kind of a man to go along with McCalla.

In the early part of 1894 there was a civil war in Brazil. The entire
Brazilian navy had taken sides with the insurgents and completely
blockaded the harbor of Rio de Janeiro. Ships of all nations were
there, waiting to enter the harbor, but the insurgents would not let
them. Admiral Benham was sent there to look after American interests,
with his flagship, the San Francisco; and Captain, then Commander,
Brownson, was there with his ship, the Detroit. The blockade had to be
broken, and Brownson was selected as the man to do it.

One morning there was a stir on board the Detroit. The awnings came
down, her flag was sent aloft and her guns were shotted. Brownson
ordered the anchor hoisted, and, with the men at the guns, the cruiser
headed towards the city. The flags of the English, German and Italian
ships were dipped in salute as she moved ahead. Two American ships,
the Amy and the Good News, were anchored under the guns of two of the
insurgent fleet. As the Detroit passed close by the Trajano, a marine
on that ship raised a musket and fired a bullet over the heads of the
sailors on the Amy, which was following close behind the Detroit.

[Illustration: Capt. Willard H. Brownson.]

When the shot was fired Brownson turned to a gunner and ordered him to
shoot into the Trajano at the water line and about six feet from the
stern. The order was misunderstood and was sent across the Trajano's
bow instead.

"Trajano, ahoy!" hailed Brownson. "If you fire again I will sink you."
Not a shot was fired.

"You go ahead," shouted Brownson to the Amy, "and I'll protect you";
and although there were insurgent ships all about, the Amy passed into
the harbor unmolested, with the ships of other nations closely
following her. Then the Detroit returned to her anchorage. Brownson
had raised the blockade.

Guantanamo Bay is one of the most famous harbors on the southern coast
of Cuba. It is deep, wide and smooth as a mill pond. At the entrance
the harbor is broad and open, but afterwards it is narrower, and in
this place the Spaniards had placed a lot of mines and two little
gunboats.

[Illustration: A Marine.]

When the Marblehead and the Yankee steamed into the bay they began to
make trouble for the Spaniards at once. There was a blockhouse on a
hill, but they quickly knocked that to pieces. Then they silenced the
fire of the fort and chased the gunboats as far as they could go. Next
they s