as if every gun on board both the _Brooklyn_ and _Texas_
was in action within sixty seconds after the Spaniards were sighted, and
there remained nothing for the venturesome craft save to seek the shelter
of the harbour again, fortunate indeed if such opportunity was allowed
them.

_May 31._ The U. S. S. _Marblehead_, cruising inshore to relieve the
monotony of blockading duties, discovered that lying behind the batteries
at the mouth of Santiago Harbour were four Spanish cruisers and two
torpedo-boat destroyers.

When this fact was reported to the commodore he decided to tempt the
Spanish fleet into a fight, and at the same time discover the location of
the masked batteries. In pursuance of this plan he transferred his flag
from the _Brooklyn_ to the more heavily armed _Massachusetts_.

[Illustration: U. S. S. MASSACHUSETTS.]

Two hours after noon the _Massachusetts_, _New Orleans_, and _Iowa_, in
the order named, and not more than a cable length apart, steamed up to the
harbour mouth to within four thousand yards of Morro Castle.

Two miles out to sea lay the _Brooklyn_, _Texas_, and other ships of the
blockading fleet awaiting the summons which should bring them into the
fight; but none came.

The _Massachusetts_ opened fire first, taking the Spanish flag-ship for
its target. An 8-inch shell was the missile, and it fell far short of its
mark. Then the big machine tried her 13-inch guns.

The _Cristobal Colon_ and four batteries--two on the east side, one on the
west, and one on an island in the middle of the channel, replied. Their 10
and 12-inch Krupps spoke shot for shot with our sixes, eights and
thirteens. It was noisy and spectacular, but not effective on either side.

The American fleet steamed across before the batteries at full speed;
circled, and passed again. Both sides had found the range by the time of
the second passing, and began to shoot close. Several shots burst directly
over the _Iowa_, three fell dangerously near the _New Orleans_, and one
sprayed the bow of the _Massachusetts_.

After half an hour both forts on the east and the one on the island were
silenced. Five minutes later our ships ceased firing. The western battery
and the Spanish flag-ship kept up the din fifteen minutes longer, but
their work was ineffective.

_June 1._ Rear-Admiral Sampson, with the _New York_ as his flag-ship, and
accompanied by the _Oregon_, the _Mayflower_, and the torpedo-boat
_Porter_, joined Commodore