The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-19

performance of the Roddam's captain
was most wonderful and the more SO
when l saw his pitiful condition. I do
not understand how he kept up: yet,
when the steamer arrived at ST. Lucia
anG medical assistance was procured,
this brave man asked the doctors TO at
tend to the others first and refused to
be treated until this was done.
MY Interview with the captain brought
out this account. / left him I'm good
spirits and receiving every comfort. The
sight OF his face would frighten any one
not prepared to see IT. We sailed from
81. Lucia on the morning OF May H. and
at o'clock In the afternoon passed the
Island OF Martinique. The weather was
perfectly clear. and we had a good view
or that part of the island which had sur
fcred by the volcanic eruption few days
before. The formation of the island IS
quite altered, and the whole northern
part, where the town OF st. Pierre once
stood, is covered with a mass of ashes
and lava.
AT about 2:30 O'Clock, as the Etona was
passing the island. a tremendous upshoot
OF smoke and dust took place and in a
rev moments the ship was covered with
fine dust. like cement. We were about
three miles distant from the island at the
time. The ships engines were put un-
der full speed. and for a time consid-
an hour or two the ship was covered with
dust and enveloped in a thick cloud and
the air was filled with sulphur fumes. II
must have been another eruption, and
the dust must have been sent a great dis
tance in the air, because II travelled
against the wind and at tremendously
rapid rate.
DUST COVERED THE DECKS.
The Lamport and Holt steamer Horace
also arrived yesterday from Santos. Rio
that before the ship arrivel at ST Lucia
dust began falling In an unaccountable
manner This was on the morning Of
May s. During the day there was a
heavy thunder and lightning storm. The
dust became so dense that the crew were
obliged 10 turn their backs 10 II.
At one time the dust covered the decks
t. the depth Of three inches. When the
dust was first noticeable the ship was 12s
miles from Barbados Capt Byne said
Lucia very little was known OF the de-
tails OF the disaster.
A dispatch from Forte de France says
late Saturday night. by which time the
city and shipping In the roadstead were
covered TO considerable depth repe-
tition OF the shower was threatened this
morning, when the crater was covered by
huge volumes of smoke. This afternoon
the outlook is brighter. and the general
panicky feeling that prevailed Is SUBJ
siding.
THANKS TO AMERICA.
The people of the United States are sin
cereiy thanked for the prompt assistance
rendered the volcano sufferers. 1t says
that the fear of n famine is groundless.
steamer arrived yesterday bringing
large supply OF food. and others were ex.
pected TO arrive very soon. The Ameri.
can cruiser Cincinnati has left for st.
Pierre.
Joseph Marie, the man who escaped
from st. Pierre, was In prison there when
the disaster occurred. He survived four
days in his cell without food. He was
horribly burned, but is expected to re-
cover.
Paul Merwaert, a painter who was max
ing tour of the islands, was the last
tourist who mounted the volcano. He
made remarkable sketches OF it's trans
formation. In a letter written before his
death he said THE crater. perhaps. has
not said its last word"
In another letter. written on May 8, the
day OF the disastrous eruption, he said:
THE mountain is on fire. The earth Is
trembling slightly. Everybody Is de-
manding to know where there Is safety.
This town is covered with a powder-like
cement. Desperate efforts TO reach the
heights south OF Mont Pelee were un-
avaling. Horses refused to stir"
New craters are forming In the neigh
borhood of lie Precheur. In spite Of the
danger which threatens them. concludes
the dispatch. the refugees from the north
ern part of the island are beginning to re-
turn TO their homes.
IL is rumored that the town of St Marie
Is on fire. but nothing reliable can be
learned from the windward