The _Don Juan de Austria_ was the centre of the heaviest fire, and suddenly a part of the deck flew upward in the air, carrying with it scores of dead and wounded.

A shot had exploded one of her magazines, and at the sight of the awful results Admiral Montojo threw up his arms in despair.

The crew refused to leave the blazing ship, and cursing and praying they went down with her.

Then the _Castilla_ burst into one mass of roaring flame, and the rest of the defeated fleet skurried down the long narrow isle behind Cavite.

Others dashed up a small creek, where they grounded, and those that were left ran ashore.