nlivening waltz or stirring patriotic air; or entering a school of
flying fish the men would be entertained to see these broad-finned
creatures dart from the waves like arrows from the bow, and after a
graceful flight of perhaps near two hundred yards drop again into the
sea; but taken altogether it was a voyage that furnishes little for
the historian.

The transports were so arranged as to present an interesting and
picturesque spectacle as they departed from our shores on their ocean
march. Forming in three columns, with a distance of about 1,000 yards
between the columns, and the vessels in the columns being distanced
from one another about 400 yards, the fleet was convoyed from Port
Tampa by small naval vessels until it reached a point between the Dry
Tortugas and Key West. Here it was met by the noble battleship Indiana
and nine other war vessels, thus making a convoy altogether of fifteen
fighting craft. Transports and convoy now made an armada of more than
forty ships, armed and manned by the audacious modern republic whose
flag waved from every masthead. Thus spreading out over miles of
smooth sea, moving quietly along by steam, carrying in its arms the
flower of the American army, every man of which was an athlete, this
fleet announced to the world the grim purpose of a nation aroused.

The weather from the time of leaving Port Tampa continued fine until
the fleet entered the passage between the western coast of Hayti and
the eastern end of Cuba, known as the Windward Passage, when the
breeze freshened and a rough sea began, continuing more or less up to
the time of landing. Rounding this eastern coast of Cuba the fleet
headed its course westerly and on the morning of the 20th was able to
determine its position as being off Guantanamo Bay, about fifty miles
east of Santiago. Here, eight days before, the first battle on Cuban
soil, in which four American marines were killed, had been fought.
About noon on the same day, the fleet came to a halt off Santiago
harbor, or a little to the west of the entrance to it, and Admiral
Sampson came on board. He and General Shafter soon after went ashore
to consult the Cuban General, Garcia, who was known to be in that
vicinity with about 4,000 well armed troops.

The voyage over, and the men having been crowded together on
shipboard for nearly two weeks, it was now expedient to get them on
shore as soon as possible. But it was necessary to find out beforehand
what defences