avenged.
(Lieutenant Wainwright was executive officer on that ill-fated vessel
when she was blown up February 15th.) Cervera was wounded, hatless, and
almost naked when he was taken on board the _Gloucester_. Lieutenant
Wainwright cordially saluted him and grasped him by the hand, saying, "I
congratulate you, Admiral Cervera, upon as gallant a fight as was ever
made upon the sea." He placed his cabin at the service of Cervera and
his officers, while his surgeon dressed their wounds and his men did all
they could for their comfort--Wainwright supplying the admiral with
clothing. Cervera was overcome with emotion, and the face of the old
gray-bearded warrior was suffused in tears. The _Iowa_ and _Indiana_
came up soon after the _Gloucester_ and assisted in the rescue of the
drowning Spaniards from the _Oquendo_ and _Teresa_, after which they all
hurried on after the vanishing _Brooklyn_ and _Oregon_, which were
pursuing the _Vizcaya_ and _Colon_, the only two remaining vessels of
Cervera's splendid fleet. From pursuer and pursued the smoke rose in
volumes and the booming guns over the waters sang the song of
destruction.

In twenty-four minutes after the sinking of the _Teresa_ and _Oquendo_,
the _Vizcaya_, riddled by the _Oregon's_ great shells and burning
fiercely, hauled down her flag and headed for the shore, where she hung
upon the rocks. In a dying effort she had tried to ram the _Brooklyn_,
but the fire of the big cruiser was too hot for her. The _Texas_ and the
little _Vixen_ were seen to be about a mile to the rear, and the
_Vizcaya_ was left to them and the _Iowa_, the latter staying by her
finally, while the _Texas_ and _Vixen_ followed on.

It looked like a forlorn hope to catch the _Colon_. She was four and
one-half miles away. But the _Brooklyn_ and the _Oregon_ were running
like express trains, and the _Texas_ sped after the fugitives with all
her might. The chase lasted two hours. Firing ceased, and every power of
the ship and the nerve of commodore, captains, and officers were devoted
to increasing the speed. Men from the guns, naked to the waist and
perspiring in streams, were called on deck for rest and an airing. It
was a grimy and dirty but jolly set of Jackies, and jokes were merrily
cracked as they sped on and waited. Only the men in the fire-rooms were
working as never before. It was their battle now, a battle of speed. At
12.30 it was seen the Americans were gaining. Cheers went up and all was
m