g that all the
men were safe and would be well treated. But they were not allowed to
stay long on the ship. After a few hours they were taken to Morro
Castle, which they did not find a pleasant prison, though they were
not badly treated. Lieutenant Hobson, by climbing up to the little
window in his cell, could see our ships far out at sea. In a few days
the prisoners were taken from Morro Castle to another prison in the
city of Santiago. You shall hear of them again.

[Illustration: Hobson's Cell.]

CHAPTER VI.

MORE WORK DONE BY THE NAVY.

I have not told you all the brave deeds done by our Navy soon after
our ships had reached Cuba, but I will go back, for a few minutes, to
the 11th of May. A very sad affair took place at Cardenas, a port
about twenty miles east of Matanzas, the place where the first shots
were fired. Some of our smaller vessels blockading Cardenas were bold
enough to go into the harbor to fight some Spanish gunboats. Though,
our men gained a victory, it was dearly bought, for our torpedo-boat
Winslow was nearly destroyed, and five of her men were killed. That
same day, across the island, at Cienfuegos, on the south shore of
Cuba, our men succeeded in cutting the cables under the water, the
story of which I have told you.

Before the Cubans began to fight the Spaniards, in 1895, Cardenas was
a very pleasant city in which to live. So many Americans who had
business interests in Cuba lived there, that it was frequently spoken
of as the American city. Like Matanzas, it was the shipping point for
a great sugar-growing district, and one of the finest sugar
plantations in Cuba was in the vicinity of the city. The bay used to
be a famous resort for pirates, but they were exterminated a great
many years ago by war vessels of the United States. Now I will tell
you the story of the Winslow.

The blockading vessels off Cardenas were the Machias, the Wilmington
and the Hudson. It was determined to enter the inner harbor and attack
three small gunboats which were known to be there. While preparations
for the attack were being made, the Winslow came in from off Matanzas,
for coal, and was given a place in the attacking force. The Winslow,
Wilmington and Hudson entered the inner harbor through a small channel
to the eastward, near Blanco Cay. The Winslow went in closer than the
others, and almost before her plucky commander knew it, the fire of
the Spanish gunboats and of some shore batteries was con