Narrative of Bahama Expedition. 6i 



cruisers, were all welcome signs of civilization to those who 

 had been cooped up on the •• Emily " for a week since their 

 run on Egg Island. In the morning a chance was given us 

 to view this matchless harbor by daylight. To the north was 

 the distant entrance, guarded b}- •' El Morro;"' on the east the 

 fortifications extended for miles, most of them, however, show- 

 ing considerable dilapidation; to the south were large ware- 

 houses and freight wharves, while to the west lay the city of 

 Havana, '-Queen of the West Indies," with its moss-covered 

 cathedral towers rising here and there over the level stretch 

 of buildings, which are low in comparison to those in northern 

 cities, few being over two or three stories high. Immediate!}' 

 in front of us was a government wharf with a huge iron der- 

 rick, capable of lifting the mainmast out of a cruiser, and a 

 solid stone water-front, with steps for the use of naval officers 

 when they went ashore. 



We had heard so much about the tilth of Havana Harbor 

 that we naturallv expected to be disgusted. On the contrary, 

 however, we saw less that was offensive than would have 

 been encountered in any harbor in the United States whose 

 shores accomodate so large a city. The whole water-front 

 was scrupulously clean, and devoted to public purposes instead 

 of being given over to the lowest and most wretched inhabit- 

 ants of the citv, as is so often the case. 



Three Spanish cruisers la^' at anchor between us and the 

 cit\". They resembled miniature editions of our own •• white 

 scpiadron." Modern in every detail, even to machine and dyn- 

 amite guns, they looked to be no larger than a good man^' 

 private yachts, although doubtless admirably designed for the 

 purpose of cruising along the Cuban coast and suppressing 

 incipient rebellions, one of which was said to be under way at 

 the time of our \isit. 



It was somewhat of a disappointment to find that the 

 •• Emily E. Johnson '' floated the only American flag in this 

 great harbor, with its forests of masts on hundreds of vessels. 

 We afterward made out some American schooners, bul for 

 some reason the^' neirlected to show th'^ir colois We were 



