried away, and of her crew 
 it was reported that twelve officers and fifty men had 
 been killed, and twice as many wounded. Among the 
 latter was Lord Harvey, whose hurt was so grievous 
 that he had been taken ashore to the marine hospital
 
 Off for the Atlantic 231 
 
 in Valparaiso, permission having been granted by the 
 Peruvian commander-in-chief, whose prisoners the 
 British were by right of war. 
 
 A half mile to the east of the Sampson, and some- 
 what further out in the bay, three top-masts showed 
 above the water. They marked the Cicero, the ship 
 that had ranked second of the combined fleets. Many 
 of her men had been rescued by small boats that had 
 been let fall when the order to abandon ship had been 
 given. Some had jumped over the side and a few of 
 these were drowned in effort to reach shore. The cap- 
 tain was dragged from the bridge of his sinking ship 
 by a faithful marine, was captured by a boat's crew 
 from the Chorillos, and made a prisoner. 
 
 The third ship of the British squadron, the Adele, 
 was on the beach near Vina del Mar. Early in the 
 engagement a shell had burst on her counter and had 
 destroyed her steering gear, so that she had drifted 
 helplessly with the in-coming tide. She had received 
 no other injury, the beach where she struck being 
 sand, and already Captain Biggs, of the Chosica, who 
 had been detailed to superintend salvage work, had 
 formed a plan to float her at the next flood tide. The 
 shell had not done much damage on deck, and but half 
 a dozen men on the cruiser had been wounded and 
 none killed. 
 
 Of the Chilean fleet, the Blanco Encalada had fared 
 the worst. Fifty of her men had been killed and nearly 
 all the officers were either dead or wounded. Such 
 havoc had been wrought among the crew that barge 
 load after barge load of sailors had been taken ashore
 
 232 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 for treatment at the marine hospital. Two of the 
 Oroya's 1 6-inch shells had burst amidships within a 
 few minutes of one another. They had destroyed the 
 funnels, broken the gun shields, dented the sponsons, 
 made of the superstructure a tangled mass of iron and 
 wood, perforated the conning tower and dismounted 
 two of the Blanco's ii-inch and five of her 5-inch 
 guns. 
 
 The Almirante Cochrane and the Capitan Pratt had 
 been in collision. The former became unmanageable 
 soon after the first gun fire, had run into the Pratt, and 
 the two had drifted to the lower end of the bay before 
 the crew of the latter could disengage their ship. 
 Flames were flashing from the hold of the Cochrane 
 all this time and the Pratt's crew were kept busy fight- 
 ing fire as well as endeavoring to free themselves from 
 the rudderless vessel. When they were finally clear it 
 was necessary that they should aid their brother mari- 
 ners in extinguishing the flames on the Cochrane, so 
 the engagement in the bay had come to an end before 
 the Pratt could re-enter the thick of it. She was 
 therefore in the best condition of any of the opposing 
 ships, not having lost a man. Two had been wounded, 
 but they were not hit by anything the Oroya had fired. 
 Their hurts were received later, when the Pratt at- 
 tempted to steal out of the harbor, just before day- 
 break, and had run into Admiral Padre's squadron of 
 cruisers, just then closing in. One shell that struck 
 on the starboard side sufficed to stop the Pratt and 
 flying splinters wounded two of her men. 
 
 The O'Higgins had been sunk. She went down
 
 Off for the Atlantic 233 
 
 slowly a half hour after the engagement began. 
 She was struck by a wild shot from the Oroya, 
 for the Chilean corvette was never in the thick of the 
 fight, having been stationed by Lord Harvey half a 
 mile to a mile from the main fleet before the action 
 commenced. None of her men had been lost and she 
 had settled in such shallow water that her bridge 
 showed and it was believed she could be easily floated. 
 
 One of the two torpedo-boats, the Almirante Con- 
 dell and the Almirante Lynch, was left above water. 
 The former had been destroyed by a shell from the 
 Payta. It was not known what had become of her 
 crew. The majority had certainly perished ; a few had 
 perhaps escaped by swimming ashore or had been 
 picked up by the small boats that had patroled the 
 harbor after the engagement, searching for such unfor- 
 tunates as might be struggling in the water. In this 
 early morning confusion it was impossible to tell what 
 had happened, beyond the story of devastation con- 
 veyed by the eye and the few meager reports that had 
 been made to the commander-in-chief. 
 
 The Magellanes, hardly recognizable, was on the 
 beach. She had caught fire and had been run ashore. 
 The flames ate into her forward ammunition hold, and 
 an explosion split her in twain amidships. Before 
 this her crew had escaped, so it was reported. 
 
 The Almirante Molinas had re-entered the bay as a 
 part of the flying squadron. She was in good condi- 
 tion, as was reported by Vice-Admiral Padre soon 
 after her capture the night before. 
 
 Close in shore, near Fort Bueras, was the wreck of
 
 234 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the Almirante Simpson. It was said she had suffered 
 by the misdirected fire from the shore batteries. No 
 report had been made of the loss of Hfe on board. 
 
 The Ministre Zenteno, as previously related, was 
 sunk during the engagement. The same fate had be- 
 fallen the Ministre Zangara, and as yet no estimate had 
 been made of the loss of Hfe on either. 
 
 At 9 o'clock that morning, when the sweet chimes 
 of the monastery bells rang out as they had on the 
 evening before, a funeral procession wound its way 
 from the old quarter of the seacoast city to the ceme- 
 tery on the hill. The Chileans had begun to bury their 
 dead. At the same hour the barge Valeria put off from 
 the flag-ship and went out to sea, where the water was 
 so deep that no anchor chain could reach. On a plat- 
 form constructed in her bow rested the bodies of the 
 Peruvian officers and sailors who had been killed dur- 
 ing the engagement. Each was wrapped in a red, white 
 and red ensign. As the barge started a gun was fired on 
 the Payta and each minute during the next hour the 
 solemn signals of mourning boomed forth from the 
 battle-ship. All flags were at half mast in the bay. 
 A priest sat in the Valeria's stern sheets, and beside 
 him were the line officers of the Oroya. The priest 
 wore the uniform of a captain ; he was the fleet chap- 
 lain of the Peruvian navy. When ten miles from shore 
 the barge was stopped and she rolled lightly in the 
 trough of the sun-glinted seas. The chaplain stepped 
 forward; the officers accompanied him, bare-headed. 
 Round shot had been fastened to the feet of each body.
 
 Off for the Atlantic 235 
 
 A short prayer was said, a plank was tipped, and a 
 body plunged over the side and down into the blue 
 water. Eddies formed above the spot where it dis- 
 appeared. And so, one by one, they were all given 
 burial at sea, as all had wished, for none had cared to 
 be interred on Chilean soil. 
 
 Then back to the harbor sped the Valeria, the min- 
 ute guns ceased booming on the Payta and ensigns 
 were hoisted again, for it was a day of victory. 
 
 Not so on shore. The lone star flags remained at 
 half mast; processions toward the cemetery became 
 more numerous ; sorrow reigned. 
 
 Besides being . a day of victory, there were other 
 reasons why there should be no continued display of 
 mourning that day by the Peruvian fleet. There was 
 work to be done. Hardly had the great guns on the 
 Oroya become cool when machinists were sent below 
 to repair the training-gear of the 15-inch gun that 
 had been partly dismounted and to do other necessary 
 work. The mechanism of the conning tower had been 
 affected by the shells that had burst and repairs were 
 needed there. 
 
 Meamvhile there was great activity close inshore. 
 The torpedo-boats and the captured Almirante 
 Molinas had been ordered to report to Captain Biggs 
 at seven bells, a half hour before floodtide, and a haw- 
 ser was passed from them to the British ship Adele. 
 As the minutes approached when the tide was on the 
 turn the signal, "All together," was given, and yield- 
 ing to the pressure of the powerful longitudinal 
 screws of the Peruvian ships the cruiser that had been
 
 236 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 beached during the engagement sHpped as gracefully 
 as from the ways in a dock yard into the water, and 
 was towed out a quarter of a mile, where anchor was 
 dropped. Then another red, white and red ensign 
 was hoisted, and another prize was added to the fleet. 
 Meanwhile a board of officers, acting under orders 
 from Captain Biggs, had visited such ships as it was 
 thought might be saved and had held surveys. 
 
 A few minutes before noon the officer of the deck on 
 the Oroya sent word to Captain Crane that a state 
 barge was putting off from the mole. As the bells of 
 the fleet sounded the hour this barge pulled alongside 
 the flag-ship and a distinguished party came on board. 
 It could be seen that a person higher in rank than the 
 captain of the port or the rear admiral of the Chilean 
 fleet was among the number, and a moment later he 
 was presented to Captain Crane as the Chilean secre- 
 tary of state. 
 
 "You desire to see the admiral, of course?" said the 
 Oroya's commander. ''Step this way, and I will send 
 him word," and he conducted them to the cabin. 
 
 There they waited nearly a quarter of an hour, for 
 Admiral Garcia had given instructions that no one 
 disturb him until it became absolutely necessary. 
 When he at last entered the room, enemy as well as 
 friend arose and saluted. The effect of his appearance 
 was electrical. Never before had the greatness of the 
 Incas been so manifest in a gathering of modern days. 
 Admiral Garcia towered above the men gathered in 
 his cabin ; he was their superior in every respect and 
 they recognized it. He represented a race of men
 
 Off for the Atlantic 237 
 
 once as great as any that ever lived, a race that 
 had now been born again ; and the meagre information 
 the cable had flashed was confirmed by his appearance. 
 He represented Power — an unknown power, as typi- 
 fied by his fleet — and they bowed to him. 
 
 "Have our conditions been accepted?" he asked, 
 upon entering the room. 
 
 "May I request you to state them for my benefit, 
 sir?" replied the secretary of state. 
 
 "They should have been readily remembered by 
 your representative," was the admiral's reply, motion- 
 ing to the captain-of-the-port. "Chile is to restore to 
 Peru the Province of Tarapaca. Peru is to retain the 
 ships captured during last night's engagement; the 
 prisoners to be at once given their liberty." 
 
 "The terms will be acceded to, sir ; we bow to your 
 superior force." 
 
 "You are ready to sign the papers?" 
 
 "Ready and empowered. And you, sir ; would you 
 kindly permit me to see your authorization from the 
 Congress of Peru?" 
 
 For reply Admiral Garcia stepped to his desk and 
 took therefrom a parchment, which he presented to the 
 Chilean secretary of state. After perusing the docu- 
 ment that official drew his chair to the desk and taking 
 some papers from his pocket dipped a pen in ink. 
 
 A minute later duplicate copies of a treaty of peace 
 between Peru and Chile had been signed, and there 
 was restored to Peru the Province of Tarapaca, which 
 had been seized during the war of 1879. Moreover, 
 the Peruvian navy had been increased by such vessels
 
 238 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 as had remained above water after the engagement of 
 the night ; and the Huascar and the Pilcomayo were 
 on their way North. 
 
 When the conference was at an end the Chileans 
 were shown over the side with the honors due their 
 rank, for by the terms of the treaty they had become 
 friends instead of foes. 
 
 The American correspondent entered the cabin soon 
 after the visitors had gone. 
 
 "Did you rest well, Carey?" asked the admiral. 
 
 *'Yes ; and I feel much refreshed. Has anything 
 happened ?" 
 
 "The Chileans have agreed to our terms." 
 
 "What is your next move ?" 
 
 "That will depend entirely upon advices from 
 Lima." 
 
 At that moment an orderly announced : "Com- 
 mander Alviraz, sir!" 
 
 "Ah ! the captain of the Mercedes ! Tell him to come 
 in, orderly." 
 
 The commander of the torpedo-boat entered the 
 room. "Mr. Sanguilla was detained at the junction, 
 sir," said he ; "and I have brought messages that were 
 deemed of great importance," and he handed some 
 slips of paper to the commander-in-chief. The latter 
 read them hastily and a red glow mantled to his 
 cheeks. 
 
 "Captain Alviraz," he said, "return at once to the 
 junction with this message," and he hastily penned 
 these few lines :
 
 Off for the Atlantic 239 
 
 *'Pedro Garcia y Garcia, 
 
 ''President of Peru, Lima', 
 'We will sail at 2 o'clock for the Atlantic. Keep 
 the destination of the Heet secret. Louis." 
 
 "Take on board my flag officer and such marines 
 as have been stationed there," continued the admiral, 
 "and at once rejoin the fleet." 
 
 Summoning an orderly, as the captain of the tor- 
 pedo-boat left, the admiral sent word to the com- 
 mander of the Oroya that he desired his presence in 
 the cabin. 
 
 "Ah, Captain Crane," he exclaimed, when the officer 
 entered, "I have not yet appointed a flag lieutenant to 
 succeed poor Cordero. Will you have one of the line 
 officers signal the fleet — all the ships except the 
 Chosica — to be ready to sail at 4 bells. And signal 
 Captain Biggs to report on board the flag-ship for 
 orders." 
 
 When Captain Crane had gone the admiral handed 
 the correspondent the telegrams he had received, say- 
 ing : "Read them and you will understand." 
 
 Hawkins glanced over one slip of paper, then the 
 other. The first read : 
 
 "Admiral Louis Garcia y Garcia, 
 
 "Admiral Commanding the Peruvian Navy, oif 
 Valparaiso: 
 "All Peru rejoices. Bells are ringing and guns are 
 firing in Lima and Callao. Viva IncalandT
 
 240 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 The second : 
 
 "Admiral Louis Garcia y Garcia, 
 
 "Admiral Commanding the Peruvian iieet, oif 
 Valparaiso: 
 
 ''Cable advices received to the effect that England 
 has ordered the departure of the Channel and the 
 Mediterranean squadrons, with instructions to inter- 
 cept and destroy our navy. Viva Incaland! 
 
 'Tedro." 
 
 'Then you are going " 
 
 'We are going to meet the British fleet/' inter- 
 rupted the Peruvian admiral. 
 
 Twenty minutes later Captain Biggs was seated in 
 the Oroya's cabin. 
 
 "You will remain here in charge of the salvage 
 work," said Admiral Garcia. ''Within the hour let 
 me know the number of officers and men that you will 
 require, and they will be assigned to you from the 
 ships of the fleet. The Chosica will be your flag-ship. 
 You have the Almirante Molinas, the Adele, the Capi- 
 tan Pratt and the Lynch in nearly perfect condition. 
 The Sampson can be patched for the trip to Callao and 
 can be towed there, if she is unable to go under her own 
 steam. The Blanco Encalada will probably have to be 
 towed. The Almirante Cochrane seems to be a total 
 wreck and it would be well to abandon her. Com- 
 mence work on such of the smaller ships as you be- 
 lieve can be prepared for sea within five days, but 
 abandon the others, except the O'Higgins. A wreck- 
 ing party can remain and work on her. By the end 
 of the week set sail for Callao with your squadron, and
 
 Off for the Atlantic 241 
 
 upon arrival there report to Captain Heatherton of the 
 Miraflores." 
 
 The terse, implicit instructions having been received, 
 Captain Biggs left the flag-ship, first bidding good-bye 
 to the commander-in-chief, his brother officers and 
 the newspaper correspondent. As he left the deck he 
 promised the latter to send a barge alongside a few- 
 minutes before the time for the Oroya to get under 
 way and take such late dispatches as might be ready 
 for transmission to New York. 
 
 There was little to do before sailing. The coal sup- 
 ply, owing to the large bunker capacity and the smoke- 
 consuming devices, showed scarcely any diminution. 
 Each ship had a refrigerating apparatus and provisions 
 could be kept an indefinite period. So the order to 
 sail was not followed by the activity one would have 
 supposed, when the long voyage about to be under- 
 taken was considered. Several boats plied between 
 the Chosica and other ships of the fleet when it became 
 known that the cruiser had been ordered to remain 
 behind, and officers who were going exchanged fare- 
 wells with those who were destined to remain on the 
 Pacific coast. 
 
 Promptly at 2 o'clock, the torpedo-boat Mercedes, 
 having rejoined the fleet, the order to sail was hoisted 
 on the flag-ship and the Peruvian vessels in two-squad- 
 ron formation, as on the night before, stood out of the 
 bay, and the guns of the Chosica sounded a salute as 
 the flag-ship rounded-to across her bows. The fleet 
 was smaller by three ships than the fleet which en- 
 tered Callao Bay on the sixth of the month, and was
 
 242 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 smaller by two vessels than the fleet which had ap- 
 peared off Valparaiso the evening before. For the 
 Miraflores was at Callao, the Chosica was stationed 
 in Valparaiso harbor and the Avita had been destroyed. 
 The following were the vessels, flying the red, white 
 and red, that steamed out from the Chilean shore, then 
 shaped a course to the southward : 
 
 BATTLESHIPS. 
 
 Oroya, flag-ship. 
 
 Payta, Chorillos, Pisco. 
 
 CRUISERS. 
 
 Matucana, Tambovisa, Mejillones, Arica. 
 
 TORPEDO-BOATS. 
 Anita. Maria, Madelene, Rosita, Mercedes. 
 
 "Why did you not make some of the captured ves- 
 sels part of the fleet?" asked Hawkins as they were 
 standing on the bridge, looking toward the shore line, 
 which was fast becoming a blue haze astern. 
 
 "The speed of a squadron is the speed of the slow- 
 est ship," replied Admiral Louis. "The engagement 
 with the British will be in the open sea, where our 
 speed will be the main factor. A slow ship would 
 handicap us greatly, to use a racing expression." 
 
 The land was soon lost in the distance, a soft wind 
 blew from off shore, bringing fragrance from foliage.
 
 Off for the Atlantic 243 
 
 The vessels of the Peruvian fleet rolled majestically as 
 they steamed at twenty-five-knot speed, bound for the 
 Straits of Magellan. 
 
 When the fleet had been two hours at sea Admiral 
 Garcia signalled for the formation of three squadrons, 
 pursuant to instructions he had issued before leaving 
 the harbor. He led the first squadron, which was com- 
 posed of battleships. The second, formed by the cruis- 
 ers, took position under the flag of Vice-Admiral 
 Padre. The third, the torpedo-boats, was under Com- 
 mander Alviraz,who had been made acting commodore 
 for the voyage. The squadrons took a distance apart of 
 two and a half miles, and the ships kept four to five 
 cables' length from one another. Orders had been 
 issued concerning points at which to meet should 
 separation be caused by a gale or thick weather, and 
 there was a date named, two weeks distant, for the 
 arrival of all ships of the fleet at a point southeast of 
 the West Indies, the exact location being Longitude 
 59° 10' west; latitude 14° 30' north, near the island 
 of Barbados. 
 
 The night that followed the exciting day was in 
 great contrast with the two preceding it, for not a 
 cloud could be seen above the horizon. Sirius burned 
 fiercely near the water's edge, the Southern Cross 
 cast its holy light from near the zenith, and all the 
 heavens were aglow with constellations. Steaming 
 southwest at a speed that was greater than any ship 
 afloat could maintain, yet at a speed which could be 
 kept up for a month by these vessels built at the 
 Chincha Islands, without dangerously reducing the
 
 244 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 coal supply, the Peruvian fleet swept on, to complete 
 the work for which it had been created. 
 
 That evening those v/ho could do so turned in as 
 soon as hammocks were piped. It was the first com- 
 plete night's rest that anyone had enjoyed on board 
 since the ships arrived in Callao Bay from the islands, 
 for even on the passage from Peru to Chile officers 
 and men had been under the strain of excitement 
 natural before a battle. A soft wind from off shore 
 played through cabin, ward room, steerage and sailors' 
 quarters this night, and it soothed to deep slumber 
 those who were able to seek rest. The cool air and 
 this refreshing unconsciousness were of great benefit 
 to those who had been wounded, for they had suffered 
 greatly from heat during the day in Valparaiso Bay. 
 And those who had not been wounded had been 
 strung to such high tension by the exciting events 
 and by the great gun fire that they needed the oblivion 
 of sleep almost as much as those who had been torn 
 by shells. Admiral Louis and the correspondent were 
 among the first on board to seek the seclusion of their 
 state-rooms, and throughout the night, as watch offi- 
 cers were relieved, lieutenants and ensigns went below 
 to seek the much-needed repose. 
 
 In the morning, when all were refreshed, there was 
 again activity on the flag-ship. Such work as had 
 not been done on the guns the day before was com- 
 menced immediately after hammocks had been piped 
 away and before noon the Oroya was reported in as 
 good condition as she was forty-eight hours before, 
 when the Huascar opened fire on her thirty miles out
 
 Off for the Atlantic 245 
 
 from Valparaiso. By this time, also, everything was 
 proceeding in the regular sea way. Officers and men 
 had settled down for the long voyage that intervened 
 before they could again be called into action. 
 
 The surgeon reported early that all the wounded 
 were doing well. A gunner's mate had died during the 
 night, but the doctor had no reason to believe that 
 other deaths would occur. As for Admiral Louis and 
 Correspondent Hawkins the night's rest was what 
 they had needed, and neither felt pain in their wounds 
 when they sat down to breakfast in the cabin. 
 
 One who has been at sea knows hov/ time seems 
 to pass slowly, yet as the bells sound the hours, it is 
 wondered where the minutes have gone. Indolence 
 and procrastination are in the air, and there is a wish 
 to do nothing but what is absolutely necessary. So 
 it was on the flag-ship, and not until late in the after- 
 noon, when the battle had been fought over and over 
 again, did the correspondent open his desk and begin 
 on the history of the w^ar that he contemplated having 
 finished to date by the time the fleet reached New York 
 — for the admiral had told him they would visit the 
 metropolis of the United States as soon as possible 
 after they met the British squadron. 
 
 In the evening Captain Crane and Lieutenant San- 
 doval, who had been named flag officer to succeed 
 Lieutenant Cordero, were invited into the cabin and 
 several games of whist were played. This formed the 
 precedent for many evenings that followed, the same 
 party enjoying that game of cards in which great skill 
 is necessary. And likewise the day that had just
 
 246 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 ended formed the precedent for days that were to 
 come. Conversation in the morning and siestas on 
 the wide bridge; in the afternoon work in the cabin, 
 the admiral at his fleet papers and studying books that 
 referred to the enemy he expected to meet; the cor- 
 respondent at his history, intended for publication in 
 America. 
 
 They enjoyed beautiful weather during the short run 
 down the lower stretch of the Pacific coast, and it was 
 another bright starlit night — the third out from Val- 
 paraiso — when the lookout sighted Queen Adelaide 
 Island, which stands guard at the western entrance 
 to the Straits of Magellan. The Oroya led the way 
 into the channel which separates the mainland of 
 South America from the island of Terra del Fuego, 
 and speed was reduced from twenty-five to twenty 
 knots for the passage, a distance of nearly 5,000 miles, 
 
 A voyage through the Straits of Magellan ! Snow- 
 capped precipices rise to port and to starboard. The 
 channel is often so narrow that it seems as though the 
 sides of a ship must graze in passing; at places, that 
 which appears to be a barrier is seen ahead, but on 
 nearer approach it proves to be an island. The water 
 is smoother than that of a river, for there is no cur- 
 rent, and it is so deep that it takes on an indigo hue. 
 The air is cold and crisp, but not bitter, for the great 
 hills shut off the wind. 
 
 Those who loved Nature in her glory, and they were 
 many of the Oroya's crew, lived on deck during this 
 passage from Pacific to Atlantic, and all were sorry 
 to see a broad ocean open before them again and know
 
 Off for the Atlantic 247 
 
 that the fleet must shape a course for the north, leaving 
 the peaceful waters of the straits behind. 
 
 Speed was again increased to twenty-five knots, for 
 it was a round 5,000 miles to the point that had been 
 named as the rendezvous, and leeway must be allowed 
 for any detentions that might be caused by heavy 
 head winds.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 THE GALE. 
 
 "Longitude, 30° 15' west; latitude, 15° 20' south." 
 This report was made by the navigating officer of 
 the Oroya to Captain Crane the morning of June 22d, 
 and was repeated to Admiral Garcia y Garcia. It was 
 the result of a dead reckoning made at eight bells. The 
 sky had been overcast since the evening before, first 
 by scudding clouds that swept like cobwebs over the 
 face of the full moon, then by heavier banks that rose 
 from the northwest horizon line and formed a solid 
 dome of impenetrable black. 
 
 The morning had opened with everything a dull 
 gray. There was a fine drizzle, almost a mist, which 
 hid the other ships from view of those on the Oroya. 
 It wetted through and through, and watch officers early 
 sent for their oil-skin coats. The deck glistened with 
 fine particles of moisture and the brass work had the 
 appearance of being covered with dew. There was 
 little wind and that came in fitful gusts, as though off- 
 shoots from a main current of air. And so with the 
 sea, which was turbulent and cross-wavy, but not 
 high ; a sea that gave a crotchety, jerky motion to a 
 ship and caused the oldest sailor to stagger as he 
 walked. There was a moaning in the air that did not 
 come from any particular point of the compass, and if 
 asked one could not have told just where it did come 
 
 248
 
 The Gale 249 
 
 from : but all heard it, and the old sailor shook his 
 head as his watch was piped below. 
 
 "It's a nasty morning, Carey," remarked the ad- 
 miral, soon after the result of the dead reckoning had 
 been reported to him. ''We may get some wind out 
 of this. How is the barometer, captain ?" 
 
 'Tailing, sir; it has gone down steadily since day- 
 break." 
 
 Hawkins went below a few minutes later, to don his 
 rubber clothes. While in the cabin he noticed the 
 Oroya's position, as marked on the large map of the 
 South Atlantic that hung on the wall, and he saw that 
 they were on a parallel with Bahia, Brazil. 
 
 The passage from the straits to this point had been 
 uneventful as compared with the exciting scenes they 
 had left behind. There had been an hour's blow off 
 Montevideo, during which the Peruvian ships had 
 demonstrated their splendid sea-going qualities, but 
 aside from this nothing had occurred to vary the 
 monotony of the voyage. Orders had been issued! 
 for a week's rest and drills had been suspended, so 
 the men might recuperate from the trying days they 
 had passed on the Pacific, and except for quarters at 
 9 o'clock the usual ship's routine had been dispensed 
 with. To-day, owing to the nasty weather, even this 
 matutinal assembling was not ordered and two bells 
 found on deck only those who were called there by 
 duty. To be sure, it was not necessary for Admiral 
 Garcia to be on the bridge, nor for the newspaper cor- 
 respondent; but the former scented danger in the 
 sighing air and in the cross-running seas, and the latter,
 
 250 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 by inclination as well as by training, was inclined to 
 be in a place of vantage when anything was about to 
 happen. 
 
 'There's a gale coming out of this, sir," remarked 
 Captain Crane. 
 
 "We will be fortunate if it is only a gale. I look 
 for a cyclone," replied the admiral. 
 
 "A cyclone at sea?" questioned Hawkins. 
 
 "Yes; don't confuse those sudden, fierce whirls of 
 the wind that happen in the Western States with the 
 veering gales of the ocean. The phenomena to which 
 you refer, and which are accompanied by funnel- 
 shaped clouds, are classed by meteorologists as torna- 
 does. A cyclone is a storm that blows steadily fromi. 
 one point of the compass for several minutes, or even 
 hours, then shifts to another point, and later, perhaps, 
 changes to another : their winds have been known to 
 come from all the quarters betv/een daybreak and 
 noon. It is the irregular sea, not the wind, that is 
 feared." 
 
 "Off the port bow, sir !" sang out an ensign who was 
 stationed on the forecastle ; and all turned in the direc- 
 tion he pointed. 
 
 The drizzling rain had ceased, and for the first time 
 since daybreak the radius of vision was three to four 
 miles, sufficient to take in the battleships that stag- 
 gered along after the Oroya, knocking into fine spray 
 the cross-seas that piled up on port and starboard 
 bows, and also the Matucana, in the van of the second 
 squadron. 
 
 When they looked where the junior watch ofi&cer
 
 The Gale 251 
 
 had signified they saw on the horizon hne a wall of 
 white that even during the first glance grew in size 
 and moved nearer. It was Hke spray thrown by the 
 bows of a mighty fleet of battleships. It was water, 
 lashed to fury, and the roar of it struck their ears even 
 as the eye took in the details. 
 
 "Life lines, there!" yellejd Captain Crane. "Lower 
 fore and aft superstructures ! Be quick about it ! Over 
 with the wheel and keep her head to it !" 
 
 There was a seeming confusion of whistles, and a 
 rush of men from bow and stern and from port and 
 starboard. Ropes were strung along the deck, waist 
 high, and simiultaneously the forward cabin and the 
 after ward-room were lowered into the hold, so that 
 nothing v/as left on deck except the bridge, the wheel- 
 house, the funnels and ventilators and the life-boats 
 that swung in the davits. 
 
 The wall of rushing wind and water was now three 
 miles distant. It was coming faster than a mile a 
 minute. 
 
 When the drizzling rain ceased there had fallen a 
 dead calm : smoke from the funnels rose lazily and 
 hung as lazily in the heavy air, spreading out like palls 
 over such ships as were in sight. 
 
 "Watch out there, below !" called the captain, who 
 had seized a megaphone from a box on the bridge. 
 "Down ! down, everybody !" 
 
 The sailors threw themselves flat and seized the life- 
 lines and the officers on the bridge clutched the rails. 
 Hawkins felt something press tightly around his waist,
 
 252 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 and saw that a quartermaster, by a quick turn, had 
 lashed him to the rail. 
 
 The white wall of wind-lashed water towered above 
 them — and then it came, striking not only on the bow 
 but on the port side, for the van of the cyclone was 
 concave in form. 
 
 Over to starboard went the Oroya, so far that the 
 guard rails on the side touched the frothing water. 
 The roar changed to a shriek and the flag-ship was 
 swept as by a tidal wave. A great weight pressed 
 on them all, they were struggling in blinding water. 
 The mass of steel beneath them trembled in every 
 plate, for the longitudinal screws were racing, so far 
 over had the battleship keeled, like the propellers of 
 other ships when thrown out of water. 
 
 "Stop her!" 
 
 The order from Captain Crane, though given 
 through the megaphone, came faintly to their ears 
 and sounded like a low moan. The navigator struggled 
 to reach the indicator. It was like climbing a watery 
 wall for him to do so, although the instrument was 
 but a few feet from his hand. Drawing himself up by 
 the bridge rail, he seized the lever and threw it over 
 to the zero mark. They were a full minute answering 
 the signal in the engine-room, for officers and men 
 below had been thrown from their places on the 
 staging that surrounded the massive pieces of machin- 
 ery. But at last the screws stopped racing and the 
 uncanny trembling ceased. 
 
 The shriek of a human being came shrilly from 
 somewhere on deck, the notes higher than the shriek
 
 The Gale 253 
 
 of the elements, and those on the bridge saw a black 
 clothed form sweep to leeward on the crest of a wave 
 and become lost in the flying spray. A sailor had 
 been carried from a life-line. There were mute ap- 
 peals exchanged by admiral and captain, then each 
 shook his head. To launch a boat was impossible. 
 Indeed, the starboard boats were buried in rushing 
 water and the port boats were high in air. 
 
 Would the Oroya ever right herself ? Over and over 
 she had gone until it was almost a perpendicular walk 
 from one end of the bridge to the other. Hawkins 
 looked down from the point where he was lashed to 
 the lower end of the structure, where the admiral, 
 Captain Crane and Lieutenant Sandoval had been 
 swept by the first on-rush. He could see that the 
 admiral had been hurt. The wound received at Val- 
 paraiso had opened and blood was trickling down his 
 forehead. The three ofificers were up to their waists 
 in water and all had thrown their arms around stan- 
 chions, to prevent being carried to sea. The navigator 
 and quartermaster had lashed themselves amidships 
 and so had maintained positions near the indicator. 
 Beneath them the wheel-house had withstood the fury 
 of the wind and waves. 
 
 At the moment when it seemed as though the great 
 mass of steel must yield and go under, the grand battle- 
 ship struggled like a lion upon feeling his bonds cut, 
 and then swung nearer the perpendicular, so near that 
 officers and men regained their footing. 
 
 "Ten knots !" called the captain, "and keep her head 
 to the seas!"
 
 254 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 The engines responded and the Oroya's bow began 
 to dip into the great waves that had commenced run- 
 ning from the northeast. 
 
 The air had grown clear, the clouds had lifted far- 
 ther from the sea, and although the sky was overcast 
 with angry gray masses that raced with the wind, yet 
 the range of vision was greater than at any time that 
 morning. All glanced astern, to learn how the other 
 ships of the fleet had weathered the hurricane. With- 
 in four cables' length were the Pisco and Payta, steam- 
 ing slowly, green seas pounding over their bows and 
 breaking to white. The great battleships reared and 
 fell as they plowed forward, showing their keels, then 
 being buried to the bowsprits ; but their motion was 
 regular. Astern of them was the Chorillos, also 
 weathering well the seas. All the cruisers could be 
 sighted, but none of the torpedo-boats. 
 
 Cries came from several parts of the flag-ship at 
 once. Men exclaimed : 'The Matucana ! The Matu- 
 cana!" and all rushed to the rail and looked toward 
 the flag-ship of the second squadron. She had not 
 righted as had other ships of the fleet, and was still 
 on her beam ends. 
 
 "About ship !" called Admiral Garcia. 'Thirty-five 
 knots !" he sang out. 
 
 Over went the Oroya's wheel, and the same moment 
 the indicator called for the greatest speed from the 
 engines. 
 
 The lull after the first rush of air and water had been 
 followed by a hurricane blow that had gradually in- 
 creased to about eighty miles an hour. The wind
 
 The Gale 255 
 
 swept ofif the crests of waves and salt spray was again 
 being hurled through the air. To swing the Oroya in 
 this wind and rapidly rising sea was not without 
 danger, and as she fell into the trough she heeled 
 over almost as far as when the wall of water first 
 struck her ; but the screws were driving at full speed 
 by this time and she rounded-to nobly, then darted 
 away to the southeast, in the direction the crippled 
 cruiser lay; for that she was crippled was now evi- 
 dent, although none could surmise what had happened 
 to her. 
 
 "Signal the other ships to keep clear and remain on 
 their course !" Admiral Garcia ordered, and in a few 
 seconds three flags, which interpreted the command, 
 were fluttering in the gale like wounded birds. 
 
 With the powerful screws revolving at their greatest 
 speed and the hurricane following it was a matter of 
 but five minutes for the Oroya to bear down on the 
 Matucana. The cruiser was fast in the trough of the 
 sea, lying over as though bound to the water. She 
 w^as very low. Her deck was crowded with sailors 
 and marines, and soon those on the Oroya could make 
 out that engineers and stokers Vv-ere among the crowd, 
 and that men were standing on the rail. 
 
 "Crane; she is sinking!" called out the admiral. 
 
 They v/ere nearly abreast of her. In the middle of 
 the bridge they saw two ofificers who had maintained 
 their feet on the slanting superstructure, and it was 
 evident that they had been lashed in position. One 
 was Vice-Admiral Padre and the other Captain De- 
 metrio. The vice-admiral's hat was oilF and his long
 
 256 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 white hair was matted close to his head by the salt 
 water. The golden sun on his breast glowed sullenly. 
 
 "Stop her!" commanded Admiral Garcia, and the 
 Oroya hove to almost alongside the Matucana. The 
 flag-ship of the fleet and the flag-ship of the squadron 
 of cruisers were dangerously near for a second, then 
 the wind drove them apart. During that second Vice- 
 Admiral Padre seized a megaphone and a faint voice 
 came across the w^ater above the hurricane's roar. It 
 said : 
 
 "Viva Incaland!" 
 
 An uplifting sea caused the Matucana to lunge for- 
 ward. 
 
 "Look abaft the mainmast!" exclaimed Captain 
 Crane. 
 
 Then they saw the cause. The muzzle of a great 
 gun protruded through the side of the Matucana be- 
 low the water line. The piece had broken away in the 
 hold and had pierced the thin plates. There was a 
 gaping hole, through which water poured into the 
 bowels of the cruiser. 
 
 Seeing another ship of the fleet so near at hand, men 
 began to jump from the rail of the sinking vessel into 
 the water, and soon the crest of each wave bore a 
 struggling human form, and some waves two and 
 three. 
 
 "Call away the lifeboats !" ordered Admiral Garcia. 
 
 As the boatswain's whistle sounded. Captain Crane 
 seized the commander-in-chief by the arm and pointed 
 to the east. In that quarter could be seen another
 
 The Gale 257 
 
 wall of white water, similar to that which had come 
 from the northwest. 
 
 "Countermand the order!" called the admiral. 
 "Great God, a shift of the wind so soon, and we must 
 abandon them all !" 
 
 They had seen it on the Matucana, and knew what 
 it meant. The venerable vice-admiral waved his hand, 
 and all on the Oroya knew that he thus bade them an 
 eternal farewell. There were few save the officers left 
 on the ]\Iatucana now. Nearly all the crew were in 
 the water, and they were fast being buried by the 
 breaking waves. The Oroya was drifting away, and 
 the men who managed to keep afloat gestured wildly, 
 and imploring glances could be seen on the faces of 
 those nearest the flag-ship as they were lifted by great 
 seas even above the level of the battleship's bridge. 
 
 "Every man watch out for himself !" sang out Cap- 
 tain Crane, for the second wall of water was near. 
 
 Two flags fluttered from the signal halyards of the 
 Matucana. The vice-admiral had hoisted them there. 
 And a cheer went up from the deck of the Oroya, for 
 everyone knew that the signal read : "Viva Incaland !" 
 
 Then the second wall of water struck, and froth and 
 foam covered everything. For five minutes the Oroya 
 struggled blindly and the seas, lashed to fury by the 
 cross-wind, rose on all sides and fell on the deck. Fol- 
 lowing this from out the east came a hurricane as 
 fierce as that which had preceded, and when the 
 weather again cleared those on the bridge looked over 
 the expanse of water in vain for the Matucana. 
 
 She was gone — and not the form of a human being
 
 258 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 could be seen in the boiling, seething cauldron of 
 water ! 
 
 TfC 3fC ^ ^ 3fC ^ ijc 
 
 The flag-ship stood near the spot all the morning 
 and until late in the afternoon, riding out the hurri- 
 cane over the graves of the vice-admiral and nine 
 hundred officers and men, but not a thing came from 
 below and not a body was seen, for the wind in its 
 fury had swept such as floated toward the west. To- 
 ward sunset the gale abated somewhat. Then the 
 signal was sullenly given to steam ahead at twenty- 
 five knots and the course of the morning was resumed. 
 Not another ship of the fleet was in sight. The great 
 Peruvian navy had been scattered.
 
 . . . . "THE MATUCAXA STRUGGLF.D BLINDLY — THL: 
 SECOND WALL OF WATER STRUCK HER AXD SHE SANK."
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC. 
 
 By the last day of June the Oroya had progressed 
 only as far as latitude 3° 10' north, and was in a 
 portion of the sea termed by old-time sailing skippers 
 the "Doldrums," a word euphonically suggestive of 
 calms, heat and life without incident. This afternoon 
 the battleship was about two hundred miles north of 
 the equator. There was not a sheltering cloud in the 
 sky to temper the sun's rays, and by 3 o'clock the 
 heat had become stifling, for at the slow rate the flag- 
 ship was traveling the following breeze neutralized 
 what displacement of air was caused by her progress, 
 as was evidenced by the smoke, which rose nearly 
 straight from the funnels. The paint-work was sticky, 
 and rancid odors from the engine-room Hngered with 
 the craft. Now and then a stoker, bare to the waist, 
 crawled wearily up a narrow iron ladder, thrust his 
 head above the level of the main deck, gasped a mo- 
 ment, then retreated to the bowels of the ship, where 
 artificial currents furnished more relief than the dead 
 atmosphere above. 
 
 The Oroya was proceeding as leisurely as a collier, 
 barely making six knots an hour, for the commander- 
 in-chief hoped that other ships of the fleet, which had 
 been left astern during or after the hurricane, might 
 heave in sight, as the Pisco and the Payta had done, 
 
 259
 
 26o Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 for they had rejoined the Oroya the day before, re- 
 porting all hands well and no damage sustained during 
 the storm. To be sure such ships as remained above 
 water and were sound of machinery would report at 
 the point near Barbados, according to orders issued 
 before leaving Valparaiso ; but the admiral was some- 
 what worried concerning the other vessels, especially 
 the torpedo-boats, and he was anxious to hold back 
 with the flag-ship as long as possible. The navigator 
 had reported that a speed of twenty-five knots after 
 sunset on the first of July would take them to the ren- 
 dezvous in ample time, so orders had been issued to 
 make steerage-way and nothing more until then. 
 
 That is why the great ship moved sluggishly in the 
 Doldrums, with a lookout stationed at the masthead 
 and another on the forecastle. 
 
 Admiral Garcia had aged in appearance, as if ten 
 years, instead of a week, had passed since the hurricane 
 off Bahia. The golden sun on his breast was covered 
 with black crepe and a knot of the same fabric was 
 fastened at his shoulder. All the commissioned officers 
 of the Oroya, the Pisco and the Payta had similar 
 knots fastened at their shoulders ; and the sailors wore 
 mourning bands on their caps. 
 
 ''His one thought was of Incaland," said the com- 
 mander-in-chief to Hawkins, as they slowly paced the 
 bridge this hot afternoon. 'Tadre made all this pos- 
 sible," and he waved his hand, indicating by the ges- 
 ture the Oroya and the ships that followed astern. 
 "He was kind, generous and just; his nature courted 
 affection ; his "
 
 In the North Atlantic 261 
 
 The admiral was interrupted by the cry from the 
 fore-top: "Smoke off the starboard quarter, sir!" 
 
 All who were on deck hurried to the rail. The sailors 
 and marines scrambled for vantage points, the officers 
 moved with more decorum, but their faces expressed 
 eagerness in no less degree because etiquette forbade 
 any demonstration by them. 
 
 ''Which ship will she prove to be?" was the ques- 
 tion uppermost in everyone's mind, and all strained 
 their eyes, gazing to the southward, where a thin 
 column of smoke rose in the hfeless, hazy atmosphere. 
 
 The associations of the men of the Peruvian navy 
 Vv-ere different from those of mariners of other nations. 
 When an American squadron puts to sea, Tom. and 
 Dick of the forecastle, old salts though they may be, 
 will probably not know a sailor on board any other 
 ship of the fleet ; perhaps they have never met any of 
 the men on the vessel to which they have been as- 
 signed. The same is true with the navies of other 
 powers. But closer ties bound those who manned 
 the new Peruvian ships. For years before the fleet 
 sailed from the Chinchas the crews had associated on 
 the islands. The men had attended training school 
 together, they had watched the building of the vessels 
 that were to prove their floating homes in the future, 
 and as companions they had gone on cruises; there 
 were men on the Oroya who had lost brothers on the 
 Matucana, there were others whose duty it would 
 soon be to break the sad news to sisters that their 
 husbands had gone down with the wreck. It was so 
 throughout all the fleet, threads of relationship being
 
 262 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 woven around the thousands who had gone forth to do 
 battle for Peru. 
 
 No wonder, then, the anxious inquiries, "Can you 
 make her out ? Which ship is she ? Why don't the old 
 man let us know ?" were heard along the rail until the 
 ''old man" — Captain Crane — who had been gazing 
 astern through the large telescope, sang out: "The 
 Tambovisa!" And then some cheered and others 
 turned away, disappointed. 
 
 She came up fast, evidently making her best speed, 
 and as she drew near the watch officer reported that 
 he saw no sign of damage to the hull or deck works. 
 
 "There's a signal !" said Admiral Garcia. "Mr. 
 Sandoval, fetch the code." 
 
 "Three men injured during the gale. All recovering. 
 Other hands well," read the lieutenant. 
 
 "Any injury to the ship?" asked the admiral, and 
 flags hoisted on the Oroya put this question. 
 
 "None," came the answer, immediately followed by 
 other pennants, which the code interpreted as : "Why 
 is your ensign at half-mast ?" 
 
 "That's so ; they don't know. Tell them, Mr. San- 
 doval," and the message was sent : "The Matucana is 
 lost, with all hands." 
 
 Im.mediately the red, white^ and red on the Tam- 
 bovisa was lowered half way from the gafif, and three 
 other signal flags, broken below the yard arms con- 
 veyed the apologetic, "We did not know." 
 
 By this time the Tambovisa had approached to with- 
 in a cable's length of the Oro3^a and men on the deck 
 of the cruiser waved their caps as they recognized
 
 In the North Atlantic 263 
 
 familiar faces on the battleship. The Pisco and the 
 Payta had also closed up. 
 
 "Signal the fleet to heave-to," ordered the admiral, 
 "and ask the captains to board the flag-ship." 
 
 Fifteen minutes later the visiting officers were seated 
 in the admiral's cabin, and while Captain Olsen was 
 being told the particulars of the Matucana's loss the 
 sailors were relating the details to the members of his 
 barge crew. The commanding officers remained for 
 dinner, the ships of the fleet resuming way at the slow 
 speed of the afternoon, and the barges that waited 
 were towed astern, a boat keeper in each; and the 
 crews mingled with the men of the Oroya until the 
 captains bade the commander-in-chief good-night, 
 when four bells sounded. 
 
 The wind shifted about twelve, and coming over 
 the bows made sleep possible for those in the cabin, 
 wardroom and steerage, and enjoyable for the sailors 
 and marines who had been granted permission while 
 in this latitude to swing their hammocks on deck. 
 
 When Hawkins left his state-room the next morning 
 he saw that the fleet had been increased to five by 
 the arrival during the night of the torpedo-boat Mer- 
 cedes. She was following the Oroya close astern and 
 her captain. Acting Commodore Alviraz, commanding 
 the third squadron, was on board making his report 
 in person to the admiral. All of his command were 
 well, except a gunner's mate, whose back had been 
 sprained during the storm. As for the other torpedo 
 boats, he had kept them in sight until the second squall 
 struck and then had lost them from view, as he had
 
 264 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 previously lost the other ships^ of the fleet. The Mer- 
 cedes had proceeded at slow speed, and he was of the 
 opinion that the other vessels of his command were 
 ahead rather than astern. Nevertheless, Admiral Gar- 
 cia decided to remain until nightfall in that latitude, 
 and he was rewarded soon after noon by the appear- 
 ance of the fourth battleship, which increased the 
 numerical strength of the fleet to six. To the crew 
 of the Chorillos, as to the crews of the other ships that 
 had joined the Oroya, the loss of the Matucana came 
 as a shock and a surprise, for although Vice-Admiral 
 Padre's flag-ship was laboring heavily when the clouds 
 shut her out they had hoped that she had weathered 
 the storm. 
 
 Captain Paschall reported one man killed on board 
 the Chorillos and a half dozen injured, for a gun had 
 broken away in the hold and they had had lively times 
 securing it again. He had been delayed by the break- 
 ing of a condenser, which compelled the stoppage of 
 one set of engines and necesitated the progress at half 
 speed until that morning. He agreed with Commo- 
 dore Alviraz that the other ships of the fleet were 
 probably ahead. 
 
 It was late in the day when he left the Oroya and 
 soon after he reached the deck of his battleship Admiral 
 Garcia caused signals to be hoisted for twenty-five 
 knots and the fleet of six ships shaped their course 
 toward the point on the North Atlantic that had been 
 the goal since leaving the Straits of Magellan. 
 
 Early the following morning, while the admiral and 
 the newspaper correspondent were at breakfast, word
 
 In the North Atlantic 265 
 
 was sent to the cabin by the watch officer that the 
 smoke of two steamships had been sighted off the 
 bow, and fifteen minutes later an orderly brought the 
 information that the craft were the torpedo-boats 
 Maria and Madelene, and that they had hove-to, await- 
 ing the approach of the squadron. Encouraging news 
 came from these vessels by wigwag signals as they fell 
 in behind the flag-ship. Not only were all well on 
 board but their commanders reported having been in 
 company with the cruisers Mejillones and Arica until 
 the last twenty-four hours, when they had become 
 separated during a heavy fog. The torpedo-boats had 
 cruised about, looking for their consorts without suc- 
 cess, and had concluded that the latter had steamed 
 ahead. Their surmise proved correct, and before even- 
 ing the squadron overtook the cruisers and the fleet 
 became ten in number. 
 
 That midnight a light was sighted to starboard and 
 when the Oroya flashed the private naval signal, the 
 answer came over the water, spelling "A-n-i-t-a." 
 Other flash signals told that all were well on board and 
 another asked, "What news?" 
 
 It would be a pity to inform them at that hour of 
 all that had happened, so the reply was sent, "Details 
 in the morning." 
 
 When day broke there was still another ship to 
 receive the intelligence, for the Rosita was sighted just 
 as the sun rose, completing the quota of torpedo-boats. 
 She signaled all well, and no mishap, save the loss of 
 a cutter. 
 
 After the navigator had taken the noon observation
 
 266 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 he reported latitude 14° 30' north, and longitude 
 50° 10' west. It was the place where the fleet had 
 been ordered to reassemble, and the order had been 
 obeyed. Of the ships that had entered Callao harbor 
 on the morning of June 6th all were there except four, 
 the Chosica, left at Valparaiso as consort for the 
 prizes; the Miraflores, stationed at Callao for guard 
 duty; the Avita, sunk in Valparaiso Bay, and the 
 Matucana, lost in the South Atlantic. 
 
 The weather conditions that afternoon would have 
 made glad the hearts of the men had it not been for 
 the depression caused by the recent disaster. As it 
 was, all hands were more cheerful than at any time 
 since the cyclone, for they knew that no more ships 
 or lives had been lost. Time for another action was 
 at hand, and they were well away from the fierce heat 
 that had caused such restlessness while near the equa- 
 tor. A light, cool breeze from the north brought into 
 being dancing waves on the dark green water, waves just 
 high enough to furnish excitement for the occupants 
 of small boats, that moved from one man-of-war to an- 
 other when the fleet hove-to, as it soon did, in response 
 to a signal, but which had no more effect upon the 
 large ships than would the troubled surface of a mill 
 pond. There was a gentle under-roll, that caused a leis- 
 urely swing of the big craft, else those on board might 
 have imagined them at anchor in a land-locked harbor. 
 
 At 3 o'clock Admiral Garcia ordered all command- 
 ing officers to report on board the flag-ship, and when 
 they had assembled he proceeded to outline the object 
 of the North Atlantic cruise.
 
 In the North Atlantic 267 
 
 *'You know our purpose in visiting these seas," he 
 said, after briefly referring to the voyage and the loss 
 of the cruiser. *'I ordered copies of such dispatches 
 as I received at Valparaiso sent to you. They told 
 that the Channel and the Mediterranean squadrons 
 had been ordered to unite at Southampton and proceed 
 against us, and it was then beUeved that they would 
 visit the Pacific coast. Great Britain has not engaged 
 in a naval war since ships have been constructed of iron 
 and steel, and it is a natural presumption that the ma- 
 jority of the enemy's vessels needed preparation before 
 setting forth. I do not think the combined fleets could 
 be got ready for sea within three weeks, and it is my 
 opinion that they are about due now to sail from the 
 English coast. It is possible to ascertain their move- 
 ments exactly, and I think this can be done without 
 visiting a coast city in the West Indies or the United 
 States, where the cable could flash the news of our 
 arrival, with the result that the British squadrons would 
 be ordered to remain at home, to protect their own 
 coast. No, I think that one of the transatlantic liners, 
 outward bound from New York, will furnish all the 
 information we desire. The majority of these vessels 
 are British, and we are privileged to capture them. 
 We will overhaul such a ship and from the newspapers 
 she carries and the passengers we will learn the latest 
 concerning the enemy." 
 
 "A part of our fleet will at once proceed north at full 
 speed, to a point where we are most apt to intercept 
 one of the liners." 
 
 "I say a part of the fleet, because I have decided
 
 268 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 to change our maneuvers. In the action which will 
 soon take place on the high seas, and which I have 
 determined shall be at long range for a time, the tor- 
 pedo-boats would not be of much assistance. There- 
 fore, they will be used for several days as commerce de- 
 stroyers. When the terms of peace are negotiated with 
 Great Britain, we will find it greatly to our advantage 
 if a number of prizes have fallen into our hands. When 
 the battleships and the cruisers move north to-day, 
 the torpedo-boats will take a w^esterly course.'' 
 
 ''Commodore Alviraz, you will command this squad- 
 ron. Make at once for the coast of the United States. 
 Station one ship near Philadelphia, another near Bos- 
 ton and the remainder of the fleet near New York. 
 Capture all steamships that fly the British flag, and 
 send them with prize crews to Barbados. One of the 
 torpedo-boats can accompany the first prize to the 
 island and hold it till the arrival of one or more of the 
 larger ships of the fleet. I think that my instructions 
 are expHcit, gentlemen, and you may now execute 
 them. I wish you the best of success in your various 
 undertakings." 
 
 The officers rose when the commander-in-chief sig- 
 nified that the meeting was at an end, and, saluting, 
 they left the cabin. 
 
 'This is your opportunity to forward correspond- 
 ence, Carey," said the admiral. "They will undoubt- 
 edly sight one of the pilot-boats near New York and 
 can transfer your letter to her." 
 
 "I have it at hand," the correspondent replied, taking 
 a package from his pocket.
 
 In the North Atlantic 269 
 
 "Give it to Commodore Alviraz, for he will more 
 likely dispose of it as you wish." 
 
 Hawkins did so and a moment later the manuscript 
 that told of the voyage from the Pacific and the loss 
 of the Matucana was being carried to the flag-ship 
 of the torpedo squadron, for transfer to a boat that 
 would take it to the metropcHs of the United States. 
 
 When the captains had returned to their commands 
 the signal to get under way was hoisted and the fleet 
 separated, battleships and cruisers forming one squad- 
 ron and the torpedo-boats another. Then they di- 
 verged, the heavier craft steering north and the light 
 vessels making for the coast. 
 
 Twenty-six hours after the seven great warships had 
 parted company from the smaller craft of the fleet they 
 hove-to for the night at a point more than a thousand 
 miles from the place where the commander-in-chief 
 had given his orders for the North Atlantic maneuvers. 
 They had proceeded at full speed, which was thirty- 
 five knots an hour, or forty miles, landsman's compu- 
 tation. Spray had been flying over their bows, so 
 great was the speed, and the decks had been wet from 
 the fore part of the turtle-back to the mainmast. It 
 had come on board in salt showers, rattling on the 
 admiral's cabin, and making it necessary to keep win- 
 dows and port-holes closed. There was a stiff breeze 
 from the north into which they dashed, and the rig- 
 ging's ^.olian harp rang as though a gale were raging. 
 
 They hove-to that night because they had reached 
 the latitude where a liner might be met and the ships 
 spread out, two miles between each, covering a dis-
 
 270 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 tance of fourteen miles in all, and orders were issued 
 to proceed at slow speed in the morning if nothing 
 occurred during the dark hours to alter the plans. 
 
 There had been a national salute fired that day at 
 nine in the morning, when quarters were sounded, 
 and the stars and stripes were broken at the fore-trucks 
 of all the ships of the fleet. It was the Fourth of July 
 and the Peruvian navy thus testified its great friend- 
 ship for the power with which it had become so closely 
 allied. In the evening, after the ships had hove-to, the 
 commanding officers were invited to dinner on board 
 the flag-ship, and when plates had been cleared away 
 the American correspondent was asked to answer to 
 the toast, "America." 
 
 He had often been called upon for after-dinner 
 speeches, but no man had ever been invited under such 
 circumstances. The large state dining-room of the 
 admiral was aglow with the light of electric lamps, that, 
 fastened in the walls, cast a soft effulgence without 
 revealing individual, blinding glares. Seven captains 
 of the Peruvian navy, the admiral and his flag Heu- 
 tenant, all in the brilliant full dress of black and gold, 
 were seated at table, waiting for the words of the 
 young writer who had endeared himself to them by 
 his courage, his sympathy and his good fellowship. 
 They had passed through a fierce naval conflict, they 
 had faced death during a cyclone ; a powerful hostile 
 fleet was nearing them, and they were close to the 
 shores of that great country whose natal day they were 
 celebrating. The officers represented ancient Peru
 
 In the North Atlantic 271 
 
 endowed with fresh power; the civiHan typified the 
 United States, their ally. 
 
 The correspondent's address was at first slow and 
 deliberate. He had learned much during the days that 
 were passed. At its inception the voyage from Peru 
 had seemed an exciting adventure, one that would 
 prove a wonderful story to read about, but one that 
 would soon be forgotten in the busy whirl of the world. 
 Now he realized that what had happened was indelible 
 on history's pages. Maps would have to be changed 
 because of these men and their powerful fighting ma- 
 chines, nations would have to reallign themselves and 
 all bodies politic would have to be readjusted. This he 
 confessed to the officers, and it was a confession to 
 admit that the magnitude of their work had not im- 
 pressed him as it should have done from the beginning. 
 Then he cast a verbal horoscope, picturing the respon- 
 sibilities that w^ould fall upon the new pow-er south of 
 the equator. 
 
 'T see in the future," said he in conclusion, "the 
 Western hemisphere ruling the world, and ruhng in 
 peace because of its power, for absolute power means 
 peace. I see to the north, stretching as far as the 
 Arctic circle, the United States of America, sublime 
 in industrial strength, with army and navy that pre- 
 vents encroachment and insures tranquillity; to the 
 south the United States of Incaland, stretching from 
 the Antarctic, great in mineral resources and maintain- 
 ing that power on land and sea that is necessary so 
 long as the passions of man survive : and binding the 
 two the Isthmus of Panama, neutral territory. To the
 
 2'j2 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 futures of these great powers, officers of Incaland's 
 navy, I ask you to drink." 
 
 They sprang to their feet. At a signal from Admiral 
 Garcia swords flashed from scabbards, and as the steels 
 gleamed in the electric glow, cups were lifted and the 
 toast was changed to, "America and Incaland." 
 
 As the admiral and his guests resumed their seats 
 an orderly appeared, saluted and said : *'Sir, the officer 
 of the watch reports that the Mejillones is signalling." 
 
 Lieutenant Sandoval hastily rose from his chair and 
 went on deck. 
 
 *T daresay you are all more or less anxious to know 
 what she wants, and I confess that I am," said the 
 admiral. ''Suppose we adjourn to the bridge with our 
 cigars," and they followed the commander-in-chief 
 from the cabin. 
 
 The flash Hghts could be plainly seen, darting to- 
 ward the clouds about four miles to port, the position 
 occupied by the cruiser, which was the second in line 
 from the flag-ship. 
 
 "Steamship sighted off the port bow," said Lieu- 
 tenant Sandoval, reading from the code as the quarter- 
 master called off the flashes. "We signalled her and 
 she showed her number, 526." 
 
 "Orderly, fetch Lloyds' Annual from my desk," said 
 the admiral. 
 
 The book was soon in hand and the pages were 
 hastily turned. 
 
 "Number 526," repeated the commander-in-chief. 
 "Ah! here it is! British steamship Gibraltar of the 
 Cunard line. Singular, that after the declaration of
 
 In the North Atlantic 2.^1 
 
 war she should so readily show her number ! They 
 must believe us still on the Pacific. Mr. Sandoval, 
 signal the Mejillones to overhaul the liner, bring her 
 near the flag-ship and place a prize crew on board. At 
 daybreak hoist the Peruvian ensign on her." 
 
 Soon after this message had been flashed a red fire 
 showed above the funnels of the cruiser and her lights 
 were seen to move away from the fleet. Confident that 
 the English ship would soon be taken, the admiral 
 bade the captains good-night and retired to his cabin. 
 
 When the morning came again the liner was seen 
 about four cables' length off the Oroya's port bow, 
 rolling gracefully in the light sea that had risen during 
 the night. The waves were not too high for the barges 
 of the Peruvian fleet and these electric craft were ply- 
 ing between the flag-ship and the prize. As Hawkins 
 appeared, one of the small boats came alongside and 
 sailors began carrying sacks of mail to the deck. 
 
 "Never mind the letter packages, paymaster," said 
 the admiral, who was superintending the work in per- 
 son. 'Tlace them one side and leave them intact. 
 Carry the large sacks into the wardroom and have 
 the New York newspapers, issued since June 6th, 
 placed in my cabin." 
 
 Turning to the lieutenant of the Mejillones, who had 
 come with the barge, the commander-in-chief asked 
 what had happened on board the prize. 
 
 "The captain of the Cunarder was very indignant 
 at first, sir," was the reply. "He talked of the wrath 
 of England and called us pirates. When day broke,
 
 274 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 and he saw our fleet he became more docile, and he is 
 now completely awed." 
 
 "And the passengers?" 
 
 "They were much alarmed, sir; particularly some 
 of the women, who cried hysterically for a time." 
 
 "You reassured them, did you not?" 
 
 "Yes, sir. We told them that they would suffer no 
 harm and no annoyance beyond a few days' deten- 
 tion." 
 
 "Who is in command of the prize?" 
 
 "Lieutenant Commander Portios, sir." 
 
 "You have been assigned as one of the officers?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "He has a full complement — officers, sailors, ma- 
 rines, firemen and stokers?" 
 
 , "Yes, sir. They were sent on board soon after the 
 capture." 
 
 "Very well. Return to the ship and tell Captain 
 Portios to get under way and steam at once for Bar- 
 bados. Tell him to husband his coal and stand off and 
 on near the island until the arrival of one of the tor- 
 pedo-boats. On no account is he to attempt a landing 
 until reinforcements come. Good day, sir." 
 
 "Now, Carey," said the admiral, turning to the cor- 
 respondent, "I notice that the paymaster's clerks have 
 carried several bundles of newspapers into the cabin, 
 so suppose we adjourn there and learn what has hap- 
 pened in the world." 
 
 When they were seated he added : "Let us read in 
 sequence," and he motioned Hawkins to one pile of 
 newspapers, drew another to his side of the table, and
 
 In the North Atlantic 275 
 
 Captain Crane, who had joined them, commenced on 
 a third. The admiral's instructions had been to sort 
 the periodicals from the date of June 6th, so issues of 
 that day were the first to be hurriedly gone through. 
 They contained nothing concerning the important 
 events then occurring below the equator, nor did those 
 of the seventh and eighth, proof that President Pedro's 
 orders forbidding cable communication had been 
 obeyed. But when Hawkins opened the paper of the 
 ninth — he had been assigned to examine the files of 
 the journal for which he corresponded — he uttered an 
 exclamation that caused the officers to step to his 
 side, and leaning over his shoulder, they read the first 
 cablegram that had been sent from Callao to New 
 York. It was printed in unusually large type, and 
 occupied the entire first page. No other newspaper 
 of that date contained a line that referred to the im- 
 portant subequatorial happenings. All who were ex- 
 amining the newspapers were kept quite busy when 
 this date w^as passed, for very little space had been 
 devoted to other news. There were cablegrams from 
 all parts of the world bearing on the situation and 
 everything that could be brought to light concerning 
 Peru furnished material for articles. On the date of 
 June II the newspaper for which Hawkins corres- 
 ponded contained another exclusive news story. It 
 told of the battle of Valparaiso and occupied two pages, 
 the first and the second. Hawkins pointed out that his 
 managing editor had throw^n out all the advertising 
 on page 2, so as to give it a "clean sweep," as he 
 termed it. His auditors nodded their heads in appre-
 
 ^y(i Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 ciation, although they did not understand exactly what 
 he meant. By this time the newspapers commenced 
 to teem w-ith pictures of matters Peruvian, and one 
 journal gave an illustration, from "cable description," 
 of the Oroya. 
 
 There was a hearty laugh from the officers when 
 Captain Crane showed it to them. Later it was evi- 
 dent from the tenor of the New York press that cor- 
 respondents were being hurried to the west coast of 
 South America. 
 
 "Look here !" suddenly exclaimed Hawkins, and he 
 commenced to read from a paper of June 15th, these 
 headlines : 
 
 BATTLE AT THE CHINCHAS. 
 
 Peruvian Land Forces Attacked by the British North 
 Pacific Squadron. 
 
 The Battleship Iris Sunk. 
 
 Cruisers Cambridge and Oxford Placed Hors de Com- 
 bat and the Latter Captured. 
 
 British Loss Nearly Five Hundred. 
 
 Battleship Miraflores, Signalled by the Wireless Tele- 
 graph, Arrives as the Engagement Is at Its 
 Height and Assists in the Defeat. 
 
 "Bravo, for Captain Heatherton!" exclaimed Cap- 
 tain Crane. 
 
 "Bravo for Captain Sinclair!" responded the ad-
 
 In the North Atlantic 277 
 
 miral, "As I thought, both have seen Hvely action, 
 even if they did remain on the coast. Hawkins, read 
 us the account, v^all you, please," and he passed back 
 the newspaper to the correspondent. 
 
 When the latter had finished, the commander-in- 
 chief said : 'That disposes of any fear that our coun- 
 trymen may have suffered harm, and we will now look 
 for what immediately concerns us." 
 
 All three again delved into the newspapers and ex- 
 changed comments as they read. It was evident from 
 the dispatches that the whereabouts of the Peruvian 
 fleet after the battle of Valparaiso had proved a puzzle 
 for all who v/ere interested. A cablegram said that 
 President Pedro had been asked and had refused to 
 answer. Another said that a staff correspondent had 
 sailed from Callao on a launch, had endeavored to land 
 at the Chinchas, and had been ordered away by the 
 commandant. 
 
 ''Good for Sinclair!" exclaimed the admiral. 
 
 The tenor of the dispatches from this date were to 
 the effect that the Peruvian fleet had returned to the 
 landlocked harbor of the Chincha Islands and that the 
 naval forces were there waiting the British attack. 
 Meanwhile there were columns of news concerning the 
 preparations that were being made at the English navy 
 yards. The names of all the British ships that would 
 go forth to do battle were given, together with par- 
 ticulars concerning guns, ammunition, personnel, etc. 
 
 "This is all very valuable," remarked Admiral Gar- 
 cia, and he asked that such references be carefully 
 clipped and handed to him.
 
 278 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "Ah!" suddenly exclaimed Captain Crane. "Here 
 is what we want," and he read : 
 
 "London, July 3. — The Channel and the Mediter- 
 ranean squadrons, under Admiral His Grace the Duke 
 of Manchester, sailed from Portsmouth this morning. 
 There will be a stop of two days at Gibraltar for cable 
 advices and coal, and then the fleet will sail for South 
 American waters," etc. 
 
 Admiral Garcia had started to his feet. "Mr. San- 
 doval," he said, rapidly, "signal the fleet to get under 
 way, thirty-five knots, close sailing order, follow the 
 flag-ship, course about north by east; more definite 
 sailing instructions to be issued later." 
 
 The cabin was soon deserted and from the bridge 
 the officers watched the great warships of Peru close 
 up the distances between them, and with smoke pour- 
 ing from their funnels start on this final run of the long 
 voyage to meet the enemy. Soon spray commenced to 
 fly over the Oroya ; it dashed even as far aft as the 
 bridge, for they were steaming into the teeth of a stiff 
 east wind. 
 
 South of them, hull down, only the funnels visible, 
 was the Cunarder, making her way for the Barbados.
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 THE ENGAGEMENT OFF THE SPANISH COAST 
 
 "At daybreak the enemy should be near this point, 
 off the lower Spanish coast," said Admiral Garcia y 
 Garcia, as he put down a pencil with which he had 
 been tracing on a large map that was flat on the table. 
 
 "Yes, sir," repHed the flag lieutenant; "for they 
 left Southampton on July 3d — that is, providing they 
 remained but two days at Gibraltar." 
 
 "All the information secured from the liner tends to 
 show that no other programme was contemplated; 
 does it not?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Then there is nearly every chance that the fleets 
 are now passing out to sea." 
 
 At 9 o'clock this evening — the 7th of July — the 
 Oroya and consorts were three hundred miles from 
 Gibraltar, and speed had been reduced to twenty-five 
 knots, with orders to travel even slower after 4 o'clock 
 in the morning. Until sundown they had been run- 
 ning at thirty-five knots since leaving the liner and 
 the decks had been continually wet with spray. A 
 gale came the second day, but there was no signal to 
 reduce speed, and battleships and cruisers ploughed 
 their way through seas which svvcpt them like water 
 running over a mill race. When the wind was blow- 
 ing its fiercest the vessels maintained a speed of thirty- 
 
 279
 
 28o The Engagement 
 
 two knots, proof of the longitudinal screws' great 
 power. But something was bound to give way be- 
 neath this torrent of water, and when the gale sub- 
 sided, twelve hours later, and only the spray was flying, 
 a score of machinists were put to work on each vessel, 
 straightening stanchions and iron-work of the super- 
 structures. 
 
 Many papers were spread before the ofificers in the 
 cabin this evening. They represented the work of a 
 dozen men from the paymaster's department, who had 
 been directed in their labors by the flag secretary since 
 the day the liner was left astern. The dispatches in 
 the New York newspapers had been read and re-read 
 and the facts in the reports culled from the chafif. 
 There were cablegrams from continental cities relative 
 to the British fleet, as well as messages from London. 
 So conscientiously had the foreign correspondents 
 performed their duty that it was possible for the 
 Oroya's officers to learn the name of every ship at- 
 tached to the Channel and Mediterranean squadrons, 
 and in most instances their condition at the day of 
 sailing. The positive statement was made that the 
 vessels would be divided into two fleets, one active and 
 one reserve, and that the second would follow the first 
 within signaling distance, but would not take part in 
 any engagement unless ordered by the commander- 
 in-chief. The combined forces were under the Duke of 
 Manchester, who sailed with the active fleet, and Rear 
 Admiral Lord Harry Smythe was in command of the 
 reserves. 
 
 From this information and from their knowledge of
 
 The Engagement 
 
 281 
 
 the British manner of naval maneuver the officers who 
 had collated the facts and figures were able to place 
 before Admiral Garcia y Garcia a Hst of the two fleets 
 classified into divisions. The plans of every British 
 warship were on the Oroya and the number of guns 
 carried was known to the Peruvians, even to the small- 
 est rapid-fire piece, except a few of the latter that had 
 probably been shipped at Southampton. 
 
 The document which the admiral first scanned was 
 the one w^hich presented the enemy in the following 
 battle formation: 
 
 ACTIVE FLEET. 
 
 Admiral His Grace the Duke of Manchester in Com- 
 mand. 
 
 Battleships. 
 
 1st Division. 26. Division. 3d Division. 
 
 Brutus (flag of the Daredevil. Mephisto. 
 
 commander-in-chief) . 
 
 Mavourneen. Restoration. Cyclops. 
 
 Amorqeaux. 
 
 Cruisers. 
 
 1st Division. 
 
 Fenwick. 
 Coventry. 
 Dundee. 
 Newcastle. 
 
 2d Division. 
 
 Derbyshire. 
 Cardifl^. 
 Ellsworth. 
 Appleyaird. 
 
 3d Division. 
 
 Roscommon. 
 
 Ayleshire. 
 
 Rugby.
 
 282 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 Torpedo-boats. 
 
 1st. Group — Destruction, Energetic. 
 2d. Group — Hurricane, Tornado. 
 3d. Group — Terrific, Terrible. 
 
 RESERVE FLEET. 
 Rear Admiral Lord Henry Smythe in Command. 
 Battleships. 
 1st Division. 
 
 Nelson (flag of the 
 commander-in-chief) . 
 Devereaux. 
 
 Cruisers. 
 
 1st Division. 
 
 Castel. 
 
 Ferrymount. 
 
 Kildare. 
 
 2d Division. 
 Corn walls. 
 
 Gloucester. 
 
 2d Division. 
 
 Castlerea. 
 Longford. 
 
 Torpedo-boats. 
 
 1st. Group — Audacious, Adventurer. 
 2d. Group — Pert, Ne'er-do-well. 
 
 "So, they have thirty-seven ships in all !" exclaimed 
 Admiral Garcia, as he passed the paper to Captain 
 Crane ; "and we are seven ! Now, as to the tonnage, 
 Mr. Sandoval." 
 
 The flag officer handed his superior a sheet of fools- 
 cap that was covered with figures. ^
 
 The Engag-ement 283 
 
 "Not so great as I thought," said the commander-in- 
 chief. 'They register 241,570 tons, exclusive of the 
 torpedo-boats, and we register 135,000 tons; they are 
 not double our weight in metal, though five times our 
 number and even more. Were the Miraflores and the 
 Chorillos here the comparison in dead weight would be 
 but little in their favor. How about the guns, sir?" 
 
 A third table of figures was given him. 
 
 "All told three hundred and eleven pieces in the 
 main batteries against our forty-seven, eh? Numeri- 
 cally that is a strong showing. And if numerical pre- 
 ponderance counted Great Britain would have Httle 
 difficulty in winning to-morrow's engagement." 
 
 "Then you have no thought of defeat?" asked Haw- 
 kins. 
 
 "There is always a possibility, Carey," replied the 
 admiral. "Some persons have compared a naval en- 
 gagement to a game of chess, but that is an error, for 
 there is an element of chance in the former that is ab- 
 sent in the latter. Eliminate this element of chance 
 and there would be no doubt of our victory. The 
 three great factors in an engagement between modern 
 warships are speed, armor and armament. The fast- 
 est of the British ships make 20.5 knots an hour. 
 There are five of these vessels in the active fleet, the 
 Fenwick, Coventry, Dundee, Roscommon and New- 
 castle, and one in the reserve fleet, the Castel. To 
 move at this speed these cruisers would be compelled 
 to act independently. The speed of a squadron being 
 the speed of the slowest vessel. Great Britain's active 
 fleet will be compelled to move at 17.5 knots, which is
 
 284 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the maximum speed of her battleships, and her reserve 
 fleet at 12 knots, the maximum speed of the Devereaux 
 and the CornwaHs. We can steam twice as fast as the 
 actives and three times as fast as the reserves. The sides 
 of our ships, when the protective shells are raised, will 
 not be as thick, measured in inches, as the 14.9-inch 
 sides of the Brutus and her sister ships, but you 
 have had ample illustration of the resistance offered 
 by our plates of malleable steel. The armament of the 
 enemy is not to be compared with ours when range 
 and weight of projectile are considered. The heaviest 
 guns on their battleships are the 12-inch, which are 
 not only smaller than our pieces, but are not con- 
 structed to withstand the strain to v/hich our 16 and 
 15-inch guns are subjected by the smokeless powder 
 manufactured on the Chinchas. Proportionately to 
 the size of gun the projectiles from the Oroya will 
 have greater initial velocity than those from the 
 Brutus." 
 
 "Then you expect an easy victory ?" the correspond- 
 ent asked, as the admiral took up another paper for 
 examination. 
 
 "By no means," he repHed. "There is always the 
 chance of a shell entering one of the gun ports, as 
 happened during the battle of Valparaiso, or a weak 
 spot in the armor may be found. The machinery of 
 one or more of our ships may become disabled, and 
 again there is the ubiquitous torpedo, but of the latter 
 I have not much concern, for we shall fight at long 
 range, as long range as possible, for I will take no 
 chances as I did in Valparaiso harbor."
 
 The Engagement 285 
 
 "That reminds me, Louis, why did you steam into 
 the harbor alone ? Was there not another motive than 
 the one you gave at the time?" 
 
 "Yes; there was. I wished to impress the British 
 with the strength of our navy and therefore demon- 
 strated what one ship could do. The result is as I ex- 
 pected, and a most powerful fleet has been mobilized 
 to proceed against us. If we can defeat such a fleet it 
 will practically end the w^ar and Great Britain will be 
 compelled to give us the recognition as a nation that 
 we demand. And now, Carey, I must look over these 
 papers for an hour or so ; and it would be well for us 
 all to turn in early to-night." 
 
 As it was evident that the commander-in-chief 
 wished to confer at length Vv'ith his chief of staff con- 
 cerning the plan of battle for the morrow, Carey 
 motioned to Lieutenant Sandoval, and the two went 
 on the bridge, where from the lee of the canvas that 
 was stretched to protect the watch oiificers, they could 
 see the swiftly following consorts, now moving in close 
 saiHng order. 
 
 "That is the Payta immediately astern, is it not?" 
 asked the correspondent. 
 
 "Yes," replied the flag officer. "She has moved up 
 since sundown." 
 
 It was bright moonlight and the soft rays only 
 obscured now and then by fleecy clouds. The silver 
 rays gave abnormal size to the battleship which was 
 nearest the Oroya. Unnaturally broad of beam as she 
 and her sister ships were when compared with vessels
 
 286 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 of other nations, the Payta this night, under the decep- 
 tive Hght, seemed to be almost circular in shape. 
 
 "We have read of floating fortresses," remarked 
 Hawkins, "but there was never such an illustration. 
 You have of course noticed those immense castles of 
 stone that guard Callao ? Does not the Payta resem- 
 ble one of them?" 
 
 "Yes, and as with those castles so with her, the guns 
 are not visible until time for action." 
 
 Keeping parallel with the Payta and off the star- 
 board counter of the Oroya was the Pisco. More of 
 her side could be seen at this angle and the breadth 
 of beam did not so dwarf the length. Astern of the Pay- 
 ta and the Pisco followed the battleship Chorillos and 
 the cruiser Tambovisa, and following them were the 
 cruisers Mejillones and Arica. In the spectral light the 
 two last named seemed to be phantoms — phantoms of 
 black with fire-glows hanging over them, showing 
 where the funnels cast fumes from the furnaces into 
 the air. 
 
 There was a light choppy sea running, but the waves 
 had no effect on the massive hulls that darted through 
 them, and so they broke spitefully on the bows and 
 windward sides, throwing spray over the rail. 
 
 The correspondent and the flag officer remained on 
 the bridge until the bells sounded midnight ; then, fol- 
 lowing Admiral Garcia's advice, they turned in, to 
 rest before the great battle. 
 
 The mxorning broke clear, with a crisp breeze coming 
 out of the north and curling to white the tops of the 
 green waves that had by this time become regular
 
 The Engagement 287 
 
 before the steady wind. The sun was well up from the 
 l:orizon when Admiral Garcia left his cabin and went 
 on the bridge, where he found Captain Crane, the navi- 
 gator and the watch officer. 
 
 "Nothing sighted yet, sir," said the Oroya's com- 
 mander. 
 
 "It is hardly time," replied the admiral, and then he 
 dispatched a messenger to summon Lieutenant Sando- 
 val. Immediately after the flag lieutenant's arrival 
 signals were hoisted on the Oroya that caused her con- 
 sorts to change their relative positions. The fleet had 
 been moving at 15 knots, in wedge formation, the flag- 
 ship at the apex. Now the vessels following at once 
 increased their speed and changed course, the Payta, 
 Chorillos and Mejillones veering to port, and the 
 Pisco, Tambovisa and Arica veering to starboard. 
 Their angles of divergence were so different that after 
 twenty minutes, when they resumed 15-knot speed, 
 they were all on a line, steaming due east, the Oroya 
 in the middle, and each ship a mile from the other. 
 This maneuver was executed so that a greater sea 
 range might be covered by the lookouts who had been 
 sent to the mastheads, and the fleet had taken the 
 same formation as when watch was being kept for a 
 transatlantic liner in the latitude of New York. 
 
 A war veteran, placed on the Oroya or on any vessel 
 of the Peruvian fleet at this hour, would have known 
 that a battle was impending, even though not made 
 acquainted with the happenings of the last few days ; 
 one who had not seen the horrors of war would have 
 known that a crisis was at hand, and probably would
 
 288 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 have guessed the truth. There was something written 
 on the face of every man, from the admiral down to 
 the stoker who came above for a glance around, that 
 he might tell his comrades who toiled below at the 
 furnaces what he had seen on deck, and this something 
 can be seen only just before a battle. It would dis- 
 appear when the guns commenced to roar and the 
 shells to fly; it would not be seen when men were 
 being killed and machinery was being disabled; it 
 would be gone when Death stalked from port to star- 
 board and from bow to stern. But before the battle, 
 before the gun roar, before the shell screech, before 
 the arrival of Death, the expression can be seen and 
 there is no word that will describe it ; those who have 
 been in battle will understand ; those who have not 
 can never, quite. 
 
 They had been steaming under this new formation 
 something more than a half hour and the bell amid- 
 ships on the flag-ship had sounded twice — 9 o'clock 
 landsman's time — when the watch officer called atten- 
 tion to a signal hoisted on the Payta. The leaves of 
 the code book were hastily turned and Lieutenant 
 Sandavol reported : "Signal repeated from the Mejil- 
 lones, sir, that smoke is sighted off the port bow." 
 
 Admiral Garcia made a gesture which Captain Crane 
 and the flag officer understood. The former gave an 
 order and the Oroya's head swung quarter round the 
 compass; at the same time the indicator called for 
 25 knots. Lieutenant Sandoval caused signals to be 
 hoisted, ordering the fleet to close up with the Me- 
 jillones as a base. At this time the Mejillones was
 
 The Engagement 289 
 
 on the extreme left or port side, three miles distam 
 from the Oroya and six miles from the Arica, which 
 was on the extreme right. To execute the order the 
 ships proceeded at different rates of speed, the Arica 
 racing at 35 knots ; and within ten minutes the wedge- 
 like formation of the morning was resumed, the Oroya 
 taking the position occupied by the Mejillones when 
 the latter first signaled, and the Mejillones falling back 
 to the position astern of the Chorillos. 
 
 The smoke on the horizon had increased in volume 
 and from the masthead came the cry : 'Tt's a fleet, 
 sir!" 
 
 "General quarters ! Prepare for action ! Slow down 
 to five knots !" ordered Admiral Garcia y Garcia. 
 
 Signal flags and megaphones, bugle calls and drum 
 rolls carried the command to ships and men. If a 
 tornado had swept high over the Peruvian fleet and 
 had carried away the lighter spars the effect to the 
 vision would have been the same, for down came 
 cross-pieces simultaneously on battleships and cruis- 
 ers, then the masts were telescoped and the sides began 
 to rise, and the superstructures disappeared. 
 
 Once more Admiral Garcia and stafif were assembled 
 in the conning tower, prepared for action. Captain 
 Crane w^as there and so was Correspondent Hawkins, 
 but the subordinate ofBcers were not the same as those 
 who had gazed through the slits nearly a month be- 
 fore in Valparaiso harbor. Lieutenant Sandoval had 
 succeeded Lieutenant Cordero, killed in action, and 
 Lieutenant Miles and Ensign Quigley had been se- 
 lected this morning by Captain Crane as members of
 
 290 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 his personal staff. Even the signal quartermaster and 
 the quartermaster at the wheel were not the same as on 
 that memorable night. 
 
 "Ascertain the range as quickly as possible, sir," said 
 the admiral, when all hands were at stations, and at 
 once Lieutenant Miles stepped on the platform, having 
 in hand the instrument which determines the distance 
 between vessels at sea. 
 
 "Are you going to open fire at once, Louis?" asked 
 the correspondent. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "But they don't know who you are; they certainly 
 cannot expect you to be in this latitude." 
 
 "That is probably so, but they will soon learn. We 
 must take every advantage this day." 
 
 Just then Lieutenant Miles called out the range. He 
 gave the distance in metres, the standard of measure- 
 ment in the Peruvian navy. Computed by yards it 
 equalled nearly seven miles — a long way, surely, but 
 by this time the ships of the enemy could be seen 
 separately — there were perhaps a half dozen in the 
 van, and smoke astern of them indicated the presence 
 of others, yet all were so far away that battleships could 
 only be determined from cruisers by their low lying 
 hulls. 
 
 "Captain Crane, you may fire at will, but have every 
 shot count. Mr. Sandoval, tell the Pisco, Payta and 
 Chorillos to do the same with their bow guns." 
 
 Again the range finder called out and the words 
 were repeated from conning tower to gun deck, then 
 on to the bow, where the crew of the great 1 6-inch
 
 The Engagement 291 
 
 were swinging the piece into position, directed by the 
 officer at that station, who glanced along the telescope 
 sight. They waited for one more call from the range 
 finder. It came. "Fire !" exclaimed the officer, and 
 with a majestic recoil the great gun sent its massive 
 projectile whirling through the air. 
 
 Telescopes had been leveled by those In the conning 
 tower. One, two, three seconds passed, then Captain 
 Crane, turning quickly, called down to the gun deck : 
 "Pass the word forward — Good shot! One of the 
 enemy hit !" 
 
 For they had not seen the shell strike the water. 
 Had it done so the spray, thrown in the sunlight, 
 would have been distinctly visible. What damage had 
 been wrought they could not tell, so far away were the 
 enemy; a plate might have been dented on a battle- 
 ship and the missile might then have fallen harmless 
 into the sea, but it had struck and that was a good 
 beginning. 
 
 By this time the Payta, Pisco and Chorillos had 
 opened fire and spray could be seen flying near the 
 English vessels. The Oroya began to tremble in every 
 plate, and to make oneself heard a dozen feet away 
 without the megaphone was impossible, for the 15- 
 inch guns on the port side had joined the 16-inch in 
 the bow, and every minute projectiles were being 
 hurled from the flag-ship. 
 
 Puffs of white smoke could now be seen ahead and 
 the water became dotted here and there where projec- 
 tiles fell. 
 
 "The enemy has opened fire, sir!" exclaimed Cap-
 
 292 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 tain Crane, "and some of their ships are without 
 smokeless powder. They are spreading out, sir — that 
 close order made them too good a target." 
 
 "We have them bothered at any rate when they will 
 waste ammunition like that," said Admiral Garcia. 
 "This waiting game pays. How fast do you think 
 they are steaming, Captain?" 
 
 "About fifteen knots, sir." 
 
 "Mr. Sandoval, signal the fleet to maintain the same 
 relative positions and steam astern at fifteen knots." 
 
 During the preliminary firing, while the Peruvians 
 were forging ahead with barely steerage-way, the Brit- 
 ish fieet had approached somewhat nearer, probably 
 to within six miles. But now the Peruvian ships began 
 to move at the same speed and in the same direction, 
 and it became an aggravating chase by the many ships 
 after the few, with not a possibility of the distance be^ 
 ing lessened until Admiral Garcia y Garcia gave the 
 word. 
 
 It was evident that the English admiral did not rea- 
 lize the speed advantage possessed by the Peruvians 
 and believed it possible to overtake his foe with his en- 
 tire fleet, for dense clouds of black smoke hanging over 
 the ships told that the furnaces were being fed all the 
 coal they could consume. Puffs of white frequently 
 lightened this black, and then would come rolling over 
 the water reports of heavy ordnance, and shells would 
 fall near the warships of Peru, for the British had 
 found the range and were firing less recklessly now. 
 
 All these observations were made on the Oroya 
 while her great bow gun and those on the port side,
 
 The Engagement 293 
 
 which were but an inch smaller in calibre, were being 
 discharged with the regularity of clock-work. 
 
 "What's that?" suddenly exclaimed Admiral Garcia, 
 pointing to the left wing of the enemy, where smoke 
 of a lighter color commenced to rise in volume. 
 
 "One of them is on fire, sir," repHed Captain Crane, 
 after he had gazed a minute in the direction indicated. 
 "She is being left astern by the others. No, there is 
 one ship standing by to render aid. Judging from the 
 position she held in the squadron and from her lines 
 now that she is away from the other vessels I think she 
 is the cruiser Derbyshire, sir." 
 
 At this moment a shell struck the Oroya's protective 
 side and burst. A splinter of steel hit the captain's 
 telescope, which projected several inches from the slit 
 in the conning tower through which he was watching 
 the maneuvers, and it was torn from his hands. The 
 eyepiece flew up and cut his cheek. Those in the 
 conning tower saw the blood and thought he had been 
 wounded by the projectile, and the surgeon was sum- 
 moned. 
 
 "It's nothing," he exclaimed, pointing to a piece of 
 twisted brass that had fallen to the platform — all that 
 was left of the telescope. "Mr. Quigley, let me take 
 your glass until the messenger fetches me another 
 from below." 
 
 This incident distracted their attention from the 
 enemy for a minute or more, and before they looked 
 again a dull, heavy roar, different from the report of 
 ordnance, came over the water. When their glasses 
 svere again brought to bear the cruiser which had been
 
 294 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 on fire seemed to be the center of a waterspout, and 
 when the liquid mass fell the ship was bows in air. 
 
 "She's sinking!" exclaimed the senior watch. 'The 
 fire must have reached the ammunition." 
 
 It was but little more than a minute, certainly not 
 two, before the sea closed over her, and then the 
 Oroya's officers saw black specks on the water near 
 where she went down and they knew that small boats 
 had been sent from the sister cruiser to rescue from 
 drowning those who had escaped the force of the ex- 
 plosion. 
 
 "I think four of the enemy are forcing ahead of the 
 main fleet," remarked Captain Crane. 
 
 It was soon apparent that he was correct, and, al- 
 though the British battleships continued firing, the 
 vessels that had separated from the squadron came on 
 with guns silent. 
 
 "They are cruisers," said the admiral. 
 
 "Yes, sir; I think they are the Fenwick, Coventry, 
 Dundee and Newcastle." 
 
 "What is their speed, Mr. Sandoval?" 
 
 "Twenty and five-tenth knots, sir," replied the flag 
 lieutenant, referring to the papers that he had brought 
 from the cabin. "They are the ships you spoke about 
 last evening, sir." 
 
 "And their guns?" 
 
 "Sixteen 6-inch pieces on the Fenwick and Coven- 
 try, sir, and on the Dundee and Newcastle two 9.2- 
 inch and ten 6-inch." 
 
 "The 9-inch pieces might do some damage to our 
 cruisers at close range; but let them come."
 
 The Engagement 295 
 
 The British battleships were firing more methodi- 
 cally by this time. The Oroya had been struck twice 
 since the bursting shell had knocked the telescope from 
 Captain Crane's hand, but no damage had been done 
 her. The Tambovisa had signaled, "One man killed 
 and three wounded by a shell splinter," and Ensign 
 Quigley had reported that a part of the Mejillones' 
 forward smokestack had been carried away. 
 
 At 5 bells, or half past ten o'clock, this was the situ- 
 ation : The Peruvian fleet was steaming with reversed 
 engines at the same speed as the enemy, and their 
 position w^as such that their bow guns could be kept 
 in action. Only the battleships of the Peruvians had 
 opened fire and of these the Oroya was the only one 
 that had used the side batteries. In the British fleet 
 the fire was confined to the battleships of the first 
 division, the others, since the wild shooting at the be- 
 ginning of the engagement, having come doggedly on 
 in silence. The four English cruisers had slowly drawn 
 away from the main fleet and at this hour were two 
 miles ahead of the Brutus, flag-ship, and four miles 
 from the Peruvians. 
 
 "I'll give them another fifteen minutes," said Ad- 
 miral Garcia. "Captain Crane, pass the word for the 
 gunners to leave those advancing ships alone and to 
 concentrate their fire on the enemy's flag-ship." 
 
 The same order was signaled the Payta, the Choril- 
 los and the Pisco. 
 
 To rest the men in the starboard batteries the course 
 of the Oroya was changed at this time, so as to bring 
 the port guns into play.
 
 296 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 After ten minutes' work at the guns under these new 
 orders, Lieutenant Miles, who had been ordered to 
 watch closely the effect, reported: "The Brutus is 
 dropping astern, sir; she has ceased firing." 
 
 "That demonstrates how it pays to concentrate one's 
 energy," remarked the admiral. "Now for the cruis- 
 ers! Mr. Sandoval, signal, 'Cease firing.' " 
 
 At this hour — 10:45 o'clock — the four swift ships of 
 the British fleet had approached to within three miles 
 of the Peruvians and therefore were equidistant from 
 the opposing squadrons. The guns of the Peruvians 
 became silent, and only an occasional shot came from 
 the enemy, for it was evident that all hands on the 
 English vessels were waiting the outcome of the man- 
 euver being executed by the Fenwick, Coventry, Dun- 
 dee and Newcastle. 
 
 "Mr. Sandoval, signal the Payta, Chorillos and the 
 Pisco to follow the flag-ship, thirty-five knots, close 
 sailing order !" sharply ordered Admiral Garcia. "Cap- 
 tain Crane, swing to starboard so as to pass to wind- 
 ward of the Fenwick, then run between the cruisers 
 and the main fleet, steering as close as possible to the 
 former, maintaining thirty-five knots all the way!" 
 
 Over went the Oroya's indicator to the number 
 mentioned and the flag-ship suddenly stopped, then 
 dashed ahead and swung off several points, the other 
 battle-ships following. The Tambovisa, Mejillones and 
 Arica, not having received orders, continued as they 
 were. 
 
 To an engineer on a swiftly moving locomotive, 
 objects in front appear as though moving toward him
 
 The Engagement 297 
 
 and they grow rapidly in size. Hawkins experienced 
 this optical illusion while gazing through a slit in the 
 conning tower. The Oroya and her great consorts 
 were moving at 35 knots an hour ; the British advance 
 squadron at 20 and the main fleet at 16. As they 
 were moving toward one another the apparent speed 
 was nearly sixty miles an hour. 
 
 In less than five minutes the Oroya again altered her 
 course, this time to port, and started on her run be- 
 tween the cruisers and the fleet. She approached so 
 close to the Fenwick, which was on the left wing, that 
 the faces of men at the gun-ports could be seen and 
 every rope of the rigging stood out distinctly. Not a 
 shot w^as fired by either side until the moment when 
 the Oroya turned, and it was the moment when the 
 faces at the gun-ports were seen. Then the bow gun 
 of the Peruvian flag-ship spoke and the great 16-inch 
 projectile struck the Fenwick just forward of the 
 bridge and tore a hole through the armor. She re- 
 plied feebly, with four of her 16-inch pieces, but either 
 because of the excitement on board or because of the 
 inabiHty to gauge the speed of the Peruvian, the shells 
 went wild. Immediately the Oroya's port broadside 
 was fired, and instantly — for there was -no smoke to 
 obscure the vision — the havoc of it could be seen from 
 the conning tower. A sponson amidship on the cruis- 
 er had been split in twain, a gun dismounted, and 
 above the crash and the din they could hear the shriek 
 of sailors who had been wounded and they could see 
 trunks of bodies and arms and legs nailed to twisted 
 pieces of iron and woodwork that commenced to smol-
 
 298 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 der where fires had been started. At this moment 
 the starboard batteries were fired at the main fleet of 
 the British, now but little more than two miles distant. 
 
 The signal, "fire at will," had been hoisted, and as 
 the Oroya swept past the Fenwick the Pisco came 
 abreast of the British cruiser and delivered another 
 murderous broadside. As she did so the Peruvian flag- 
 ship reached a point opposite the Coventry and again 
 the 16-inch and the side batteries roared. Then the 
 Oroya swept on from the Coventry to the Dundee and 
 from the Dundee to the Newcastle, and while her port 
 guns delivered blows at short range to the cruisers 
 the starboard batteries engaged the battle-ships and 
 other vessels of the active fleet. As did the Oroya so 
 did her consorts, swinging through the sea of cross- 
 fire and plying the guns as fast as men and the 
 improved machinery could work. 
 
 In five minutes they were out of it and were steam- 
 ing back to join the Tambovisa, Mejillones and Arica. 
 And this is what they left astern : The Fenwick sink- 
 ing by the bow ; the Coventry on fire and men jumping 
 from her sides; the Dundee drifting helplessly, her 
 steering gear having been shot away, and the New- 
 castle with no flag flying, for in the face of the terrific 
 fire she had surrendered to the red, white and red of 
 Peru. 
 
 "Make your report, Mr. Quigley,'* said Admiral 
 Garcia, as they rounded to. 
 
 The ensign had been stationed on the starboard side 
 of the conning tower when the flag-ship entered into 
 close action, his instructions being to pay no atten-
 
 The Engagement 299 
 
 tion to the cruisers, but carefully observe the main 
 fleet and make notes of everything. 
 
 "The Brutus is disabled, sir," replied the junior offi- 
 cer, as he stepped down from the observation plat- 
 form, "and small boats are putting off from her, so I 
 believe she is being abandoned. The flag of the ad- 
 miral has been hoisted on the Mavourneen. The Cy- 
 clops, another of the first division battleships, also 
 seems to be disabled. She was drifting broadside to 
 the sea and did not fire a gun while we were passing. 
 The cruisers Cardiff and Ellsworth are on fire. The 
 enemy have started two torpedo-boats after us, sir. 
 I believe you can see them if you glance astern." 
 
 "They might as well husband their fuel," Admiral 
 Garcia said, not deigning to even look in the direction 
 of the enemy ; "they can never overtake us. Anything 
 else, Mr. Quigley?" 
 
 "Yes, sir. The reserve fleet has been ordered into 
 action. I could make them out about ten miles to lee- 
 ward, sir." 
 
 "O, they are ! Well, we will rest a little before we 
 engage them." 
 
 Turning to the flag lieutenant, he said: "Order 
 cease firing, sir!" 
 
 The battleships, suddenly silent, steamed swiftly to- 
 ward the Peruvian cruisers that were maintaining the 
 same speed five miles away as when the squadron had 
 divided. A few following shots came from the Brit- 
 ish, but these grew less as the distance increased. 
 In fifteen minutes the Peruvian fleet was united again 
 and steaming in wedge formation at i6 knots, main-
 
 300 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 taining the same relative distance from the EngHsh 
 ships that still gave pursuit. 
 
 "Report casualties !" said Admiral Garcia y Garcia, 
 and signal flags repeating the order were hoisted. 
 
 "None on the Oroya, sir," said Captain Crane, who 
 had visited the gun deck as soon as the sharp of the 
 fight was over. 
 
 "Two men killed on the Payta, sir," reported the 
 flag officer, reading the signal on the nearest battle- 
 ship. "Captain Roderiguez slightly hurt, but able to 
 attend to duty. 
 
 "The Pisco reports one man killed. 
 
 "The Chorillos reports no casualties. 
 
 "The Tambovisa reports one killed and three 
 wounded, as signaled earlier." 
 
 "Now, Mr. Sandoval, from the table you brought 
 from the cabin, and the information Mr. Quigley 
 has furnished, please compute the enemy's loss." 
 
 The flag officer checked off on the large sheet of 
 paper that he held in his hand since entering the con- 
 ning tower, then read: 
 
 "Cruiser Derbyshire, 7,700 tons, carrying one 9.2- 
 inch rifle and twelve 6-inch rifles, sunk with all hands ; 
 a few of the crew rescued by the Appleyaird. 
 
 "First-rate battleship Brutus, carrying the ad- 
 miral's flag, 14,900 tons, mounting four 12-inch rifles 
 and twelve 6-inch quick-fire pieces, abandoned and be- 
 lieved to be slowly sinking. 
 
 "First-rate battleship Cyclops, sister ship to the 
 Brutus, carrying the same armament, unmanageable 
 and drifting at will.
 
 The Engagement 301 
 
 "First-rate cruiser Fenwick, ii,cx)0 tons, carrying 
 sixteen 6-inch guns in the main battery, sunk. 
 
 "First-rate cruiser Coventry, sister ship to the Fen- 
 wick, on fire and the flames seemingly beyond control. 
 
 "First-rate cruiser Dundee, 7,350 tons, carrying two 
 9,2-inch rifles and ten 6-inch, disabled and drifting. 
 
 ''First-rate cruiser Newcastle, sister ship to the Dun- 
 dee, surrendered and retiring from the fighting line.. 
 
 "Second-rate cruiser Cardiff, 6,620 tons, carrying 
 eight 4.7-inch rifles, on fire. 
 
 "Second-rate cruiser Ellsworth, carrying four 6-inch 
 and six 4.7-inch rifles, on fire and flames beyond con- 
 trol." 
 
 "Nearly one-half of the enemy's fleet placed hors 
 de combat!" exclaimed Admiral Garcia, and then he 
 said: "Mr. Sandoval, signal all ships to lower pro- 
 tective sides half way and increase the speed so as to 
 place a distance of ten miles between us and the 
 enemy."
 
 CHAPTER XXL 
 
 THE ENGAGEMENT OFF THE SPANISH COAST 
 (CONTINUED). 
 
 This temporary withdrawal from action was a great 
 relief for the crews of the Oroya and her consorts. 
 Although a smokeless powder was used in the Peru- 
 vian navy that emitted the minimum of fumes, yet a 
 certain amount of gas had exuded from the breeches of 
 the guns, and during the heavy firing it had accumu- 
 lated in the confined spaces. This escaped when the 
 protective sides were partly lowered and then, after 
 the guns' crews had worked hard for half an hour, 
 cleaning the pieces, all hands were piped to dinner. 
 
 It was an extraordinary scene — that of the men of 
 the Peruvian flag-ship, seated at table, enjoying their 
 mid-day meal at leisure, after having passed through 
 such events as those of the morning; and in the dis- 
 tance a shattered fleet and clouds of smoke rising from 
 burning ships. 
 
 Admiral Garcia permitted two hours to elapse before 
 ordering the engagement renewed, and when the sig- 
 nal, "prepare for action," was hoisted, the men of his 
 command were as fresh and as eager for the fray as 
 they were before sighting the enemy in the morning. 
 
 It was I o'clock when the protective sides were 
 raised, and then the flags conveyed the command: 
 "Follow the Oroya; close steaming order!" 
 
 Captain Crane was told to bear down on the enemy 
 302
 
 The Engagement 303 
 
 and lessen the distance to four miles, for the comman- 
 der-in-chief had decided to abandon the long-range 
 tactics of the morning and end the battle before night 
 could furnish a cover under which any ship might steal 
 away. 
 
 The Peruvians went ahead at full speed, so it was 
 but a matter of a few minutes until the ships of the 
 enemy that had been indistinct on the horizon Hne 
 came well into view, and it was soon possible to tell 
 battleships from cruisers and even name some of the 
 vessels that were distinguishable because of pecuHar 
 construction. 
 
 'The reserve fleet has come up, sir," said Captain 
 Crane, soon after he had leveled his glass through a 
 tower slit. 'They have mobilized, I think." 
 
 "So I perceive," repHed the admiral ; then he asked : 
 "What do you think of that formation?" 
 
 "It is crescent shaped." 
 
 "With the battleships on the horns." 
 
 "Perhaps they beHeve, sir, that we will run in, and 
 they can close around and crush us." 
 
 "I notice the flag of the Duke of Manchester on the 
 extreme left wing and that of Lord Smythe on the 
 right," remarked the admiral, as his glass swept the 
 enemy's squadrons. 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Well, Captain Crane, we are now within four miles 
 of the enemy, and you may open fire. Mr. Sandoval, 
 signal the fleet, battleships and cruisers this time, 
 to fire at will. Swing the Oroya, Captain Crane, so 
 as to bring all our ships into line."
 
 304 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 The British had slowed down upon seeing the enemy 
 come toward them and the great fleet was nearly sta- 
 tionary when the Peruvian order to fire was given. 
 As the guns on the Oroya and her consorts com- 
 menced to roar it was noticed that the battleships on 
 the right and left horns of the crescent began to move 
 ahead, leaving the cruisers astern. And then the Brit- 
 ish opened fire. 
 
 Shells burst fast on the Oroya's protective sides and 
 a splinter, glancing through a slit in the conning 
 tower, crushed the clock that ticked on an upright be- 
 hind the quartermaster, and glancing cut a gash in 
 En^gn Quigley's knee. Another splinter entered 
 through a gun-port below and Hawkins saw the bodies 
 of two men dragged from the side of a gun, so they 
 might not be trampled on, and then he saw hospital 
 stewards run up with stretchers and carry away three 
 of the crew who had been wounded. 
 
 They had drawn so close that all the ships of the 
 British, now nearly thirty, had found the range, and 
 twelve, nine, eight, six and four-inch shells were being 
 hurled at the great vessels that flew the red, white and 
 red of Peru. 
 
 Nobody could tell just what shot did it, although 
 later a forward gunner on the Payta claimed to have 
 taken deliberate aim at the great cruiser's vitals. At 
 any rate, the roar of an explosion caused all glasses 
 to be turned to the center of the British fleet, where 
 could be seen the Roscommon, up-ending and sinking. 
 
 "She's the finest cruiser of the fleet, sir," yelled Cap-
 
 The Engagement 305 
 
 tain Crane — he had to yell, to make himself under- 
 stood. "She's over 14,000 tons, sir." 
 
 The admiral motioned that he heard, then pointed 
 quickly to something bright that glistened on the 
 water between the flag-ship and the British vessels. 
 
 "Torpedo-boats !" ejaculated Captain Crane ; and, 
 seizing the megaphone, he threw himself flat on the 
 floor, over the grating, and called to those below: 
 "Quick, there, with the rapid-fire guns! Torpedo- 
 boats to starboard ! Lively there !" 
 
 Along the side there were thrown open other gun 
 ports than those through which the great pieces peered, 
 and twelve and six-pounders commenced to pepper the 
 water, the rapid crack of the small-calibre guns sound- 
 ing sharp above the deep roar of the heavy ordnance, 
 as soprano notes rise above the orchestra and chorus. 
 
 Four torpedo-boats were moving swiftly to- 
 ward the Peruvians. They had been hidden by the 
 low-hanging smoke from the British guns and were 
 within a mile of the Oroya when sighted by Admiral 
 Garcia — dangerously near unless the Peruvians chose 
 to run for it, which was not thought of by the com- 
 mander-in-chief, who had determined to decide the 
 engagement within the hour. 
 
 The torpedo-boats were not bunched and each one 
 made a separate target. It was a daring dash by the 
 British, who were evidently buoyed by the hope that 
 one or more of the little craft might pass through the 
 cyclonic whirl of shells and inflict a mortal blow on 
 the seemingly invincible hulls that had been built on 
 the Chincha Islands to astonish the world.
 
 3o6 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 Captain Crane hurried from the conning tower to 
 the gun deck, for the deadly little boats had not been 
 checked by the first few seconds' fire. The water in 
 their vicinity was being churned to white froth, the 
 consorts of the Oroya having joined the flag-ship in 
 the efifort to repulse the swiftly-moving terrors. The 
 fire of the great guns had been stopped so that there 
 might be no jar to interfere Vv^ith the aim of the light 
 pieces. The British had also ceased firing, for the 
 gun-cotton laden craft were dashing into range. Every- 
 one knew that all this while the destroyers were being 
 struck by shells from machine-guns and rapid-fire 
 pieces, and that scores, perhaps hundreds of missiles, 
 had cut through their light sides and decks, but the 
 fact that they were advancing showed that a vital spot 
 had not been reached ; men were undoubtedly being 
 shot down on board, a death must have been recorded 
 every second ; still they came on to what seemed in- 
 evitable destruction, in one last heroic effort to reach 
 the great warships of Peru and strike them in their 
 vulnerable parts — below the water line. They were 
 so near that the ofilicers in the conning tower could 
 distinguish them by name — the Destruction, the 
 Tornado, the Terrific and the Terrible. The first was 
 headed straight for the Oroya, the second for the Pisco, 
 the third for the Payta, and the Terrible was evidently 
 making for the Tambovisa, the cruiser having come 
 in ahead of the battleship Chorillos on the firing line. 
 
 The transition from this nerve-racking, breathless 
 situation was so sudden that those who were specta- 
 tors on the Oroya said in after years that it was all like
 
 The Eng:agement 307 
 
 a hideous nightmare to them — they awoke to find it 
 over. The end came in three great bursts of sound, 
 the noise of which sang in some men's ears for weeks ; 
 in others there was no such singing, for their ear- 
 drums were rent by the explosion and they became 
 deaf. When the Destruction, the Tornado and the 
 Terrific were within striking distance of their prey 
 shells struck either boiler-room or ammunition hold 
 on each and they rose in fragments into air, parts of 
 men and parts of machinery gyrating in the whirling 
 clouds of water that went with them, and steam hiss- 
 ing as it was suddenly .released from confinement. 
 Whether the explosions came together or there were 
 seconds' interval no one could tell, for the crash was 
 too great to measure its duration. Some men were 
 knocked down. Everybody noticed and remarked 
 afterward that the great ships were heeled over slightly 
 by the concussion of air. 
 
 Verbal utterance was useless and when another 
 tragedy happened those who had been watching the 
 infernal panorama could only call attention to it by 
 seizing the arm of the person standing near and point- 
 ing to the cruiser Tambovisa. There had been three 
 explosions, and only three ; the Destruction, Tornado 
 and Terror had gone down with all hands. But the 
 Terrible had weathered the gale of fire and the hail of 
 lead and she could be seen under the Tambovisa's 
 stern. The next second there was a crashing of metal 
 upon the torpedo-boat's hull such as no war vessel had 
 ever known. The fierce bombardm.ent was a second 
 too late. It meant death to the Terrible, for she up-
 
 3o8 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 ended and sank, then there shot up a column of water 
 carrying more mangled bodies and more disintegrated 
 machinery ; but at that instant her torpedo struck the 
 Tambovisa in the stern and a gaping hole was torn in 
 the great Peruvian cruiser. 
 
 ''Call away the boats !" cried Admiral Garcia. 
 
 Hawkins heard him, for Hawkins was within a foot 
 of the commander-in-chief. Lieutenant Sandoval, who 
 was perhaps a yard away, did not hear. The admiral 
 sprang to his side and repeated the command. The 
 flag officer started to obey, then pointed up — the sig- 
 nal staff had been shot away. 
 
 "Rig another !" called the admiral. 
 
 Captain Crane gestured violently and pointed. They 
 all jumped back to the observation slits and saw the 
 Tambovisa moving away from the firing line and 
 moving rapidly ; they also saw water pouring into the 
 hole in her stern. A signal fluttered at her yard-arm. 
 
 "Viva Incaland !" it read. 
 
 No one asked why she was leaving the fleet ; no one 
 wondered why she had disobeyed orders ; no one 
 spoke : they only w^aited and held their breath while 
 witnessing the deed of heroes as great as were those 
 Englishmen who had courted death in the torpedo- 
 boats. 
 
 The captain of the Tambovisa knew that the issue 
 of the battle depended upon the events of the next few 
 minutes; he knew that his cruiser was sinking, and 
 he had determined to take a warship of the enemy to 
 the bottom with him. 
 
 The cruiser gathered speed as her longitudinal
 
 The Engagement 309 
 
 screws thrashed the water, spray commenced to dash 
 over her bows and the pennants at the yard-arm, signal- 
 mg, ''Viva Incaland," stood out straight as though 
 made of cardboard. She dashed across the watery space 
 between the Peruvian Hne and the British with the 
 speed of a racehorse, making straight for the battleship 
 Mavourneen, which flew the flag of Admiral His Grace 
 the Duke of Manchester. The Mavourneen's officers 
 saw the black cruiser coming. They evidently divined 
 what was intended and endeavored to get out of the 
 way. But they were too late. The Tambovisa leapt 
 forward on the British battleship. It seemed to those 
 on the Oroya as though the great steel hulls struggled 
 with one another for mastery before both rolled over 
 and wxnt down, the Cross of St. George and the Red, 
 White and Red of Peru sinking side by side, while 
 nearly two thousand men sprang from the ships' sides, 
 the majority of them to be swallowed in the vortices. 
 Then waves rolled back. 
 
 'Tush into the thick of it. Captain Crane !" ordered 
 Admiral Garcia y Garcia. "Mr. Sandoval, signal all 
 ships to follow and to fire at will !" 
 
 The staff above the conning tower had been repaired 
 and flags wdiich spoke the command were soon flutter- 
 ing in the breeze that had followed the light wind of 
 the morning. The order had been waited and prayed 
 for, and was no sooner hoisted and read than the 
 Peruvian ships dashed toward the enemy, almost in the 
 vv-ake of the Tambovisa, and as they moved into close 
 action the great guns opened once more. There was 
 immediate reply and crashing, bursting shells again
 
 310 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 tore the water and ripped the steel of the protective 
 sides. They were soon alongside, Peruvian between 
 two British ships, with others of the enemy off bow 
 and stern, guns nearly touching, and tons of metal with 
 velocity of meteorites being hurled back and forth. 
 A shell tore through a gun port on the Oroya and 
 dismounted a 15-inch piece, killing twenty men; and 
 
 then 
 
 'They have struck !" exclaimed Captain Crane. 
 All looked toward the Nelson, flag-ship of Lord 
 Henry Smythe, commander-in-chief since the death 
 of the Duke of Manchester on the Mavourneen, and 
 they saw that the cross of St. George was being low- 
 ered. 
 
 ''Cease firing!'' ordered Admiral Garcia y Garcia. 
 The great guns became silent and on the British fleet 
 they were also stilled. 
 
 All became quiet on the Oroya save for the moans 
 of the wounded who had not been removed from the 
 gun deck. On all vessels of both fleets engines had 
 been stopped and the ships were drifting. 
 
 Victory rested with the Red, White and Red of 
 Incaland. 
 
 They at once lowered boats from all ships, both 
 Peruvian and British, and did what they could to save 
 life now that the white flag had taken the place of the 
 banners of war. They found struggling in the water 
 perhaps a score of the men and a few of the officers of 
 the Tambovisa and the Mavourneen, who were taken 
 into the small craft and hurried to the Mejillones, 
 where the fleet surgeon of the Peruvian navy was wait-
 
 < 
 
 td - . 
 
 O Id 
 
 9 55
 
 The Engagement 3n 
 
 ing with a corps of assistants, and where British and 
 Peruvians were treated ahke with stimulants and with 
 tender care. The small boats then carried everybody 
 from the battleship Restoration and from the cruiser 
 Appleyaird, which were sinking from shots below the 
 water line received during the last gun fire. These 
 men were distributed throughout the fleet. Meanwhile 
 boats carrying fire-fighting apparatus had run along- 
 side the battleship Gloucester and the cruiser Castle- 
 rea, and for an hour the Peruvians on the little craft 
 fought flames which were springing from between 
 decks, and were ably seconded in their efforts by the 
 British crews, although the latter knew that the ships 
 once saved belonged to the enemy. The efiforts proved 
 useless, however, and the Peruvians were compelled 
 to abandon these prizes. 
 
 While all this was doing Lord Henry Smythe was 
 rowed to the Oroya's side, and, being received on 
 board with the ceremony due his rank, he tendered his 
 sword to Admiral Garcia y Garcia as evidence of un- 
 conditional surrender. 
 
 Then was counted the cost of victory. 
 
 The expedition into the i\tlantic, to meet the British 
 squadrons, had been at the expense of two cruisers, the 
 Matucana, sunk off Bahia, and the Tambovisa, sunk in 
 action. Nearly a thousand men had gone to the bot- 
 tom this day, for hardly a gun's crew had been res- 
 cued from the water after the flag of truce had been 
 hoisted. In response to the signal, "report casualties," 
 there came facts and figures that swelled the list of 
 dead and added many wounded to the roll of victims.
 
 312 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 On the Oroya twenty-four men had been killed out- 
 right and nearly three-score were under the sur- 
 geon's care. 
 
 The Pisco reported fifteen firemen scalded to death 
 by the escape of steam, for a shell splinter had glanced 
 from the deck into the engine-room and had cut 
 through a feed pipe. Of the crew above but one man 
 had been injured. 
 
 Captain Rodriguez and four of the officers of the 
 Payta were dead. A shell from a rapid-fire piece had 
 entered the conning tower of this battleship and had 
 killed everybody there except the quartermaster, who 
 was believed to be mortally wounded. This happened 
 just as the Peruvian ships entered into close action, 
 and it accounted for a slight wavering on her course 
 by the Payta, for her wheel was without a guide, and 
 there was no one to give orders until other officers 
 rushed into the conning tower, and pushing the bodies 
 of the fallen out of the way, took up the work where 
 the commanding officers had ended it with their lives. 
 On the Chorillos two guns had been dismounted and 
 nearly two hundred men killed and wounded. The 
 slaughter had been the greatest on this ship and it 
 was at first thought that she had been struck below 
 the water line and was sinking, but this proved erro- 
 neous. 
 
 » The Mejillones had lost a part of one of her funnels, 
 and several of her crew had been struck by splinters, 
 but no one had been seriously wounded on board and 
 none had been killed. 
 
 On the Arica two lieutenants had been struck down
 
 The Engagement 313 
 
 while at the guns and a dozen men were in the sick 
 bay. It was feared the officers and two of the men 
 would die, but the others would probably recover. 
 
 The reports to Admiral Garcia showed that only on 
 the Chorillos had the protective sides been pierced, and 
 this accounted for the frightful loss of life on the 
 battleship. On the others the casualties were due to 
 shells bursting outside and splinters entering the gun- 
 ports or conning tower slits, or to small shells enter- 
 ing bodily through these apertures. 
 
 But whatever the Peruvian loss it could not be com- 
 pared with that of the British. The battleship Brutus 
 had been abandoned, sinking, after half her crew had 
 been killed ; the Mavourneen had gone dovrn with the 
 Tambovisa, carrying all hands ; the Amoreaux, though 
 afloat, was littered with dead; the Restoration was 
 sinking and the wounded were being taken from her ; 
 the Fenwick had gone down, carrying many of her 
 crew to the bottom; the Coventry had burned and 
 there were scores who had not escaped the flames ; the 
 Dundee, her decks covered with dead and dying, was 
 drifting, rudderless; the Derbyshire had gone down; 
 the Cardiff was a charred hulk and the torpedo-boats 
 Destruction, Tornado, Terrific and Terrible had been 
 destroyed with all hands. The loss of life was esti- 
 mated at three thousand men and there were as many 
 more who needed the surgeons' care. 
 
 As soon as Admiral Garcia received the surrender 
 he ordered all vessels of his command to lower their 
 protective sides and then signaled for the Chorillos to 
 be at once transformed into a hospital ship, and for all
 
 31.4 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the wounded to be taken to her. The sea was 
 almost a dead calm, so this was done rapidly, all 
 boats to the smallest cutters being ordered away. 
 Following the wounded from all the ships of the two 
 fleets, for the British were given the same attention 
 as the Peruvians, went surgeons and hospital attend- 
 ants. It came on night before all this was accom- 
 plished, and when eight bells rang out, the order was 
 issued to postpone other work till morning. Then 
 hammocks were piped and the tired ships' crews 
 sought rest in the canvas folds. 
 
 With daybreak and renewed vigor they went to 
 work again, and in two hours the stains of strife were 
 cleaned away and much of the damage repaired. Then 
 came the burial of the dead, the tipping of the planks 
 and the dropping of bodies weighted with shot into the 
 deep, while the chaplains read the burial service. 
 
 At 10 o'clock all the British, except a few stokers 
 and able seamen, who had been engaged to work on 
 the prizes, were sent to the cruisers Castel and Ferry- 
 mount. These ships, with the battleship Pisco as 
 convoy, were ordered to start at once for Barbados, 
 where the prisoners were to be landed and given their 
 freedom. The Castel and Ferrymount were to remain 
 in the offing at the island until the arrival of the 
 Oroya. 
 
 The Payta, Tambovisa, Mejillones and Arica were 
 ordered to steam for the Straits of Majellan and then 
 to Callao, with the other ships as prizes, stopping only 
 when necessary to coal. The prizes consisted of the 
 following: Battleships — Amoreaux, Daredevil, Me-
 
 The Engagement 315 
 
 phisto, Cyclops, Nelson, Devereaux and Cornwalis. 
 Cruisers — Ayleshire, Rugby, Kildare and Longford. 
 Torpedo-boats — Energetic, Hurricane, Audacious, 
 Adventurer, Pert and Ne'er-do-well. 
 
 The Chorillos, her decks crowded with wounded, 
 was ordered to accompany the Oroya. 
 
 At 3 o'clock that afternoon Admiral Garcia y Gar- 
 cia signaled for the different fleets to get under way, 
 then, stepping into the wheel-house, he said to Captain 
 Crane : 
 
 "Proceed at thirty-five knots, sir ; and make for New 
 York."
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 A NEWSPAPER MAN'S TRIUMPH. 
 
 Carey Hawkins walked slowly into Park Row, 
 knowing that he was thoroughly master of the situa- 
 tion and that his information was possessed by only 
 one other person in the metropolis, and that person 
 had gone to a hotel where he would be as secure from 
 intrusion as on the great battleship he commanded, 
 for he was incognito that night and had agreed to keep 
 his identity unknown for twelve hours from the time 
 of landing. 
 
 At sunset the electric barge Valeria had run in from 
 out at sea, as though she had come alone across the 
 Atlantic. Far outside, beyond the vision of the many 
 lookout stations, she had left the Oroya and the Chor- 
 illos, both hove-to for the night, under orders to pro- 
 ceed into the lower bay at daybreak. Admiral Gar- 
 cia and the newspaper correspondent had been the only 
 passengers on the barge, and as soon as they were 
 landed at the Battery the launch turned and sped down 
 the bay again at full speed. The sailors on the Val- 
 eria wore yachting suits of blue, costumes that did 
 not attract attention, and which were adopted for the 
 occasion. The admiral was in civilian's dress, and, 
 although his distinguished bearing caused many per- 
 sons to turn and seek a second glance, yet he was in 
 cosmopolitan New York, where even wonders cease 
 
 316
 
 A Newspaper Man's Triumph 3^7 
 
 to be wonderful. Some comment had been caused by 
 the Valeria. Her beauty and peculiar build caused sea- 
 faring men to ask one another what manner of craft 
 she might be, but as she was not long in sight, the 
 comment among the Battery folk did not get up-town 
 that night. 
 
 Conscious that he was on the eve of a great triumph, 
 and knowing that the information he possessed would 
 make the entire civilized world wonder, Hawkins 
 walked leisurely along Park Row, enjoying in antici- 
 pation as much as he could in reality the scenes which 
 he knew would be enacted later. It felt good to be 
 back in New York City. He even paused a moment 
 to look at the tramps, as they stretched themselves on 
 the benches, endeavoring to seize a few minutes for 
 sleep before the gray-coated policeman should come 
 their way again and rap them on the feet v^ith his long 
 club. He smiled as the thought came to his mind that 
 he recognized some of these tramps ; and the scene 
 was so different from those through which he had 
 just passed that he forgot the latter for the moment 
 and quickened his steps toward a tall building across 
 the way that meant home for his work-a-day self. He 
 entered the large door, as he had always done after 
 covering an assignment, nodded to a clerk at the coun- 
 ter, and stepped into the elevator. 
 
 "What floor, sir?" 
 
 These words brought him suddenly back to the 
 present. They had changed elevator boys while he was 
 absent and the question of a stranger broke the har- 
 mony of thought. He gave the direction and a min-
 
 3i8 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 ute later was in the large room where the city staff 
 of the newspaper held sway. 
 
 In one corner the day city editor and the night city 
 editor were in consultation, and here and there, seated 
 at desks, were reporters, writing the stories which were 
 the result of afternoon assignments, Hawkins had 
 no occasion to disturb anyone just then — so he walked 
 over to his old place in another corner, and taking off 
 his coat he drew up a chair, first placing before him 
 the manuscript which he had prepared on the Oroya. 
 Then he began writing a brief account of the arrival 
 off the coast of the two Peruvian ships. This was in 
 the nature of an addition to what he had already pre- 
 pared — bringing it up to date, as the newspaper men 
 say. He was still busy and was oblivious to all sur- 
 roundings when the city editor, crossing the floor to 
 take his hat from a peg, caught sight of the broad 
 shoulders and handsome features of the reporter who 
 had been so long away on a foreign assignment, and 
 who had sent in the exclusive story of the battle of 
 Valparaiso Bay. 
 
 "Why, hello, Carey! where did you drop from?" 
 he exclaimed, stopping short, and shading his eyes 
 with his hand, as if his sight had deceived him. "By 
 Jove, it is Hawkins! How in thunder! — that's all 
 right; that's all right," — for the correspondent had 
 jumped from his chair — "It doesn't matter if you 
 didn't stay for the great battle. We tried to head you 
 off by wire, but I suppose the cable missed. Any- 
 how, you have covered yourself and the paper with 
 enough glory ; and Miller can handle it, or the A. P. —
 
 A Newspaper Man's Triumph 3^9 
 
 they have enough men down there, goodness knows." 
 
 "Down where ?" gasped Hawkins, nonplussed at this 
 reception. 
 
 '*'\Vhy, down at Callao, to be sure." 
 
 'Who's down at Callao?" 
 
 "Nearly every correspondent in the country. I 
 can't understand how you missed them at Panama. 
 We thought you would remain with the fleet, and sent 
 Miller to help you. It doesn't matter, though. Glad 
 to see you back." 
 
 "Look here, Mr. Leathers !" and Hawkins in his ex- 
 citement caught hold of the city editor's coat by the 
 lapel, "do you mean to tell me that you are expecting 
 news from Callao?" 
 
 "Certainly. Only an hour ago we received a cable 
 from Miller. He wired that the fleets were probably 
 nearing one another to the south and that he had char- 
 tered a steamer from the Pacific Steam Navigation 
 Company. He had not heard of you anywhere." 
 
 Hawkins sank back in his chair and burst into 
 laughter so loud and long that everybody in the room 
 turned round, and one reporter tapped his head sig- 
 nificantly with a lead pencil. The city editor looked 
 at the correspondent in astonishment. 
 
 As soon as Hawkins could regain his composure he 
 drew Mr. Leathers toward him and said, slowly and 
 impressively : "It's a greater beat than I dared hope 
 for and I cannot understand why it should be so. Be 
 careful novv^ and don't let any more persons know than 
 you absolutely have to. The Peruvian fleet is ofl? the 
 Hook ; that is, part of it."
 
 320 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "What?" . 
 
 "It's a fact, sir. Look at this copy," and he pointed 
 to his desk. 
 
 "The Peruvian fleet! And where is the British 
 fleet?" 
 
 "Destroyed — annihilated — captured — it no longer 
 exists." 
 
 "Hold on, Hawkins ! How's that wound you re- 
 ceived in Valparaiso? Head hurt you?" 
 
 "Mr. Leathers, I can well understand how you feel 
 and what you think, but I am as sane a man as there is 
 in this room, and I assure you that we have the news 
 beat of history, and every man connected with it has 
 got to keep a level head or it will get out." 
 
 These words, so earnestly spoken, acted on the city 
 editor as a shower bath acts on an intoxicated man, 
 and, although his hands trembled with excitement, he 
 asked the correspondent in steady tones, as though 
 questioning him concerning an afternoon assignment, 
 "Tell me what you have." 
 
 "The story of the defeat at sea of the Channel and 
 Mediterranean squadrons by seven ships of the Peru- 
 vian navy. It includes the loss of nearly six thousand 
 men and describes the disposition of the vessels after 
 the engagement." 
 
 "You have all this?" 
 
 "Yes, sir; in about fifty thousand words of copy, 
 all ready for the printers." 
 
 Mr. Leathers rose from his chair, but was detained 
 by Hawkins. 
 
 "Just a minute, sir. You spoke of the Peruvian
 
 A Newspaper Man's Triumph 321 
 
 fleet being in the South Pacific. Have you not heard 
 of the loss of the Matucana?" 
 
 "A Peruvian ship?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "No. Where was she lost?" 
 
 "Of? Bahia." 
 
 "Haven't heard a word of it." 
 
 "Then no copy from me has reached you ?" 
 
 "Not since the matter you filed at Valparaiso." 
 
 "And you don't know that vessels of the Peruvian 
 navy have been off New York for a week, capturing 
 British merchantmen, and taking them to Barbados 
 as prizes ?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Then we will have more news beats than I ex- 
 pected. I sent you the story of the loss of the Matu- 
 cana and supposed that it had been delivered by a 
 pilot before this." 
 
 "A severe gale was blowing for three days until day 
 before yesterday, and the pilot-boats have probably 
 been driven out to sea." 
 
 "That accounts for it," said Hawkins. "Fortunately 
 I kept a copy of the story, and can send to the hotel 
 for it. That will make ten thousand words more. Bet- 
 ter get the marine man to work, Mr. Leathers, to 
 cover the local end of captures by the torpedo-boats. 
 Haven't you reports of British ships overdue here, at 
 Philadelphia and at Boston?" 
 
 "Yes. We supposed they had been delayed by heavy 
 weather."
 
 322 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "Heavy weather! No; I tell you they have been 
 captured." 
 
 "I must see Henderson/' said the city editor. "Get 
 up the rest of the copy, old man, and I'll send you a 
 boy who can fetch what you want from the hotel. 
 There's no use my telling what a big piece of work 
 you have done ; there was never anything like it. I'm 
 still half dazed, and you must pardon me for having 
 doubted your statements before I learned the facts." 
 
 He walked hastily away and darted down a hall; 
 then Hawkins again plied his pencil. When Mr. 
 Leathers returned he was accompanied by the man- 
 aging editor, a short, heavy-set man, whose kindly red 
 face spoke a greeting to the correspondent before his 
 voice was heard. 
 
 "We must take matters coolly," said Mr. Hender- 
 son, "or something will give w^ay. Mr. Leathers, you 
 had better dismiss the entire stafif to-night, except the 
 copy readers. We will give New York the novelty of 
 a newspaper containing but one story." 
 
 "Yes, sir," and the city editor, stepping across the 
 room, told his assistant of the plan. 
 
 "You had better divide Hawkins' story into chap- 
 ters," said the managing editor when Mr. Leathers 
 had returned, "and parcel it out to the copy desk. I 
 will go down stairs and attend to the mechanical part. 
 Think I shall ask the chairman of the chapel if we 
 can't lock everybody in to-night." 
 
 "It might be well, sir." 
 
 "Yes; and you must watch the city room closely, 
 Leathers."
 
 A Newspaper Man's Triumph 323 
 
 "I will, sir." 
 
 *That reminds me," interrupted Hawkins. "Perhaps 
 I had better go to the hotel for that copy on the 
 Matucana and not trust it to a messenger." 
 
 "Is it in your trunk ?" 
 
 "No ; Admiral Garcia has it," 
 
 "Admiral Garcia ! How ! I thought you said it 
 was at the hotel." 
 
 "So it is; and he is also at a hotel; the Fifth 
 Avenue." 
 
 "But is there not danger of some one securing an 
 interview ?" 
 
 "Not the slightest. He is incog., and if you knew 
 Louis Garcia y Garcia you would not ask that ques- 
 tion. He is as much interested with my work in 
 connection with this story as I was with his during 
 the naval battles." 
 
 "That's all right," said the managing editor. "Haw- 
 kins has not made a mistake so far, and he is the best 
 able to judge. And I think his suggestion that he 
 bring his manuscript down in person is a wise one." 
 
 "How much have you to write, Hawkins ?" the city 
 editor asked. 
 
 "About a thousand words : half an hour's work." 
 
 "Then wind the story up before you go to the hotel. 
 There is enough copy on your desk to last the printers 
 till midnight." 
 
 "Want any pictures, sir?" 
 
 "Not to-night," said Mr. Henderson. "We will 
 make it a straight reading story and give them pictures
 
 324 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 later. I guess we will have to put on four more pages 
 as it is." 
 
 'Til take this copy," said the city editor, putting his 
 hand on the manuscript. 
 
 The correspondent nodded acquiescence and Mr. 
 Henderson and Mr. Leathers stepped over to the desk, 
 where a half-dozen copy readers, v/ho had been watch- 
 ing the scene and wondering, were at once put to work 
 on the great news beat of history. 
 
 The correspondent sharpened his pencil and the 
 next minute became as busy as they, and he did not 
 stop writing until he had described the arrival of the 
 Oroya and Chorillos off the city, the Valeria's trip 
 up the bay, and the presence for the night in New 
 York of Admiral Louis Garcia y Garcia, commander- 
 in-chief of the Peruvian navy. 
 
 When he had finished he stepped to the city editor's 
 desk, copy in hand, and said: "Perhaps it would be 
 better to write the story of the patrol by the torpedo- 
 boats after the marine man returns. You will want 
 the lead from me, I suppose?" 
 
 ''Yes ; and now, Hawkins, will you go to the hotel 
 for the story you spoke of?" 
 
 "I will, sir ; but first permit me to shake hands with 
 the men," and he stepped to the copy desk. "Smith," 
 he exclaimed, "don't look at me like that. It's just 
 luck, old man. I happened to know these Garcia people 
 when a boy and became quite chummy with them, so 
 it was natural for them to send for me on this matter. 
 That is all there is to it Once started, I only wrote 
 what I saw. To be sure, it is a wonderful beat, but
 
 A Newspaper Man's Triumph 325 
 
 any of you fellows could have done the same thing." 
 And Hawkins, having grasped by the hand every man 
 ia the room, entered the elevator and left the building. 
 
 He was gone an hour and upon his return found the 
 proprietor of the newspaper, a man he had seen but 
 twice during the five years that he had been employed 
 as reporter, in the city room, reading some of the story 
 in manuscript. A few minutes later the correspondent 
 was closeted in the managing editor's room with the 
 proprietor, to whom he had always referred as *'chief," 
 and the latter said : "You have done so well that praise 
 is almost useless. You are so good a newspaper man 
 that the publication of this story will perhaps be a 
 greater reward than anything I may ofifer; neverthe- 
 less, let me hand you this," and he gave Hawkins a 
 check. "Mr. Henderson," he continued, "I suppose 
 you will retain Mr. Hawkins as correspondent with 
 the Peruvian fleet, for there will be news to report 
 daily in those far-away waters. Of course you will in- 
 crease his salary without reference to the sum I have 
 handed him." 
 
 "Thank you for what you have done, sir," inter- 
 rupted Hawkins, "but as to the correspondence I fear 
 it will be impossible for me to accept the offer. Ad- 
 miral Garcia has appointed me his flag secretary, with 
 the rank of lieutenant-commander, and the fact of the 
 matter is, I am at present an officer of the Peruvian 
 navy, on shore leave." 
 
 "Could you not serve us at the same time?" asked 
 Mr. Henderson, after he had congratulated the cor- 
 respondent upon his appointment.
 
 326 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "I might, sir. I should be very glad were it possi- 
 ble, and I believe that I could render you service with- 
 out interfering with my duties. And that reminds me, 
 Admiral Garcia leaves for Washington in the morning 
 and it would be well to cover his movements closely, 
 for there will probably be important developments 
 during his stay at the capital." 
 
 "Will you cover it for us?" 
 
 "Yes, sir. That is, I will be able to report what 
 happens from his side, but it will be well to also in- 
 terview the government officials." 
 
 "Certainly: that will be attended to." 
 
 "And the Chorillos should make a big story, sir. She 
 carries nearly three thousand wounded, and a request 
 will be made in the morning for the admission of the 
 worst cases to the city hospitals. She will come into 
 the bay at daybreak." 
 
 "Indeed that is a big story," said the managing 
 editor. "I will see that it is covered, Mr. Hawkins." 
 
 They returned to the local room, where the copy 
 readers were still busy sending down to the printers 
 sections of the great story of the naval battle. On the 
 desk of the city editor were a number of proofs, which 
 Mr. Henderson and the proprietor glanced hastily 
 over, and then the latter was overheard to say to the 
 managing editor : "It is even greater than I thought. 
 There is no danger of it getting out, is there?" 
 
 "No, sir; I think not. Everything is carefully 
 watched. The printers have been locked in at their 
 own request, for they understand the nature of the 
 story, and don't want any blame to rest on the chapel
 
 A Newspaper Man's Triumph 327 
 
 should there be a leak. Only two sets of proofs are 
 being taken, one for the proofreaders and the other 
 for Mr. Leathers. He will not leave his desk during 
 the night without taking his with him. I have men 
 on guard dow^n stairs as well as in the hall." 
 
 "We will not run a fast mail edition in the morning, 
 Henderson. I would rather miss it than take the chance. 
 We can send the papers by a later train. Get the city 
 edition out at sharp 4 o'clock and not a minute before." 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "If you have no further use for me to-night," said 
 Hawkins, "perhaps I had better go to the hotel, for 
 the admiral is planning to leave by an early train." 
 
 The story of the battle off the Spanish coast, as told 
 exclusively by one New York newspaper, corresponds 
 in the history of journalism with the chapters in the 
 history of the world that treat of the defeat of the com- 
 bined squadrons under Admiral His Grace the Duke 
 of Manchester by three Peruvian battleships and three 
 cruisers under Admiral Louis Garcia y Garcia. 
 
 All New York was astounded when, at breakfast, in 
 cars or at office the story was spread before them, page 
 after page, and fact after fact, telling not only of a 
 marine engagement such as the world had never 
 known, but reporting the advent of a new power. 
 
 Even while New York was uttering its first exclam- 
 ations of astonishment the Oroya and the Chorillos 
 steamed through the Narrows, up the lower bay and 
 anchored in the North River, opposite Thirty-second 
 street. But before this, Admiral Garcia had tele-
 
 328 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 graphed the Peruvian legation at Washington, and 
 even before the Secretary of State had sat down at 
 breakfast he had been informed of the events that 
 were stirring, and had been asked to urge upon the 
 New York ofBcials that quick response to calls for 
 hospital accommodation would greatly mitigate the 
 suffering of the wounded, who were crowded on the 
 battleship. So the wires w^ere set working between 
 the nation's capital and metropolis while the Oroya 
 and her consort were steaming in from Sandy Hook, 
 and requests from government sources were met with 
 hearty replies from State and municipal ofBcers ; and 
 when the Peruvian ships dropped anchor, long lines of 
 ambulances had formed on the pier and far into the 
 streets, while a police detail kept back the curious. All 
 that morning and until far into the afternoon sailors, 
 marines, firemen and stokers, who had been wounded 
 in the great battle, were transferred from ship to shore 
 in the swift-running electric barges, and then to hos- 
 pitals in the rubber-tired ambulances. The majority 
 of these sufferers wore the blue and white of the Brit- 
 ish navy; the others were clad in the striking black 
 costume worn by the Peruvians ; the ratio was about 
 three to one. For the care of all, enemy and friend, 
 Admiral Garcia had guaranteed payment. 
 
 At noon that day the Peruvian commander-in-chief 
 arrived in Washington, and before 3 o'clock he had 
 sought and been granted an audience with the Presi- 
 dent of the United States. It will be remembered 
 that in one of the early chapters of this history the 
 writer told of an understanding that had been reached
 
 THE OROYA STEAMING THROUGH THE NARROWS.
 
 A Newspaper Man's Triumph 329 
 
 by Peru and the United States, the result of which 
 was that officers of the American navy were instructed 
 to render any assistance possible to the Peruvians, 
 short of engaging in actual warfare. This was proof 
 of the close relations that had been sustained by the 
 two governments while the ships were being built at 
 the Chinchas ; relations which it was easy to surmise 
 had become closer as the strength of the sub-equatorial 
 power became more apparent. 
 
 This visit to the Executive Mansion was followed 
 on the next day by the announcement of a treaty, which 
 had been forwarded to the Senate for ratification, and 
 which bound the governments of the United States and 
 Peru more closely than any two nations had been 
 bound before. It was noticed by the readers of this 
 treaty that reference was made to the United States 
 of Incaland, and then, for the first time, the intentions 
 of the Peruvian government concerning the expansion 
 of territory and the control of political affairs south of 
 the equator became known to the world. 
 
 It was also in Washington that a treaty of peace 
 was signed between the United States of Incaland and 
 Great Britain. The latter surrendered all claims to the 
 ships captured in the battle off the Spanish coast, to 
 the merchantmen that had been taken by the torpedo- 
 boats, and agreed to recognize the rights of Incaland 
 to the territory that had been reclaimed from Chile. 
 
 On the first day of August, all negotiations having 
 been completed. Admiral Garcia, on the Oroya, left 
 New York Bay for Callao, other ships of the navy, 
 including the prizes, having preceded him.
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 TEN YEARS AFTER THE GREAT NAVAL 
 ENGAGEMENT 
 
 Incaland developed rapidly under the government 
 formed by Pedro Garcia y Garcia, which had been 
 endeared to the people by the victorious wars with 
 Chile and Great Britain. The territory reclaimed from 
 the former country was rich in minerals, and the prov- 
 inces of Tarapaca and Tacna soon became the wealth- 
 iest of the rejuvenated power. Shortly after the treaty 
 of peace was signed Bolivia sought annexation and 
 became a state of Incaland, and a few months later 
 Ecuador was split in twain by internecine war and the 
 southern half joined the new republic. Lands rich 
 in agricultural products, especially rubber, were ac- 
 quired by the annexation of the last named territory, 
 and Bolivia brought valuable mines and the important 
 sea coast city, Antofogasta. 
 
 The commerce of Incaland sprang into international 
 importance. The Oroya railroad, that marvel of en- 
 gineering skill, constructed by John Meiggs, from the 
 sea-level to the altitude of 13,000 feet, was continued 
 over the Andean chain into the interior, furnishing 
 means of transportation for the product of the mines 
 and the growth of forest and fields. Another railroad 
 was built from Buena Vista into the interior, and 
 twenty-five years after the old Inca led the boys, Pedro 
 and Louis, down the narrow defile to the treasure- 
 
 330
 
 Ten Years After 331 
 
 house by the seashore, the whistle of locomotives could 
 be heard as trains sped through the crevice in the 
 mountains, which had been widened to accommodate 
 the road-bed. On the ocean there were hundreds of 
 steamships that flew the red, white and red of Inca- 
 land, for although the name had been changed to 
 conform with the wishes of the Inca, the ensign was 
 the same as that under which the Oroya and her con- 
 sorts had sailed across the Atlantic to do battle. Nearly 
 half these steamships were engaged in foreign trade, 
 one line running to Panama, another to Valparaiso, 
 a third to San Francisco and yet another through the 
 Straits of Magellan and across to Europe, stopping at 
 Buenos Ayres, Montevideo and Rio de Janeiro. The 
 other steamships were engaged in the coast trade, ply- 
 ing between Callao, and Antofogasta and Iquiqui on 
 the south, and Guayaquil on the north. The Chinchas, 
 also, where was maintained the largest naval station in 
 the world, was a frequent port of call. These islands, 
 once so barren and desolate, had become noted for the 
 magnificence of their flora, the rarest of tropical trees 
 and flowers growing there in the rich soil, nurtured by 
 irrigation. 
 
 The navy that had attained such renown was 
 watched over with a zealous eye by Admiral Louis 
 Garcia, and the spirit of invention on the islands not 
 only kept pace with events but led them, as in days 
 gone by, and the Oroya and other ships of the fleet 
 maintained their superiority over the vessels of all 
 nations. The prizes captured from Great Britain and 
 from Chile had been added to the navy and the strength
 
 332 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 in tonnage and armament caused Incaland to be ranked 
 as the second naval power, the United States having 
 taken first place. 
 
 In every other manner did Incaland progress and 
 become great as a nation. Its highways were rebuilt 
 and they rivaled those of Switzerland ; its cities were 
 restored and their inhabitants schooled in the duties 
 of self-government ; its famous mines were reopened 
 and modern machinery was used to take from the 
 depths the wealth of nitrate and gold that had rested 
 undisturbed since creation : schools and colleges were 
 fostered by the government and a cabinet portfolio 
 was created, termed the Department of Art and Liter- 
 ature. Incaland began to attract the wonder of the 
 world because of its engineering feats and its architec- 
 tural skill. 
 
 Although this was indirectly the result of the gold 
 that had been stored in the treasure-house of the 
 Incas, yet the wealth that made such progress possible 
 came from other sources. The treasure taken from 
 Buena Vista had become exhausted soon after the 
 war with England ; it had sufficed to create the form- 
 idable navy and pay the expenses of the wars, and then 
 the brothers Garcia were compelled to depend upon 
 the country's natural resources. They agreed it was 
 well that it must be so, for unlimited wealth would 
 have cheapened itself and would have induced sloth- 
 fulness. The credit of Incaland had become as firm 
 as a rock ; the mines were waiting an attack by ma- 
 chinery; the trees of hard wood needed only to be 
 felled and the virgin soil wanted but the seed and the
 
 Ten Years After 333 
 
 care of the farmer. And so, during the next ten years, 
 Incaland waxed glorious, and became as great in 
 peace as it had been great in war. 
 
 Ten years passed quickly over the heads of the new 
 peoples. What they accompHshed during that period 
 remains for the historian to tell — a country renewed, 
 a nation re-established and a free people made happy. 
 The brothers Garcia had many trials and perplexities 
 — dangers, even, to confront. Pedro had continued 
 President, the united voice of the nation retaining him 
 in office, and Louis, after the war, had been named 
 Minister of Marine, retaining his rank of admiral 
 and having personal supervision of the navy. The 
 position of Minister of Marine in Incaland was the 
 same as that of Prime Minister in England or Secre- 
 tary of State in the United States, he was the adviser 
 of the President. The perplexities of these years were 
 caused by those who envied the President and his 
 brother, a few of whom were willing to impute ill 
 motives to the marvelous men who had saved and 
 rebuilt an empire. But the murmurings were quickly 
 extinguished for lack of sympathy, and peace reigned 
 in all the land. 
 
 When seven years of active and soul-trying labor 
 had resulted in placing the country on a fairly firm 
 foundation among the governments of the earth, Presi- 
 dent Garcia turned his attention to the accomplishm.ent 
 of the last wish of the old Inca — which was that his 
 remains should be carried in state and laid to rest in 
 the ancient capital. To fulfill this final mission re- 
 quired, as a matter of course, the re-establishment of
 
 334 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the capital itself at Cuzco. This was no easy task. In 
 the years that were gone the great city had gradually 
 fallen into decay. Its ancient temples, its marvelous 
 public buildings, its very walls had crumbled from dis- 
 use and abandonment. It retained a few shops and 
 some pretty villas, that were occupied for a portion 
 of the year by old and wealthy citizens of Peru who 
 made their real homes at either Lima or Callao. A 
 few Indians still worked in metals and as potters, turn- 
 ing out articles of commerce in these lines which had 
 no equal in the world for fineness and purity. But 
 Cuzco — the imperial city of the past, the magic city, 
 the city of splendid achievements and of romantic his- 
 tory — had become merely a retired village, a city only 
 in memories. To re-estabHsh it as the capital of Inca- 
 land required, therefore, the quick appHcation of en- 
 ergy, enterprise and skill. The Garcias, familiar with 
 the traditions and the history of the city, and its 
 neighborhood, had been cleverly directing capital to- 
 ward Cuzco. To those who came from other countries, 
 principally the United States, to invest their surplus 
 wealth in mines or to make their fortunes for the first 
 time, information was given that over toward Cuzco 
 the hills and mountains and valleys could be made to 
 unbosom treasures of gold, silver and quicksilver, to 
 say nothing of the opportunities for those who wished 
 to till the soil or take advantage of the richness of the 
 forests. And it was pointed out that better facilities 
 for transportation to the sea had increased many fold 
 the value of all mining properties and had made possi- 
 ble others that it would have been folly to husband
 
 Ten Years After 335 
 
 before the whistle of the locomotive penetrated the 
 interior. So the miners and workers followed the cap- 
 itaHsts over the hills and across the deserts to Cuzco. 
 And the valleys there began to blossom again. 
 
 A municipal government was established in which 
 great interest was taken by the brothers Garcia, who 
 passed as much time in the interior city as they could 
 spare from their duties at Lima and Callao. 
 
 In the eighth year after peace, the temples were re- 
 built — not as temples of the sun, but as churches of 
 the living God, whose worship was not with fire, but 
 with love and gratitude. The world-famous skill of 
 the inhabitants as stone-cutters and fitters had not 
 been lost, and as the months passed the new-old city 
 of Cuzco rose like magic from its ruins, and soon its 
 spires and turrets glittered in the sunlight and bright- 
 ened the pleasant valley beyond. 
 
 The hour had ripened for the burial of the Inca 
 and the reinterment of the bones of the former chiefs 
 in the ancient capital, now the great modern city of 
 Incaland. It was to be done with pomp and cere- 
 mony, as the Inca would have desired ; and there was 
 another purpose in view, that of characterizing the 
 transition from the great empire of the past to the 
 republic of the present, so that not only the people of 
 Peru but the nations of the world might understand 
 that beneath the sentiment of the procedure lay the 
 principle of revivification through death. It was de- 
 cided that the event should be conducted under the 
 auspices of the Government, and that the army and 
 navy should participate, to the extent of attending
 
 33^ Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the Inca's remains from the cavern by the sea to the 
 city of Cuzco. 
 
 There was a railroad penetrating the interior from 
 Buena Vista, where the bones of the Incas lay, but 
 as this line had not been completed as far as the new 
 capital, it was deemed advisable to have the cortege 
 move by the way of Callao and Lima, and this pleased 
 the residents of those cities, for ihey had asked that 
 they might participate to some extent in the cere- 
 monies. 
 
 Ten years to a day from the morning when the new 
 Peruvian squadron appeared in Callao Bay, to the 
 wonder of the world, a fleet again dropped anchor 
 there, many of the ships having steamed over from 
 the Chinchas, others arriving from foreign stations. 
 How different the panorama from that of ten years 
 before ! When the flotilla slowly rounded San Lorenzo 
 this day a small, low-lying ship, flying the pennant of 
 Admiral Garcia, commander-in-chief of the navy of 
 Incaland, and Minister of Marine, was in the van. 
 She was the Huascar, and astern of her followed the 
 battleships Oroya, Payta, Chorillos, Pisco and Mira- 
 flores, and the cruisers Mejillones, Arica and Chosica. 
 Next there steamed in close saiHng order the vessels 
 that had been captured from. Chile and Great Britain, 
 and astern of these again were merchant ships, gaily 
 dressed with bunting and having on board bands of 
 music. 
 
 The entry to Callao harbor this morning was for the 
 purpose of receiving on board the officials who were
 
 Ten Years After 337 
 
 to journey to Buena Vista and the citizens who were 
 to visit the place on the passenger steamships. 
 
 That evening the great fleet weighed anchor and 
 proceeded south at slow speed, so that the Huascar 
 might maintain her position, for the httle vessel, the 
 pride of all Peru, was quite old now, and she halted in 
 her marine march. 
 
 They arrived at Buena Vista on the third day, 
 toward sunset, and the great ball of red was sinking 
 mto the sea as the Huascar and two of the lighter 
 draught ships steamed close inshore and anchored 
 there for the night, while the other vessels remained 
 outside, steaming off and on. At daybreak electric 
 barges put ashore and three companies of marines 
 were landed. The major in command at once formed 
 them in double line, so that they stood guard on each 
 side of the passage that led from the golden tomb of 
 the Inca chiefs to the pier. Prior to the arrival of the 
 fleet the bodies — some of which had rested in state for 
 centuries — were prepared for removal, and when the 
 ships in the offlng and those close inshore sounded 
 eight bells, one hundred sailors, clad in the black of 
 the famous navy, marched with magnificently wrought 
 caskets from the golden tomb to the water's edge, 
 where their burdens were transferred to the barges and 
 by these boats conveyed to the Huascar. 
 
 Three days later the fleet again arrived off Callao 
 and the ships formed in the shape of a crescent while 
 the remains of the Incas were taken from the Huascar 
 to the Banos del Oroya, and from there to the special 
 train that was waiting. While this was being done
 
 33^ Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 the Oroya and the other battleships fired salutes, using 
 the great guns, and the reverberation was such that 
 even the houses in Lima, seven miles distant, trembled 
 as though there was an earthquake passing. The doors 
 of the great cathedral in the City of the Kings had 
 been thrown open and in this celebrated edifice the 
 crumbled bodies of the chieftains were placed in state, 
 where they remained for nearly a week, viewed by all 
 who cared to see, and they numbered thousands from 
 coast cities to the north and south, as well as the 
 inhabitants of Lima and Callao. 
 
 When these days of celebration were ended the cas- 
 kets were placed on a train of the Oroya railroad, the 
 guards crowded the cars and a start was made for the 
 chmb up the Andes. Many days before this half the 
 Peruvian army had been sent over the mountains to 
 Cuzco and the navy was there represented by two thou- 
 sand sailors and one thousand marines. 
 
 ******* 
 
 It was the tenth anniversary of the naval battle off 
 the Spanish coast. When the morning broke over the 
 plains a brilliant spectacle met the gaze of the beholder. 
 The army of Incaland, bestirring itself even as the 
 shadows of night were chased away, had already begun 
 its preparations for the ceremonies of the day. Long 
 rows of camp fires burned along the little river that 
 divided the plain, marking where preparations were 
 being made for the morning meal. Everywhere was 
 the bustle and activity incident to military life in the 
 field — the constant tramp of soldiery as guards were 
 relieved and others placed on duty, or special details
 
 Ten Years After 339 
 
 marched from place to place; the shrill neighing of 
 horses, some of them restive at being restrained by 
 lariats, others galloping over the plain, bearing aides 
 and messengers ; the hurrying to and fro as men on 
 foot passed in the duties of the day ; the shouts of com- 
 mand, the occasional boisterous laughter, and above 
 all the shrill bugle and trumpet calls and throbbing 
 drum rolls — the moving panorama of day-dawn, just 
 before a battle or a parade. In every direction, from 
 the green base of the mountains to the ancient wall of 
 the city, which modern architects had not been per- 
 mitted to destroy, the plain was teeming with life and 
 activity. 
 
 Presently the sun rose, gilding with its rays all the 
 surrounding objects and burnishing mountain and 
 field with brilliant colors. Cuzco burst upon the sight 
 of the soldiery of Incaland like a great picture or a 
 mirage in the desert, so distinctive was its character. 
 It was a new Cuzco. The ancient Temple of the Sun 
 had been rebuilt. Its massive walls were again plated 
 with gold and the brilliance of the rays were reflected 
 far and wide. But the temple was no longer devoted 
 to the worship of the sun, as in the olden days of its 
 glory, for it was in imitation of the past only in struc- 
 ture. 
 
 From the great square arose noble edifices and 
 splendid private homes, marked here and there by 
 groves of trees. From out the city ran the river, down 
 to the pla'n. Even from afar could be seen the paved 
 streets, the clean dwellings and the evidence of mod- 
 ern thrift and enterprise. It was the Cuzco of Ata-
 
 340 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 hualpa only as seen from a distance. To the true 
 Peruvian there was just enough in the appearance of 
 the city to remind one of the great municipaHty over 
 which Pizarro and his ancient Spanish hordes ran riot 
 hundreds of years before — ^just enough of suggestion 
 to thrill the beholder with a movement of savage 
 ecstasy and dehrium. It was the old Cuzco, trans- 
 formed as by the wand of a magician into the new. 
 It was only yesterday, it seemed, that the last of the 
 reigning Incas had been put to death in the public 
 square; it was only yesterday the daring Spaniards 
 quartered their horses in the palaces and wrenched the 
 gold from the walls of the temple ; it was only yester- 
 day this same plain and field resounded to the tramp 
 of the soldiery commanded by the Dons, and the fierqe, 
 despairing cry of the Peruvian. 
 
 To-day Peru — the Incaland of the future — had come 
 back to its own, crowned with laurels of victory ; come 
 back to inhabit as of old the cities, and till as before 
 the fields that once laughed at the tickle of those who 
 owned them as a birthright; to stand forever in the 
 shade of the trees planted by the fathers for the pleas- 
 ure of the children, or sit at eve in the sweet fragrance 
 of the flowers and hear the night birds calling, as they 
 used to call before foreign greed and oppression had 
 crushed out the life of Peru. 
 
 Just a little higher rose the sun and upon the hills 
 reflected its effulgence. The shadows of the moun- 
 tains sped away; the city became alive with moving 
 figures ; banners were floated above the rebuilt walls ; 
 here and there were shouts of laughter, the strains of
 
 Ten Years After 34i 
 
 martial music ; and there was running to and fro within 
 the walls of men on busy pleasure bent. The army on 
 the plain was at breakfast now. Two hours later it 
 would enter the city and plant again the standard upon 
 the walls where fathers had perished miserably at the 
 hands of civilized savagery. 
 
 There was a tent in the center of the army corps, 
 distinguishable from others that dotted the plain both 
 because of its size and because of the guard that was 
 on duty in its vicinity. Sentinels in other parts of the 
 plain wore the scarlet of the army ; the men near this 
 tent were clad in the black, relieved by silver, and 
 were marines of the Incaland navy. Not far from 
 this spot was the camp of the sailors, all of whom 
 were clad in the uniform prescribed for a landing party 
 — their trousers tucked in leggins of white canvas. 
 Three men stood in the opening of this tent. Two 
 were natives — that anyone could tell. One of them 
 was clad in civilian attire and the other in uniform 
 that bespoke him an officer of high rank, and he also 
 wore a golden sun that shone upon his coat of black. 
 The third was also clad as an officer of the Peruvian 
 navy, but he was clearly of foreign descent. They 
 were the heroes of this story — Louis, Pedro and Carey 
 Hawkins, who had been the chum of their youth and 
 had so strangely shared in the triumphs of after years. 
 There were more silver hairs in their heads than when 
 they had sailed into New York harbor, and the lines 
 of their faces were more firmly drawn, but there was a 
 pridal bearing that only victory can give.
 
 342 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 "Brother," said Pedro, "think now of the evening on 
 Buena Vista beach !" 
 
 "I do," said he. "And do you recall that evening 
 when we stopped for a night's rest before entering the 
 defile, when the old Inca chanted so wonderfully of 
 the visions that came to him? Pedro, as I look yon- 
 der," and he pointed toward the temple, "I imagine 
 that I can see the procession of Atahualpa, and can 
 hear the joyous shouts of the people." 
 
 They stood thus rapt in reminiscent thought, 
 when their attention was distracted by Captain Haw- 
 kins, who remarked: "The day grows rapidly, sir." 
 
 "Yes, my brother," said Pedro. "We shall have 
 business forward presently. It would be well to pre- 
 pare for the entrance into the city." 
 
 Admiral Louis Garcia y Garcia had command of both 
 the land and sea forces this day, and they waited the sig- 
 nal from him to be set in motion. A bugle blast carried 
 it, and soon the plain was alive with rapidly moving 
 figures and brilliant with glistening bayonets and 
 plumes and helmets, and noisy with the sound of 
 clanging steel and the tramp of horses and men. 
 
 By a series of well executed maneuvers the com- 
 mand formed into twelve great hollow squares, the 
 sailors and marines being on the wings, the soldiery in 
 the center — a mass of red bordered by black. 
 
 There was a moment of silence and then from the 
 foot of the mountains came a bugle blast which at- 
 tracted attention to six black horses with nodding 
 black plumes and black meshes. Tall, helmeted and 
 red-clad troopers sat astride the animals as they moved
 
 Ten Years After 343 
 
 slowly forward. They were drawing a gun caisson, on 
 which rested the body of the old Inca, bent double, 
 just as it had lain in the tomb of gold by the sea when 
 Pedro and Louis left it there, and remarkably pre- 
 served because of the dry air at Buena Vista. Be- 
 hind were other caissons that bore the bones of other 
 Incas, and with stately motion the horses passed be- 
 tween the squares, made a circle and stopped before 
 the tent of the President of Incaland, and the troopers 
 raised their sabers in salute. 
 
 A bugle blast command, to form and march toward 
 the city, w^as about to be given when attention was at- 
 tracted by the discharge of a cannon from the fort of 
 Cuzco. At that moment the gates were opened and a 
 brilliant procession poured forth. Ten giant Peruvians 
 were in the lead and behind them came a band, playing 
 the national anthem. Next walked the governor of 
 the province, the mayor and all the civic officers. Be- 
 hind them were ten thousand Peruvian Indians, in 
 whose half-savage veins flowed the blood of the ancient 
 past. In gorgeous costumes, in brilliant trappings, in 
 strange, weird surroundings the procession moved 
 slowly along the road to the plain below. 
 
 The soldiers and sailors looked on the scene in si- 
 lence, for they knew not what it meant. They had for- 
 gotten, from life-long association with modern men 
 and things, the customs of the interior. They had read 
 and heard of how their forefathers, in costumes too 
 gorgeous for description, had carried their kings about 
 with them — even into battle — on a golden throne. But 
 to most of them it had been a tale told during an idle
 
 344 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 hour. But the brotherhood of blood is all-powerful. 
 To those who were born in Peru was instantly com- 
 municated all the savagery of the forgotten past and 
 their sympathies inoculated those who were of alien 
 birth yet served under the red, white and red. All now 
 knew what the procession meant. For a moment they 
 were as savage as ever were the fierce fellows who 
 fought and died surrounding their king. 
 
 That long procession, those strange costumes, that 
 weird chanting by Indians — they realized the meaning, 
 and simultaneously they gave vent to a long, loud 
 shout that had in it the exultation that had sounded in 
 the ears of Atahualpa and pierced the soul of Pizarro 
 when he was cut down within those very walls. 
 
 Nearer and nearer came the procession, the music 
 and the chants becoming softer as the citizens of Cuzco 
 reached the plain. Within a few yards of the soldiery 
 the welcoming hosts paused and for a moment army 
 and people were motionless. Then frqm the midst of 
 the Indians stepped forward a gigantic fellow, clad in 
 the costume of the ancients. Slowly and stately he 
 walked to where stood the President and the admiral. 
 To them he bowed low and thus he spoke: 
 
 "Prophets of the children of the sun: We have 
 come to you, most powerful of the conquerors of the 
 earth, to beg the privilege of receiving and conveying 
 into the city the body of the last of our Incas. Un- 
 crowned in life, in death we ask that he be given the 
 honors that would have been his had he lived until 
 now. To 3^ou and our brave men, we pour out our 
 hearts in gratitude and praise for the redemption of
 
 Ten Years After 345 
 
 our country. We owe to you our lives, our homes and 
 our liberties. But before we do more homage to 
 the living, permit us, O prophets of the children of the 
 sun, to bury our Inca — whose body you have sacredly 
 preserved after the fashion of our race, and with him 
 all the customs and habits which we have held until 
 now by tradition." 
 
 It was a strange speech and a stranger request. It 
 was a mixture of the old and the new and as impressive 
 as the solemn surroundings and the remarkable occa- 
 sion. 
 
 President Pedro and Admiral Louis exchanged 
 glances that were evidently understood by each, for the 
 former, removing his hat and stepping forward a single 
 pace, addressed not only the speaker, but those who 
 followed in his train. 
 
 "Warrior chief," he said, "and all the people of this 
 ancient city before whose walls we are now assembled : 
 My brother and I accept your kind words with loving 
 gratitude, merely adding that we have only been hum- 
 ble instruments in the hands of our people and our 
 God. V/e are the children of the sun, truly, as are you, 
 my brethren — the sun of righteousness, liberty and 
 progress. The breastplate we wear is but the symbol 
 of the olden days, shining forward into the happiness, 
 peace and prosperity of our magnificent country. 
 
 "As for your request, it is cheerfully granted, with 
 the condition that the army and navy of Incaland shall 
 be present and assist at the ceremonies. My brother, 
 the admiral, and I will attend you." 
 
 The commander-in-chief whispered to his aide and
 
 34^ Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 there was a clear loud bugle call that wakened the 
 echoes in the foothills. The people from the city faced 
 about; the six black horses drew the caisson from the 
 ranks of the soldiers out into the open plain and the 
 horsemen dismounted. The ten Indians stepped for- 
 ward with a golden throne and set it down beside the 
 gun. Soldier and citizen lifted the body of the old Inca 
 from the caisson and reverently removed the clothes 
 and shroud with which it had been surrounded. It had 
 been marvelously preserved in its cavernous tomb, and 
 the features were sufficiently hfe-like not to be re- 
 pulsive even to those who stood near by. A priest 
 waved the attendants away and began the adornment 
 of the remains for the last parade of the last of the 
 Incas. Instead of the red fringe, which in the ancient 
 days was worn around the head of an Inca, he securely 
 fastened to the tawny hair plumes of the birds of the 
 tropics, some of them tall and nodding. Around the 
 neck he suspended a golden circlet of the sun, filled 
 with the rarest gems and brilliant in its beauty. 
 Around the body he threw a mantle, made from skins 
 of the llama, cured and treated until white as untrodden 
 snow. 
 
 The cavalry saluted, the citizens took up the throne, 
 the trumpet sounded, then came bugle calls and the 
 immense concourse miOved forward, the President and 
 admiral with their staffs riding beside the body of the 
 Inca, followed by the governor of the province and 
 the officials of the city. The band from the fort began 
 a martial strain, the chief mourners chanted the weird 
 music for the dead and slowly the vast body of Peru-
 
 WK ENTOMB HERE THE LAST OF THE IXCAS. 
 MAY HE REST IN PEACE."
 
 Ten Years After 347 
 
 vians passed into the highway. Following in their train 
 came the men of the army and the navy, the red uni- 
 forms of the former and the black uniforms of the 
 latter, adorned with silver and gold, shining in the 
 sunlight like burnished metal. 
 
 As the procession passed the gates of the city the 
 citizens apparently disbanded, separating from the line 
 rapidly, so that when the soldiers and sailors had 
 marched through the public square they found them- 
 selves joined directly to the imperial bodyguard. 
 
 The bearers of the golden throne had set down their 
 burden at the gates of the Temple of the Sun. The 
 military saluted and the civilians bared their heads as 
 the corpse was borne into the great building, followed 
 by officials of state and municipahty : bells tolled and 
 the citizens knelt in the streets. 
 
 Inside the church a grave had been hewn out of 
 solid rock from beneath the tesselated floors, and into 
 it the remains were lowered. A great stone hung sus- 
 pended above this tomb, and when the body had been 
 laid in its last resting place the chief mourners in- 
 formed the President that they awaited his orders. 
 Raising his hand, Pedro thus spoke to the people : 
 
 "Children of the Sun: We entomb here the last of 
 our Incas. His patriotism and fidelity enabled us to 
 rescue our country after centuries from the hands of 
 others and restore it to our own. May he rest in 
 peace. 
 
 "With him, also, we bury much of the past — our 
 enmities, our hates and our ancient customs. Over 
 this tomb we swear allegiance to ourselves, so that
 
 348 Sweepers of the Sea 
 
 with the coming of new peoples we may retain our 
 free sovereignty and at the same time welcome the 
 oppressed citizens of all nations. 
 
 "Fare thee well, O Inca ! Thou who ledst the last 
 great charge against the invaders wilt ever be remem- 
 bered r 
 
 The President signalled that he had concluded, every 
 head was bowed and then slowly the great stone w^as 
 lowered over the tomb and the grave was sealed. 
 
 As the Archbishop of Cuzco rose from imprinting 
 the seal of the church upon the cement the bells of 
 the temple rang out in a glorious chime and imme- 
 diately the guns of the fort boomed a national salute, 
 and were answered by batteries of artillery that had 
 been stationed outside the city walls. All the people 
 cheered, all the bells rang, the noise was deafening 
 when the officials passed out of the temple to a great 
 stand, before which the army was marching in review. 
 Sailors and marines of the sea forces, infantry, cavalry 
 and artillery of the land, swung by, and then were 
 massed in the great square and in side streets. When 
 all had passed, Admiral Garcia y Garcia stepped to the 
 front of the stand and called "Attention!" 
 
 Bugles and trumpets echoed the word, and then 
 there w^as silence. 
 
 "Present arms !'* 
 
 A thousand sw^ords and sabres glistened, a thousand 
 gun barrels gleamed as the weapons were brought to 
 a salute. 
 
 "Atahualpa!" 
 
 The one word, pronounced by Admiral Garcia could
 
 Ten Years After 349 
 
 be heard by everybody in the great square, so quiet 
 had all become. 
 
 President Pedro Garcia y Garcia stepped from the 
 stand to the ground, walked to the center of the square 
 between rows of infantry, turned, lifted his hat, and 
 called out: 
 
 "Absent, but accounted for. He is with the heroes." 
 
 THE END.
 
 ONE QUARTER MILLION COPIES 
 
 Have been 
 
 sold of this 
 
 great 
 
 historical 
 
 love-story 
 
 of Princess 
 
 Mary Tudor, 
 
 sister of 
 
 Henry VIII 
 
 Price, $1.50 
 
 ASK YOUR BOOKSELLER FOR IT
 
 ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL 
 HISTORICAL NOVEL 
 
 [From The New York Timesy Feb. 17, 1900] 
 
 Apparently When Knighthood was in Flower is not 
 the only literary prize that has recently been captured 
 by the Bowen-Merrill Company. Harris Dickson's 
 new historical romance, published by this house only 
 a few weeks ago, is now selling in its twelfth thou- 
 sand. This is a fascinating tale of Old and New 
 France, and the scene is laid in the reign of Louis 
 XIV. The story is well written in an autobiograph- 
 ical style in good imitation of the age in which the 
 events recounted are supposed to have taken place. 
 The illustrations, which are historically correct — the 
 work of C. M. Relyea — have been conceived with 
 much force and vigor. Mr. Dickson is a young 
 Vicksburg lawyer, and The Black Wolf's Breed is 
 his first sustained flight in fiction. The strange con- 
 trast of scenes — the Court of France, the Indian en- 
 campments in the wilds of Louisiana — oflTer the au- 
 thor abundant opportunity to employ a picturesque, 
 vivid pen. It is the same with the characters, who 
 appear, and disappear, and reappear again — courtiers, 
 adventurers, knights and ladies, Indian braves and 
 squaws. It is a broad canvas, but the proportions of 
 the foreground and the perspective are carefully and 
 artistically handled. In these days, when real life 
 seems so full of romance, people are strangely drawn 
 toward these books of romance, history, and adven- 
 ture. Evidently The Black Wolfs Breed has started 
 upon a long and successfiil career. 
 
 Price, ;^ 1. 50. Published by 
 
 The Bowen-Merrill Company, Indianapolis
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
 Los Angeles 
 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
 JAN n 5 2007 
 
 Form L9-Series 4939 
 
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