re on the passage, and that "the conveniences on many of the
transports in the nature of sleeping accommodations, space for
exercise, closet accommodations, etc., were not all that could have
been desired," and that the opinion was general throughout the army
that the travel ration was faulty, it cannot be doubted that the trip
was a sore trial to the enlisted men at least. The monotonous days
passed in the harbor at Port Tampa, while waiting for orders to sail,
were unusually trying to the men. They were relieved somewhat by
bathing, swimming, gaming and chatting on the coming events. A soldier
who was in one of the colored regiments describes the inside life of
one of the transports as follows: "After some miles of railroad travel
and much hustling we were put on board the transport. I say _on
board_, but it is simply because we cannot use the terms _under
board_. We were huddled together below two other regiments and under
the water line, in the dirtiest, closest, most sickening place
imaginable. For about fifteen days we were on the water in this dirty
hole, but being soldiers we were compelled to accept this without a
murmur. We ate corn beef and canned tomatoes with our hard bread
until we were anything but half way pleased. In the fifth or sixth day
out to sea the water furnished us became muddy or dirty and well
flavored with salt, and remained so during the rest of the journey.
Then, the ship's cooks, knowing well our condition made it convenient
to themselves to sell us a glass of clean ice water and a small piece
of bread and tainted meat for the sum of seventy-five cents, or one
dollar, as the case might be."

A passage from Port Tampa, around the eastern end of Cuba, through the
Windward Passage, even in June, is ordinarily pleasant. On the deck of
a clean steamer, protected from the sun's rays by a friendly awning,
it may be put down as nearly an ideal pleasure trip; but crowded into
freight ships as these men were, many of them clad in thick and
uncomfortable clothing, reduced to the uninviting travel ration,
compelled to spend most of the time below decks, occupied with
thoughts of home and friends, and beset with forebodings of coming
events, it was very far from being to them a pastime. Of the thousands
who are going to Cuba to magnify the American flag, not all will
return. Occasionally the gay music of the bands would relieve the dull
routine and cause the spirits to rise under the effects of some
e