The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-08


ing the wreck of St. Pierre as we saw 1t
that day could escape the impression that
somewhere among the elements that con-
tributed to its destruction was that of a
terrific explosive force.
We reached section Of the city which
the force of men engaged on previous days
in gathering and burning the dead. had not
touched. The bodies lay as thick as sheaves
in wheatfeld newly harvested. St Pierre
had been compactly built and densely pop
ulated. Had her population been alive a
bugle call sounded on a still night from the
point to which we penetrated. could have
been heard by all of them. No great battle
field of any war ever contained within
such limits such a harvest of death. Had
the Rue de Victor Hugo been a running
stream. and dead bodies stepping stones
we could have traversed II for blocks dry
shod.
A GREwsOME SCENE.
Revolving though they were. these bodies
excited interest that was little short of
fascination. They were of all sizes from
the proportions Of full maturity to the di-
mensions of infancy We knew this one
was woman because she had knot Of
charred hair at the back of her head. We
knew this one was a girl and had been OF
the patrician type for the reason that her
feet were incased in charred pair Of high
heeled French shoes. Beyond this there
were few marks of classification or identii-
cation. for the bodies were hopelessly
charred and blackened. A strange similar
ity or uniformity marked the shapes and
positions IN which the bodies lay. Some
were on their faces and some on their
backs, but almost without exception their
arms formed three-quarters of a circle
above their heads. Legs and feet also were
contorted, and had one of them been placed
in erect position the toes Of one foot
would have touched those of the other, but
the heels would have turned out almost al
right angles. 1 was strikingly reminded of
pictures 1 had seen of bodies taken from
the ruins of Pompeii.'
There is an intense sense OF depression
in the presence of a mighty calamity, and
we stayed close together. Aside from the
four of us there not a soul within sight
or call. Besides there was no knowing
what might come at any instant from the
direction of the volcano. The admonition
of Captain Mccormick relative to loot had
caused US to pass by the numberless things
which, while of absolutely no intrinsic
value, would yet have made intensely inter-
esting souvenirs of the stricken city. had
picked up a saber bayonet that had evident
ly been the weapon of a French soldier
doing police duty, and resolving TO save II
# possible, L had had Phelps poke it down
my trousers leg, the frock of my coat con-
cealing the handle. We entered a house
that seemed to have been a residence. In
one of the lower rooms were three dead
bodies. A stairway led to an upper story.
and Phelps and myself ascended Two
shelves of books that by some strange
chance had escaped the ravages Of the
flames engaged my attention, while Phelps
penetrated to another apartment 1 took
out book haphazard. 1t was a compila-
ton of funeral orations in French. On the
inside of the cover was a rough sketch of
feminine figure, such as a school girl
would draw. On the fly leaf was girls
name which do not now recall. and under
it in a girlish hand '19OO-1sO1, rhetorique,"
and knew that held in my hand the text
book or the reference book of st. Pierre
school girl.
My Investigations got no further, for at
that instant a low rumble like a distant
train smote our ears. At the same instant
tomac in the roadstead, let go her siren
whistle with effect that was little short
OF blood curdling. AS Phelps came out of
the room he had entered, his face a shade
paler. the Potomac's deep bass whistle bel
lowed an accompaniment to the scream of
the Indefatigable. We were down stairs
and out in the street in an instant. One
glance in the direction of Mont Pelee re-
vealed a situation that to us seemed fraught
with deadly peril, for the volcano was in
full eruption.
HURDLE RACE FOR THE BEACH
Not word was uttered, but we tore
away for the landing. like quarter horses.
1t was hurdle race over big stones, sec
tions of fallen walls and dead bodies. My
saber bayOnet was a serious impediment,
and I was fourth man in the stretch, but
even with this handicap 1 was no laggard,
and at no stage of the race could the dis
tance flag have been dropped on me. We
reached the beach where the course was
easier. and where we got an accession of
the courage that comes from increased
numbers, for we overlook and passed the
convoy under Lieutenant Miller with the
remains of Consul Prentis. His party had
remained in the face of the first slight
eruption that had chased us out, and he
had accomplished the mission to which he
had been assigned.
A glance backward showed no abatement
of the seriousness of the situation, for that
fearful wall of smoke was steadily ascend
ing and advancing. The whistle of the Po-
tomac continued TO roar as we painted along
the beach, and the Indefatigable was going
10 sea as fast her big engines could
drive her. One of the two rowboats from
the Potomac had pulled off from the shore,
but the other awaited our arrival. BY this
time the situation appeared so critical to
Lieutenant Miller that at his order the pail
bearers dropped the box containing the re-
mains of Consul Prentis and he and his
men joined in the mad race for life The
young officer in charge of the waiting boat
refused TO take chances on Bleaching her,
and there was nothing but to go through
the surf TO her. We were up to our necks in
water when we were dragged aboard, and
/ eight pair OF young arms put as much
/ steam into eight oars as was ever develop
/ ed in a Yale-Harvard contest. The Poto-
mac was already moving when we came
I