and put our more gaudily equipped enemies to ignominious flight. And that
is what we were there for.

[Illustration: The Military Hospital, Mayaguez.]

In the early part of the afternoon we went into camp about a mile and a
half outside the city lines, and the main body remained here until August
13. The camping-ground was a bad one, lying as it did in a bowl formed by a
circle of low hills; and it was soaked and spongy to a degree approaching
absolute swampiness. As we were not allowed to go into the city, we
grudgingly sat still, and chanted our misery to the unresponsive
wilderness, getting our feet wet and gathering the frolicsome malaria germ
by way of interlude.

On the evening of our arrival a transport steamed into the bay, having on
board the First Kentucky Volunteers, who for some weeks afterward were
quartered in the town, doing provost duty and breaking hearts. Later on we
came to know them well; and, when they marched away to Ponce, we missed
them sadly. They had lots of money, and they spent it freely. We of the
regular brigade had not been paid for three months.

* * * * *

Mayaguez is a darling little city on the western coast of Puerto Rico,--a
place of lattices, balconies, and walled-in gardens ablaze with blossoms.
Behind it lies a semicircle of green hills, and before it is the laughing
sea. Columbus touched here in one of his earlier voyages, and historical
associations have been accumulating ever since.

It is the third largest town on the island, having a population of 25,000,