ad, and they all
carry that deadly-looking weapon, the machete."

The machete is the national weapon of Cuba. It looks somewhat like a
sword, but instead of being pointed like that weapon, it is broader at
the part farthest from the hilt. A strong man can strike a terrible
blow with it. It is used all over the island as an agricultural tool
as well, for it serves the purpose of a scythe or an axe.

[Illustration: In the Trenches at Guantanamo.]

A brave deed was done by a young officer of the Navy all by himself--a
deed as brave as that done by Lieutenant Hobson. It was not really
known how many Spanish ships were in the harbor of Santiago. I have
told you that they could not be seen by our ships on account of the
narrow entrance and high cliffs. It was very important to know how
many Spanish ships there were. So Lieutenant Blue went ashore at some
safe point, and climbed round the hilltops of Santiago at night,
looked at the harbor, and counted the ships twice, in order to make no
mistake. It was a long journey and full of danger. Lieutenant Blue
might have been taken as a spy, but he reached our ships again, and
made his report to Admiral Sampson.

Early in June our blockading ships made efforts to destroy the forts
at the harbor of Santiago, but did not succeed, though the shells from
our ships did a good deal of harm. It was on account of these attacks
that Lieutenant Hobson and his crew were removed from their cells in
Morro Castle and taken to another prison, as I have told you. The
English Consul at Santiago, a wise and good man, told the Spanish
general that Lieutenant Hobson and his men could not, in honor, be
kept where they might be killed by shells from their own ships. So the
prisoners were removed.

[Illustration: Lieutenant Victor Blue.]

The forts at Santiago received a terrible punishment, if they were
not destroyed, and one of Admiral Cervera's ships, the Maria Teresa,
was considerably damaged by shells that went over the forts into the
harbor. There were several other warships in the harbor besides those
that came with Admiral Cervera. The Reina Mercedes was nearly
destroyed by the shells from our ships. Our old friend, the Oregon,
sent a big shell over the hills that swept nearly everything off her
decks. Other shots riddled her hull and sank her.

The Santiago fortifications were bombarded a number of times and some
splendid shots were made. There was a battery to the west of the
harbor tha