I liked Japan from the moment I first saw it and still do. Kobe, at the foot of a mountain, is a beautiful city with a famous waterfall. The people are friendly and very clean. One cannot judge a country by visiting only one place, but I have been in many places in Japan, this heathen country, and wished that my native and christian country would adopt some of its customs.
From the Oldenburg I was transferred to the Princess Wilhelm, a second-class cruiser of 4,400 tons, built in Kiel in 1887. It had eight 10.5 centimeter cannons and 5 torpedo tubes, and a top speed of 18 knots, and a crew of 356 officers and men. Half of the crew had served two years and were transferred to the Oldenburg to be sent back home.
We sailed from Kobe to Shimonoseki, the most beautiful trip I had ever made. The mountainous country was green from the water level to the top of the mountain, beautiful cottages nestled between trees, and at times we were only a stones throw from shore. We were on our way to China. Our first stop was at Chefoo, a small island in the harbor housed the various consuls. It was on a Sunday when we stepped on Chinese soil, and we had been warned not to give anything to beggars.
What a change from clean and friendly Japan to this dirty and filthy town. The first thing we saw was a man with his neck and wrist encased in a board about 12 inches wide with 3 holes for him. It was hinged on one end and had a hasp on the other. There he was on his haunch crying 'chow chow la la la, chow chow la la la'. What crime did he commit ? We could not learn. Someone put food on the board, he could not reach it, if he bent over he would fall on the ground, and the board prevented him from reaching same. To feed him it had to be put into his mouth.
We also saw an elderly man with bare chest, he had a leather slipper with which he would hit his chest with great force; he must have been doing it for years because the spot on his chest had a callus 1/2 inch thick. Why was he hitting himself, we did not know. That was not all, we also saw some 'chow chow la la la' beggars with leprosy, the flesh of ones jaw had rotted away that the bare bone was visible, another showed us the bone in his arm from elbow to wrist. The following Sunday we found the man in the pillory in the same place as well as the chest pounder, had they been there all week ?
We left that hell hole without regret, and sailing along the coast on this beautiful clear day we saw a part of one of the ancient wonders of the world, the great wall of China, up and down the hills until it went beyond sight.
Back to Japan again and Yokohama. Yokohama was like Colombo, protected by a sea wall, and is one of the main shipping ports. In a saloon we met some sailors from the American Navy. Some of them could speak German as good as we did. They told us that they learned if from their parents who could not speak English.
Often they played generous hosts, by ordering drinks for us, and when we collected under the table to treat in return, they laughed and said 'never mind, we appreciate your good intentions, but you are our guests, and we have heard from our parents that German sailors have a hard time'.
One time we were invited to their ship the Olympia. There we saw what a good time those boys had compared to ours. When their ship is in port, the American fireman cleans his engine and fire-room, and after that they go their regular watch without work. He made himself a little desk in the fire-room and reads American magazines, while we changed from watch to routine day work.
We planned to invite our American friends to our ship, but how treat them? We were allowed to buy a 50 Pfenig beer check once a week, so we induced others to buy beer checks by giving them the money. If you had a check you could get your beer. Food was not to be had, but our guests were thirsty, but not hungry.
One day we sailed from Hong Kong with a bearded civilian onboard, who we had learned was Dr. Krebs, a German-Chinese interpreter. A few days later we dropped anchor on a desolate spot of the Chinese coast. It was not much of a town and we could see Chinese soldiers training on the shore. Our Captain and Dr. Krebs, both in civilian hunting clothes with Rucksack (knapsack) and double-barreled shotgun were taken ashore to go hunting. I had seen them go and we learned from the flunkys that they not only had permission to hunt from the commanding General, but the Generals son went along to show them the forts. We did not stay long, our next stop was shanghai. After a few weeks in Shanghai we again lifted anchor, our destination unknown. At sea again, orders were given to sharpen sidearms on grindstone, only one onboard. This was too slow, file them in the vise. But what for? Noone knew.
One afternoon we again sailed into the same port where the captain and Dr. Krebs went hunting, but this time without Dr. Krebs. In the same port were the German Flagship Kaiser, and the Cormoran. Something was in the wind, but what?
Soon we were ordered to assemble on the afterdeck, to be addressed by the captain, who informed us that by order of the Kaiser we have to invade this territory as (Suhne) revenge for the murder of two German missionaries. More instructions we would receive later. Date of this important information was Nov. 13, 1897, place Tsing-Tao. Half the crew was to disembark, the rest to remain onboard.
The stabs arzt (staff doctor) told us of the honor to fight and if need be to die for the Vaterland, but he got no applause from his listeners; he also told us that we will get some identification tags, because those chinks may gouge our eyes out, cut off our ears and noses, to prevent our identification. In our equipment, among other things, would be iron rations and Schnapps. Someone said AHA! Who was that that said AHA asked the doctor. No answer? Feigheit and Dumheit paart sich immer. (Being fresh and dumb go together) said the Dr.
On the morning of November 14, 1897 the disembarking crew, among them Steiner, took a seat in the pinnace to be towed ashore; he was assigned to the Maschinnengewehr Zugmanschaft (machine gun pulling crew), and our patriotic feeling was cooler than the November day. We marched through the small town until we came to a square. There we found the General with about 200 of his soldiers; the soldiers with their backs to the wall of the General's residence, the 3 other sides were held by us and the Kaiser's crew. The crew of the Cormoran were behind a hill and captured the powder magazine, guarded by a lonely Chinese soldier.
The General was a jovial, stout old fellow, and all smiles, thinking we came ashore for a drill. He had a long gray pigtail, gray mustache and chin whiskers, marking him to be a grand-father, and smoking a pipe. All went well until he was handed a parchment roll which he read; he made a sound and the pipe fell from his mouth; then the order came, sections formed, and my gang with Lieutenant R. were busy pulling our machine gun up the hill, until we were opposite a fort known as the artillery fort; the crew of the Kaiser held the larger Yamen fort.
We were busy chopping bushes to cover our machine gun. The order was 'if the Generals flag was still up at noon, start shooting, otherwise only when attacked'. While waiting we sampled our Schnapps and our courage increased while the firewater decreased. We could see the General on his white horse riding from place to place, complaining that he was tricked, which he was, and personal opinions expressed by the crew and influenced by the firewater were not favorable of the Kaisers demand. Later we learned that the Missionaries were killed about two years ago, and more than a thousand miles from where we are, and that a Commission was sent to China to find a suitable place to occupy.
From the Artillery Fort we could see them carrying articles away, then they chased some chickens toward the town, a sign that they began to weaken.
Shortly before noon the Chinese flag was lowered from the mast, and the General asked for and received protection. He remained in his quarters protected by his guards and ours.
When we entered the artillery fort, there were no Chinese, and no shot was fired. We found eight horses, and to our surprise, 8 German cannons with the inscription: Friedrich Krupp Essen 1878, the type was 8.8 centimeter. The cannons were kept shiny, but we could not find the locks. Several days after we found some crates, and there after opening were the locks to the cannons, just as the Germans had crafted them for shipment.
Poor chinks, if they had their cannons in order, they could (have) chased us into the Yellow Sea. The locks were slightly corroded and our gunsmith had to grind and refit them for test shots. The test shots proved them in good condition.
Outside the Fort was a small pond and it was so cold that we had to break the ice to water the horses.
One day a German guard reported that he had not seen the General all day, and all were certain that he had not left the place. The General must be sick, and a sick visit was not welcome, but when we insisted on seeing the patient, we found that the General was only sick of us, and had departed to parts unknown, by climbing the wall surrounding his residence during the night. We found his Excellency in a small village, took him back and kept him in our Artillery Fort. Two sailors were posted on the fort walls as guards. One night while I was on guard duty, I noticed a paper lantern on the hill. As a road was nearby I thought nothing of it, but this lantern did not move, and I was curious.
Down in the Fort I saw another lantern, and it seemed as they were signaling. The other guard had also noticed the lanterns; we could not leave our posts, but we agreed that it should be reported, so we fired one shot and the two lanterns disappeared. We imported two English speaking Chinese from Shanghai, and our officers are supposed to speak English.
The General had his own food brought from the village, and under the salt was found a note, telling the General to have patience and that help was on the way.
The General was transferred from the Fort to our ship, the Princess Wilhelm, and give a cabin in the officers quarters, while we prepared to meet the rescuing party, on our search for them. We had a few two-wheeled carts with wooden axles in the Fort. They were loaded with the few canned goods available at that time. A horse was hitched to the cart to carry our provisions; the wheels had no iron bands, but nails against wear, and was most unsafe. We had our Knapsack with our iron rations, blanket, canteen, and the gun with 120 cartridges to carry. The road was bumpy over the mountain and sometime so narrow that we had to walk single file. It was on one of those narrow places where the driver walks ahead of the horse that it happened. The axle broke, the cart upset, and down the mountain went horse and all. The rattle of the tin cans bumping from rock to rock was the last farewell. We had one of the English speaking Chinese with us as interpreter. We met a Chinese officer on horseback, and asked for the Generals band of rescuers, he professed ignorance. When told that he was not believed and would be arrested. When he told what he knew, he had to dismount, walk his horse and lead us to the defenders. I must not forget to report the loss of our second cart. Misery finds company. It was a long march till we found the Generals rescuers, they were on a hill in the Logan mountains and we were in the valley. The date was Dec. 1, 1897.
What a lot we had learned in those 18 days, since we landed. Our Navy officers tired of walking hired horses from the Chinese. They would not part from their animals, and hung on to their tails. It was a funny sight to see a trotting horse with the owner hanging on its tail while his own pigtail is waving in the wind. Our crew remained in the valley because the hill was too steep. The Kaiser crew would attack from the rear. When the Kaiser crew reached the top of the hill the Chinese began to run, and there was nothing left to shoot at. The casualties among our crew was a shot through a cork helmet, without injury to the skull beneath; another reported a shot in his knapsack, a third reported that his eyes were sore from a shot that hit the ground and caused dirt to fly in his eyes. But what about our enemies? The report was that we have 20 prisoners and about as many dead. What is to be done with prisoners when there is no jail ? The Captain of the Kaiser who had command of the expedition ordered that each prisoner be given 20 lashes on his bare hind-quarters, and then released. Next morning there were only 19 left, one decided not to wait for his reward from those white devils.
We were told to hunt our own night lodging and behave. My first night in a Chinese home, but I was not alone for reasons of safety. The Chinese family bed was an elevated platform about 4 feet high, 5 feet wide and about 8 feet long, made from clay, and could be heated. The fire door was close to the floor and the fire went through a tube back and forth rising. The family slept on top in their clothes they wore during the day. We slept on the dirt floor, the only difference was that they had the warmth from the fire. The 19 prisoners were ready to receive an example of German culture. It was all so simple, after their buttocks were exposed the prisoner was laid on a table, his hands and feet held by the victors, and two brutes delivered the strokes. You were not asked if you wish to inflict pain, neither were you asked if you approve. Your duty was to obey orders. Do you show how strong you are or is your hand guided by your heart. Suppose things were reversed? How would you like it? Orders are orders, but the force is with you. Those poor chinks! The two men ordered to do the whipping had more strength than brain. One two three four and so on to 20. Not a sound from the victims and off the table, they had their hands on their buttocks, and walked only half erect.
With a drama like this you could see the soul of our men by looking at their faces, I began to notice that men raised in a city had a different way of judging things and appeared to be more intelligent than those from rural districts.
One of those executioners who was rather proud of his deeds was rewarded later on board of ship in the dark of night. The battle was won, indemnity paid by 19 poor Chinese, and soon we were in Tsi Mo. This time we were housed in a temple. In the temple court were 10 rooms, five on each side, the front protected with wooden lattice. In back of each room was some God with grimace faces. Figures were made of wood, about life size and very natural. All 10 showed scenes of torture. One showed a man fastened to a wheel, with water under and fire over him. Another showed a man between two posts, with hands and feet tied to them. Two men were using a saw to cut him in two from his head down, the head had been sawed to the shoulder. In a third room a woman had a stick in each hand, and holding a baby over a fire. I don't remember all scenes and did not know the meaning.
Dog tired from the day's march and fighting Chinese, we laid on the temple floor, the knapsack was our pillow, and sound asleep when the alarm was sounded. A shot had been fired by a guard, and those first to respond found a sailor from the ship Kaiser on the ground and his throat cut from ear to ear.
Who had done this? Was it a Chinaman or one of our own men? But first, who was the victim? A hasty roll call showed that a sailor named Schulz was missing and had been on guard duty. Life was, and still is, cheap in China; they think less of the head of a Chinaman than you or I would over the head of a chicken.
Daylight came and our Chinese interpreter was told to inform the boss of the town that we want the murderer, or we burn the town. The boss told his police chief to bring in the murderer or lose his head. Soon there were suspects galore, and they too were put on a table and whipped like we had done, but this time we let the Chinamen do the beating. Before it was 20 strokes, now after a number of the victim was asked to confess, no answer, more beating. If he remained stubborn they would try another, but we did not want a confession from an innocent man. Finally one said that he did it. When asked why, he said that the sailor had raped his wife and had stolen his opium. When told that he was lying, because the sailor had been on guard duty, he said that he hated all the white devils. Still not convinced of his guilt, he was told to show how he did it. He said that he walked up to the guard, held his paper lantern up to his face, and it was then that he slit the sailors throat. He was to be shot the next morning, and was standing outside the wall surrounding the town when its boss sent words that if prisoner is shot, he will not go to heaven, and that he will have him beheaded. Request granted and murderer must die within 24 hours.
Leaving town we had to walk through a tower gate, and there from a wooden peg in the wall hung the head from this Chinese patriot on his pigtail, and Schulz's body was taken to Tsing Tao to be the first corpse in a new cemetery. Back we went to Tsing Tao over this desolate and treeless country.
I had hoped that now I could go back to my ship, but no such luck. Back to the Fort to again lay on the dirt floor with rats running over my face until Dec. 31. On New Year's day 1898 I finally had a clean body, a clean uniform and ate on a table again and slept in my own hammock. The General was gone, I did not know what happened to him and did not care.
Ships began to arrive from Germany with building material for a hospital, Bakery, and many things that were needed in a desolate place like this. Local help was hired, and the pay was 200 caesh a day. That caesh was a brass coin with a square hole, and their value was 1,000 for an American dollar I was told. They were fighting among themselves for an opportunity to work, and we were assigned as foremen. Each of us had about 20 men under our care. We were given revolvers during work hours and shore leave. One time I saw a lad of about 20 on his haunch in the middle of the street to dispose of his excrement. I tried to remonstrance about his bad manners, when his parents ran out of the house, went on their knees before me, bowed their heads to the ground, took his excrement in their hand and went back to the house.
We had not seen any women for a long time, they must have been concealed, and when we did see them they were as dirty as their mates, had very small feet, wore pants while men wore skirts, and white was the color for mourning.
To a sex starved sailor even a dirty woman looked attractive, and that included officers as we had learned. They did not know money, nor its value, and poverty and not lust was the reason that they offered their bodies, and gonorrhea was carried to the Prinzess Wilhelm to the despair of our Stabs arzt (ships doctor) and our Engineer.
Said the Engineer to the Dr. 'You have to do something and do it quick. I have now 26 of those dirty bums in the hammock under the bow deck (they were separated from the others), and if this keeps up, you and I will have to go to the fireroom to make steam'.
So the Doctor gave us another lecture, and told us that in the future houses with venereal women would be marked with the cross of St. Andrew (X) in blue color. Anyone caught in such a place will be severely punished. On shore leave the following Sunday we found that the only building not marked with the blue cross was the Temple and empty. But sex found a way and also a Watchman. I had promised my cousins to keep a diary and sent postcards from places that I visit, and was writing in my diary when the Boatswain announced the arrival of mail. The first since we landed in this town. Bag after bag was emptied and finally the last, but not a line for me. Only those who had similar experiences can understand my disappointment. Not a line from those big mouths in Nurnberg, and I started to send postcards from Port Said. I tore my diary into pieces and then overboard. With the mail came the news of the heroic deeds of our heroic boys in blue, very much exaggerated and mixed with lies.
The harmony among the crew was good and only those that endeared (themselves) with officers were shunned.
I found that I could learn more from those raised on the coast than others. I preferred to spend my time with them and they tolerated me. I did not know that many of them were trade unionists and socialists and they knew that I was as ignorant as a baby in such matters.
One day a friend from Hamburg said to me 'come to the starboard foredeck after Pfeifen and Lunten aus' (after lights out). The evening is spent mostly on deck, the crew is permitted to smoke, play cards, or chat. At 9 P.M. the order is all lights out, and the last order is Ruh im Schiff (quiet on board). After that we were only permitted if we kept quiet.
I went to starboard foredeck when a hand grabbed me by my leg and was told to sit down, and somebody put a bottle of beer into my hand. Whose birthday is this? Nobody's; but why the treat? Haven't you seen any papers from home? No, I had not. Well, they elected 57 socialists to the German Reichstag.
One night one of the two executioners that had beaten the Chinese crawled from the fireroom more dead than alive, when asked what had happened he said that all he knew was that a big canvas fell over his head, that he was quickly wrapped in and beaten without mercy. By the time he unwrapped himself he was alone and all was quiet. He did not know who hit him nor why, and no one else.
Our wash room had 14 basins, and there were about 40 of us to wash. It was important to be early to wash because those late for cleanliness inspection were scolded and often punished, while the mates claimed preference. If we could detain them, the late would be in time for inspection.
Where there is a will, there is a way, and a way was found. When a sailor or fireman was unable to perform his regular work, he was given "Leichten Dienst" (easy work) such as cleaning, or polishing brass, etc. When the crew came from watch they had their clothes box ready so that they could dress quickly. The one doing easy work was instructed to give a signal when the mates had their face full of soap, then one of his shoes will disappear through the porthole and into the sea.
When he came from the washroom, he will put on his underwear, socks, and pants, then find one shoe missing. He gives order to help find his shoe. There are many willing hands but the shoe could not be found. Now the mate was desperate, he has to report to the engineer about inspection and has only one shoe. The insolence he heaped on his underlings, he has to endure now in the presence of the crew. Was he not to be an example to others? Now his chances for advancement were poor. Big fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite them, and little fleas have lesser fleas, and so (on) ad infinitum. One more such incident and the mates were willing to wait until all had been washed before they report ready for inspections. Those Hamburg boys were much smarter than we from the Hinterland.
We are on our way to Chemulpo (Korea), it was not much of a place and after a few days we found ourselves in Yokohama again. We had been away from civilization for almost 5 months, and our 35 Pfenig a day ran better than 30 Mark. The first thing on shore leave is to have a few bottles of beer. Anhauser-Busch and Pabst from America were sold, and then to the beautiful Japanese girls.
The shore leave was 24 hours. A Japanese with his two wheeled cart pulled by him took us to the Venus Temple. I know that this is not the proper word, but I much dislike the word used by my christian brethren.
"What a place!" I wish that our Doctor and Engineer would come and see how heathen Japanese solve the problem of prostitution. If my christian brethren have a better solution than the Japs then let's have it. What do they do when a pretty girl arouses their desire? Ignore it? Not any more than a tramp can ignore his hunger when he sees a big juicy steak.
There was an arch over the entrance to the Venus Temple, electric illuminated at night. A wide street with houses on both sides, the girls were sitting in a show window, in front of them they had a lacquered box containing ashes and charcoal to light their pipes. The girls make motions to come in. The price of entertainment for a few hours is 50 cents and a Dollar for the night. After many bows from the owner, you point to the girl of your selection, she takes you to her room and both disappear behind the bamboo curtain. She shows you that she has a Japanese dress for you, if you desire to wear it. We wore these clothes when we went to town, consisting of a long coat with string, a straw hat, a Japanese pipe and tobacco pouch. The reason for this was we did not have to salute the officers when we met them on the street. Your lady makes motions to inquire if you care to go to town, and you will.
Outside the arch is a cubbyhole of a police station, occupied by a lonely cop. To him she goes to tell him that she will be absent with her escort for some time. How long? She does not know because he did not say, but she thinks it will be some time. There is a fine for her over-staying, small at first for short overstays, and (the) fine is increased for lengthy absence.
She will take you to the theatre street, there you can see acrobats, sword swallowers, snake charmers, and things you would not believe possible if they were not before your eyes. Yokohama was the only place where they had iron beds. All other places had the mattress on the floor. The Japanese lady is very proud of her hair, she sleeps with her head in a neck cushion and her hair does not touch the pillow.
At about 8 A.M. you are politely told that your time has expired, and that the lady is ready for her bath, and that you are welcome to come again if you so desire.
Once a week there is a compulsory exam by a Doctor. One time we had been to a public bath, and there were men, women, and children without a stitch of clothes on. The American Anthony Comstock who had put aprons on statues would have fainted to see such a sight. There are no psalm singing moralists, and no danger of gonorrhea and syphilis in Japan.
One day we were surprised with a typhoon in the harbor of Yokohama. We dragged our anchor and rubbed sides with a Japanese four mast ship. We had to spend all night on deck for fear of collision, the wind was so strong that we could not understand each other if we shouted in each others ear. Next morning we saw five Japanese fishing boats keel up on the sea wall.
Many Japanese came on board to offer their wares at prices we could not afford however reasonable. There was an artist who offered to paint our ship for 4 yen $2 embroider a set of flags German war and national flag American and English, Chinese and Japanese flags topped by the German eagle all for 4 yen on a piece of silk 24 by 30 inches. there was a painter who spoke slow but good German who offered to paint my photo on silk, he said in German that in order to make a good picture it is necessary to have the color of eyes and hair which photos don't show. When I asked him how long he had been in Germany, he said that he had not been there, but it was his wish to see it some day. He had learned his German in Yokohama. I was able to have my ship painted and to buy the set of flags.
One time two German sailors hired a horse that both wanted to ride; the Japanese tried to explain that a horse was only for one rider; after a discussion they pulled one rider off the horse polite but firm, and the two riders learned another lesson of the Japanese sense of decency.
One night we practiced torpedo shooting outside of Hakodate, when we noticed a fire shine in the sky coming from the city. After our torpedo had outrun his course, we hoisted torpedo and target onboard and returned to the city to offer assistance; firemen were sent ashore with long rakes to tear down walls, and help to bring women and children to places of safety. The houses were built like cigar boxes and could not be saved. When morning came the fire was under control and we returned to our ship with our rakes.
It was a beautiful Sunday months after when we again sailed into Hakodate, to be surrounded by dozens of sampans loaded with shouting and gesticulating people. They made motions to come ashore and we tried to make them understand that we have no passes, so they went to the deck officer of the watch. I don't know how they made it possible, but those who had been sent to fight the fire were given passes for shore leave. Most of the houses were rebuilt, and the people were splendid hosts. It was a little uncomfortable to sit with crossed legs on the floor, and not get much food into our mouths with the chopsticks, but we were not hungry, and enjoyed the hospitality of those splendid people.
Taking coal in Hakodate, I saw men and women working on the coal barges. I remember one woman in particular, she had her baby high on her back so that her weak breast reaches the baby's mouth and the coal basket on her head. How hard for some to earn their daily bread while others dwell in luxury.
It was near the end of April 1898 when we entered the dry-dock at Nagasaki, to clean our ship and overhaul the engines; when we received the news that the worlds most modern sea battle was fought between Spain and the United States of America, in the harbor of Manila.
Now we worked overtime to get our ship out of the dry-dock, and on to Manila. It was between the 10th and 15th of May when we entered Manila harbor to find ships of many nations.
The Spanish fleet had been sunk in Cavite, and the American fleet was also anchored there, which was to the right facing the city. There were English ships, Japanese, French, Austrian, and other countries. A few days after our arrival we heard a rumor that the United States demanded a search of neutral nations ships. The commanders of the neutral fleet held a meeting, presided by a German because he was highest in rank, and at that meeting it was decided not to submit to a search because it would be a breach of trust. We lifted anchor and after a short trip we were anchored near a village called Mariveles, near the island of Coregidor, and prepared our ship to be ready for battle.
Ventilators were unscrewed from the deck and stored in the cofferdams, the wooden stair to the bridge was replaced by a rope ladder, chain tackles were hung on funnels, and asbestos sheets attached to them to be hoisted in case funnel was damaged to insure draft, life boats were swung out on davits to be dropped, etc. To our amazement we saw bodies floating in the tide, arms and legs missing. Were those Americans or Philipinos? And who mutilated them? We soon found out by seeing a big shark turning on his back to tear a leg from a corpse floating less than a hundred feet from our ship.
One night we were sailing along the coast, giving search light signals which were answered after midnight. It was our ship the Cormoran we were hunting for, and found. We sailed into Manila harbor again with all our ships. Our instructions were: if signaled to stop, don't stop, if warning shot is fired ignore it, but shoot when attacked.
We were not given any schnapps as in Tsing Tao, and we wished to be in any other place but here; but after watching those sharks, we thought being on deck was still better than the Bay.
We followed the flagship Kaiser in keel line, watching for the anchor flag, when we saw smoke coming from Cavite, where the American fleet was. That smoke was from a ship, and that ship was the American gunboat Petrel; it crossed our keel line and paid no attention to us. At last we saw the anchor flag from the Kaiser, to prepare to anchor, which we did almost on the same spot we left.
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