s cleared away. We came into Siboney about
three o'clock, in a bright glare of sunshine, to find the town entirely
burned--all buildings gone or smoking--and a "yellow fever" hospital
established a mile and a half out from Siboney.

All effort was made to hold our ship free from suspicion. The process of
reasoning leading to the conclusion that a solid cargo, packed in tight
boxes in the hold of a ship, anchored at sea, could become infected in
a day from the land or a passing individual, is indeed an intricate
process. But we had some experience in this direction. Captain McCalla,
in his repeated humane attempts to feed the refugees around Guantanamo,
had called again for a hundred thousand rations, saying that if we could
bring them to him soon he could get them to the starving people in the
woods. We lost no time, but got the food out and started with it in the
night. On reaching Guantanamo we were met some distance out, called to,
and asked if any one on our ship had been on shore at Siboney within
four days; if so, our supplies could not be received. We took them away,
leaving the starving to perish.

The constantly recurring news of the surrender of Santiago was so well
established that we drew anchor, came up to the flag-ship, and sent the
following letter to Admiral Sampson:

"State of Texas,

"_July 16, 1898_.

"ADMIRAL SAMPSON, Commanding U. S. Fleet off
Santiago, Flag-Ship New York.

"Admiral: It is not necessary for me to explain to you my errand, nor
its necessity; both your good head and heart divine it more clearly
than any words of mine can represent.

"I send this to you by one of our men who can tell all you wish to know.
Mr. John Elwell has resided and done mercantile and shipping business in
Santiago for the last seven years; is favorably known to all its people;
has in his possession the keys of the best warehouses and residences in
the city, to which he is given welcome by the owners. He is the person
appointed four months ago to help distribute this food, and did so with
me until the blockade. There seems to be nothing in the way of getting
our twelve hundred tons of food into a Santiago warehouse and giving it
intelligently to the thousands who _need_ and _own_ it. I have twenty
good helpers with me. The New York committee is urging the discharge of
the State of Texas, which has been raised in price to four hundred
dollars a day.

"If there is still more explanation needed, I pray you