toward the _Olympia_, an 8-inch shell struck her squarely, and the
explosive must have travelled directly through the ill-fated craft until
it reached the after boiler, where it exploded, ripping up the decks, and
vomiting forth showers of iron fragments and portions of dismembered human
bodies.

A gunboat came out from behind the Cavite pier, and made directly for the
_Olympia_. In less than five minutes she was in a sinking condition; as
she turned, a shell struck her just inside the stern railing, and she
disappeared beneath the waves as if crushed by some titanic force.

Navigator Calkins of the _Olympia_ had soundings taken, and told Commodore
Dewey that he could take the ship farther in toward the Spanish fleet.

"Take her in, then," the commodore replied.

The ship moved up to within two thousand yards of the Spanish fleet. This
brought the smaller guns into effective play.

The rain of shell upon the doomed Spaniards was terrific.

The _Castilla_ was in flames from stem to stern. Black smoke poured up
from the decks of the _Isla de Cuba_, and on the flag-ship fire was
completing the work of destruction begun by the American shells.

It was 7.35 A. M. when the battle, which began at 5.41, came to a
temporary close. The first round was concluded.

There was yet ample time in which to finish the work so well begun, and
from the flag-ship _Olympia_ went up the signal:

"Cease firing and follow."

The fleet was headed for the opposite shore, and, once partially beyond
range, "mess-gear" was sounded.

The only casualty worthy of mention which had occurred was the death of
Chief Engineer Frank B. Randall, of the steamer _McCulloch_, who died from
heart disease, probably superinduced by excitement, while the fleet was
passing Corregidor.

There were handshakings and congratulations on every hand as
smoke-begrimed friends, parted during the battle, met again, and loud were
the cheers that went up from the various ships in passing.

After breakfast had been served and the ships made ready for the second
round, or, in other words, at 10.15 in the forenoon, the Spanish flag-ship
_Reina Christina_ hauled down her colours, and the admiral's flag was
transferred to the _Isla de Cuba_.

At 10.45 a signal was made from the _Olympia_:

"Get under way with men at quarters."

Again the fleet stood in toward Cavite, the _Baltimore_ in the lead, but
the latter vessel's course was quickly changed as a strange steamer