the
_Baltimore_, and she was hit several times.

A 4.7-inch armour-piercing shell punctured her side on the main-deck line,
tore up the wooden deck, and, striking the steel deck under this, glanced
upward, went through the after engine-room hatch, and, emerging, struck
the cylinder of the port 6-inch gun on the quarter-deck, temporarily
rendering the gun unfit for use.

In its flight it also struck a box of 3-pounder ammunition, exploding one
shell, which in turn slightly wounded one of No. 4 gun's crew.

One shell pierced her starboard side forward of No. 2 sponson, and lodged
in a clothes-locker on the berth-deck; another struck her port beam a
little above the water-line, and a few feet forward of, and above this,
another shell came crashing across the berth-deck, striking a steam-pipe
and exploding behind the starboard blower-engine, but with no serious
results. A fragment of a shell went through one of the ventilators, and
the colours of the mainmast were shot through.

[Illustration: U. S. S. BOSTON.]

The concussion from the 8-inch guns on the poop shattered the whaleboats,
and they had to be cut adrift. A fragment of a shell that burst over the
quarter-deck cut the signal halliards which Lieutenant Brumby held in his
hand.

On the _Boston_ a shell came through a port-hole in Ensign Doddridge's
stateroom, and wrecked it badly. The explosion set a fire which was
quickly put out. Another shell struck the port hammock netting, where it
burst, setting fire to the hammocks. This was also soon extinguished.
Still another shell struck the _Boston's_ foremast, cutting a great gash
in it. It came within twenty feet of Captain Wildes on the bridge.

The _Raleigh_ was forced inshore by the strong current, and carried
directly upon the bows of two Spanish cruisers. By all the rules of
warfare she should have been sunk; but instead, her commander delivered
two raking broadsides as she steamed back into place.

Three times the American ships passed back and forth, opening first with
one broadside and then with another as the ship swung around, and then the
_Reina Christina_, black smoke pouring from her stacks, and a vapour as of
wool coming from the steam-pipes, gallantly sallied out to meet the
_Olympia_.

Between the two flag-ships ensued a duel, in which the Spaniard was
speedily worsted to such a degree that she was literally forced to turn
and make for the shore. As she swung around, with her stern directly