ll out of the harbour. We will
be cracks, pulling thirty strokes to the minute.'

"After leaving the _Texas_ I saw the _Merrimac_ steaming slowly in.

"It was only fairly dark then, and the shore was quite visible. We
followed about three-quarters of a mile astern. The _Merrimac_ stood about
a mile to the westward of the harbour, and seemed a bit mixed, turning
completely around, and finally heading to the east, she ran down and then
turned in. We were then chasing him because I thought Hobson had lost his
bearings.

"When Hobson was about two hundred yards from the harbour the first gun
was fired, from the eastern bluff. We were then about half a mile
offshore, and nearing the batteries. The firing increased rapidly. We
steamed in slowly, and lost sight of the _Merrimac_ in the smoke which the
wind carried offshore. It hung heavily. Before Hobson could have blown up
the _Merrimac_ the western battery picked us up and commenced firing. They
shot wild, however, and we ran in still farther to the shore until the
gunners lost sight of us. Then we heard the explosion of the torpedoes on
the _Merrimac_.

"Until daylight we waited just outside the breakers, half a mile to the
westward of Morro, keeping a sharp lookout for the boat or for swimmers,
but saw nothing. Hobson had arranged to meet us at that point, but
thinking that some one might have drifted out, we crossed in front of
Morro and the mouth of the harbour, to the eastward.

"At about five o'clock we crossed the harbour again, and stood to the
westward. In passing we saw one spar of the _Merrimac_ sticking out of the
water. We hugged the shore just outside of the breakers for a mile, and
then turned toward the _Texas_, when the batteries saw us and opened fire.
It was then broad daylight. The first shot dropped thirty yards astern,
but the others went wild. I drove the launch for all she was worth,
finally making the _New York_. The men behaved splendidly."

_June 3._ Later in the day a boat with a white flag put out from the
harbour, and Captain Oviedo, chief of staff of Admiral Cervera, boarded
the _New York_, and informed Admiral Sampson that the whole party had been
captured; that only two were injured. Lieutenant Hobson was not hurt. The
Spanish admiral was so impressed with the courage of the _Merrimac's_ crew
that he decided to inform Admiral Sampson of the fact that they had not
lost their lives, but were prisoners of war and could be exchanged.

To a