A dozen glasses were focussed upon the sign at once. Sure enough, stretched upon the terrace there lay a human sign, made up of sailors or naval cadets in white. It took three mens' length to make the height of a single letter. Two men were required for the top and the bottom of the letter O. These men must not have been entirely comfortable for they lay there fully an hour, but the sign was as immobile as if it were made of stone. That compliment touched the kindly feeling of every one on the ships. It made a sensation. No one had ever seen anything like that. There was no way of answering it in kind, as you can in saluting; you could only look at it in dumb amazement and feel grateful. You were glad then that the compliment had been paid to Admiral Simpson of allowing him to lead the fleet in with his little cruiser--no Chilean naval officer ever had such a post of honor--and all the ships took keen notice of the signal from the flagship to fire a simultaneous salute of twenty-one guns when notice should be given. As the fleet turned in the glasses revealed a large collection of ships, some of them old whalers, lying in the harbor. Grand stands had been built on various eminences for the people and hundreds of white parasols showed that the fair sex was alive to the great sea-show. Half an hour before the fleet approached the harbor it was noticed that a great canopy of blue sky rested over it. Out where the fleet was it was still lowering. Abreast of Fort Valdivia the fleet emerged into the sunshine and stood clearly revealed. Every ship had a bright new American ensign at its gaff and foretruck. At every main there was a Chilean ensign. A fresh breeze started up and blew the ensigns out proudly. Nature helped dress the ships in their best. Around Point Angeles the Connecticut swept slowly and majestically. She got well inside the harbor and was almost abeam of Duprat Point when a set of flags fluttered to the signal yards. They said: "Prepare to salute!" The flags hung there until all the answering pennants were shown and then they wavered an instant as they began to fall, and at once the sixteen battleships roared out a salvo such as no one in Chile had ever heard before. The effect of the thunder was electric. The wind fortunately blew the smoke away from the ships. People on the shore were seen to jump and run. All along the shore line below Fort Valdivia they began to race back toward the city and harbor by the thousands. It was literally a stampede. Great clouds of dust engulfed them and partly hid them from view. It made those on the ships laugh. "The town has gone out too far and now has to run back," they said.