there was very general disappointment when it was learned that the Spanish fleet could not be found.

The uncertainty of its whereabouts created no little uneasiness in many quarters. Alarm was felt along the New England coast, for one rumor had it that the Spaniards had gone northward, had been seen off the coast of Novia Scotia and evidently intended the bombardment of coast towns along the New England shores. Another theory was that bearing to the south Cervera would appear off Key West, bombard that place and other southern ports used as places for the massing of United States forces. But the more general fear was that either the whole Spanish fleet or a considerable portion of it had gone south with a view of intercepting the splendid United States battleship Oregon, which for some weeks had been making its way from San Francisco via Cape Horn, to reinforce our Atlantic fleet, and which was about this time due in West Indian waters.

But all these fears were allayed by reports, which from their source could seem not to be otherwise than true, to the effect that the Spanish fleet had returned to Cadiz! No less a personage than our minister to England, Mr. Hay, cabled assurances to the authorities at Washington, under date of May 10th, that from private sources of information he knew Admiral Cervera's fleet of ironclads was then in plain view in the harbor of Cadiz.

That information was evidently accepted as beyond question, and military operations were planned with reference to that supposed condition. Increased activity was apparent in preparing the forces already massed to invade Cuba. Preparations were made to land twenty thousand troops in Cuba and there was to be a concerted land and naval attack upon Havana. Havana. But soon these plans, for the present, at least, were to be abandoned. The story of Cervera's return to Cadiz was fraudulent. On the 13th of May it was definitely learned that his fleet had stopped the day before at the French island of Martinique, where he had taken on a fresh supply of coal, put himself in communication with his government, learned the whereabouts of Admiral Sampson's and Schley's fleets, and again disappeared. He was next heard of at the island

of Curacao on the 15th of May. Curacao is an island owned by the Dutch, some six hundred miles west from Martinique and a little to the south. It is but fifty miles from the coast of Venezuela. Here he obtained a moderate supply of coal, and again disappeared, though it was reported that he was still sailing westward.

Meantime interesting affairs were taking place both in Spain and America. Some of the American gun boats in that part of the fleet left to keep up the blockade of Havana and other northern Cuban ports, appeared to have too great a contempt for Spanish gunners. On the 12th of May two gun boats and a torpedo boat, respectively, the Wilmington, Hudson and Winslow, while on scout duty in the evening ran within range of the shore batteries and Spanish gun boats at Cardenas, which opened fire on them. The Winslow was disabled. Ensign Worth Bagley and four sailors were killed; and Lieutenant Bernadou and two others were wounded. The other vessels bravely remained under the heavy fire of both the batteries and the Spanish gun boats until they could tow away the disabled Winslow.

The same date (May 12th) Admiral Sampson, who had gone east with his fleet of battle ships and cruisers to intercept Cervera's squadron, not finding him, incidentally ordered part of his fleet to bombard the batteries defending San Juan, Puerto Rico. The attack lasted about three hours, and resulted in much damage to the batteries and a portion of the city. The Americans lost two men killed and several wounded.

From the commencement of our difficulties with Spain, England had manifested a very friendly disposition towards the United States, and had several times refused to join with the European powers in schemes of intervention. On the evening of the 13th of May, in the course of a speech at Birmingham, England, Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, colonial secretary in the British Cabinet, declared that war while terrible, would be "cheaply purchased if in a great and noble cause the stars and stripes and the union jack should wave together over an Anglo-Saxon Alliance." This speech created considerable excitement and was very generally condemned

by the European press; but the secretary was never called to account by his ministerial colleagues for what might very justly be regarded as a rash, not to say reprehensible remark for a man holding his position. Subsequently he stated, in response to inquiries of the opposition, that he had nothing

to retract.

During these days Spain was threatened with revolution at home. On the 15th the Spanish cabinet resigned and the next day Senor Sagasta formally handed its resignation to the queen regent, but was immediately charged with the duty of forming a new ministry. In the new ministry formed Senor Sagasta was, of course, premier; Leon y Castillo, minister for foreign affairs, up to this time Spanish minister at Paris; Lieutenant-geneal Crorrea was made minister of war; Senor Annon, minister of marine; Senor Romero Gisor, minister of the colonies; Senor Lopaz Puigcerver, minister of finance; Senor F. R. Capdepon, minister of the interior; Senor C. Groizard, minister of justice, and Senor Gamazo, minister of public instruction. Senor Castillo declined the position tendered him by the government, and Duke Almodovar del Rio accepted the position of minister of foreign affairs in his place. It was at once announced that the policy of the new ministry would be to push the war with America more vigorously than the former cabinet had done.

REFLECTIONS AT SEA.

See how beneath the moonbeam's smile
Yon little billow heaves its breast;

It foams and sparkles for a while,

And, murmuring, then subsides to rest.

So man, the sport of bliss and care,
Rises on Time's eventful sea,
And having sweil'd a moment there,
Thus melts into eternity.

MOORE.

FRAGMENT TRUTHS THROUGH NORTHERN

MISTS.

BY JOHN THORGEIRSON.

The famous Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson when telling about where the Scandinavians came from says, among other things: "Northward of the Black Sea lies Svithiod the Great, (which is the ancient Sarmatia, and Scythia Magna, and formed the great part of European Russia). On the north side of the mountains which lie outside of all inhabited lands runs a river through Svithiod which is called Tanaquisl. (which is the present Don river that empties into the Sea of Azov).

"The country east of Tanaquisl in Asia was called Asaland, and the chief city in that land was called Asgard, (which is thought by some to be the present Assor; while others think that it is the Chasgar in the Caucassian ridge, called by Strabo Aspargum). It was the custom there that twelve templepriests should both direct the sacrifices and also judge the people. Their office continuing hereditary throughout the heathen period of Norse history. The name of the chief of that city was Odin, and it was his custom when he sent his men into a battle, or on any expedition, that he first laid his hands upon their heads, and called a blessing down upon them, and then they believed their undertaking would be successful."

According to ancient history, it was before Pompey the Great, Odin and his people were forced to leave their city Asgard, and their lands, and fly northward till they came to the present Sweden, which they called Svithiod, which sig

nifies the land of the Omnipresent. The chief city that they built there was called Sigtuna, a city in the same province as Stockholm. There Odin enacted new laws, introducing the customs of his own country, establishing there a supreme council, or tribunal, composed of twelves judges. Their business was to watch over the public weal, distribute justice to the people, to preside over the new worship, and to preserve faithfully the religious secrets that he deposited with them. He levied a tax on every man throughout the land, but engaged on his part to defend the inhabitants against all their enemies, and to defray the expense of warships rendered to the gods. Before dying he called his men before him, and told them he was going to the heavenly abode, Asgard, which means the home of the First One, where he would welcome them. It was customary to call all great leaders Odin.

I shall now briefly go over the chief items of belief of those our forefathers who came from the borders of the Mediterranean and there round about, and shall make a literal translation thereof from Snorri Sturluson's Younger Edda, except where I am, because of the space, compelled to condense it.

The greatest of all the gods lives in the highest heaven, but his name must not be mentioned. All-Father is the oldest and greatest of the gods of this earth, but in Asgard he had these twelve names (which translated into English are the following): 1. The Allwise. 2. The Lord of Men. 3. Creator. 4. Lord of Hosts. 5. Lord of Victory. 6. One who Causes Assembling. 7. One who can Keep Himself unseen. 8. Lord of the Prophets. 9. Omnipresent King. God of the Universe. 11. Protector. 12. God of the Peaceful.

10.

He lives from everlasting to everlasting, rules over all his realm, and governs all things great and small. He made the heaven and the earth, the air, and all things in them. What is most important, he made man, and give him spirit, which shall live, and never perish. Though the body may turn to dust, or burn to ashes, all who live a life of virtue shall dwell with him in Gimbi (the highest heaven); but the wicked shall go down to the lowest and ninth world, where they shall suffer the most horrid tortures without end."