top hear all the time and be a Brazilian for good. But I coulden
leave my Dear land for all the pretty sights Ive seen togather.

_May_ 2. American Minerster Just com on board and told us the news of
the Battle of Manila, the Yanks did up every thing there. coal is
coming on very slow and the old man is geting ancious to get out.

_May_ 3. going out tomorrow morning at 6. A.M. The crew is very
enthusiastic over the war. got out this morning all right But going
slow. I think we are fooling around hear. Have Nictheroy as a transport
boat. She has 2000 tons of coal on Board for us and they say she is an
18 knoter.

_May_ 4. I guess the war is on for keeps now. We have com back to Rio
or near it to wate for a Spanish Torpedo Boat that has bin laying
around hear for the last 3 days and at the same time to take the
Nictheroy.

_May_ 5. lost some time waiting for the Nictheroy But she came along at
dark. the Marietta will look out for her and we will pull out for Key
West I think.

_May_ 6. Every thing doing well and making 10 and 11 knots right off
the reel now. at 8 P.M. the old man called all the Ward Room officers
in the Cabin and read the tellegrams to them from Washington Which wer
his sealed Orders and one of them reads like this: four armered
Crusiers left Cape de Verde at some date and 2 Torpedo Boats,
Destination unknown, and the old man is told to beware. The old man had
a consul of War to night, so if we have to scrap, we will have to cut a
lively gate for them. they say the Spanish is some Kind of a fighter
him self. But we all think we can show him a trick with a hole in it.
that was a great fight of the Manilla bay.

_May_ 7. Every thing doing well, except this morning at 4.50 A.M. Gen
Quarters sounded and there was a lively old time for a while. Every
body thought we wer in for it then and there. I cannot describe the
fealing of enthusiasm about the Decks. you see we had our orders to
send in a Gen alarm when ever any thing looked like a Manowar got in
sight. there was a little rain squall and some old sailing ship was in
it, and just as she cleared away our lookout sighted the ship and sent
in the alarm; it was the Capts orders to send in the alarm even if he
was not there as he would get there all right. at 9 A.M. the old man
called all hands to muster on the Quarter deck and told us the news he
had received at Rio: there was 4 first class cruisers and three Torpedo
Boats going to meet around hear some