Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-05-17
STORY OF EYE WITNESS.
Shore Was In Flames and the Ocenn
Like q CaldrOn.

Like a Caldron.
James Taylor, who was one Of the
officers Of the Roraima, the Quebec line
steamship that was destroyed In the
harbor of st. Pierre, gives a graphic
story Of the tragedy Of last Thursday
says a dispatch to The Herald from ST.
Kits, Island Of St. Christopher. B.
w. I.
I'VE experienced the greatest difficult
ty in getting into port said he. "Ap-
palling sounds were issuing from the
mountains behind the town, which was
shrouded in darkness. All the passen-
gers were up and some were trying to
obtain photographs.
Suddenly I heard tremendous ex'
plosion. Ashes began to fall thicker
upon the deck and I could see a black
cloud sweeping down upon us. I diveo
below. and dragging with me Samuel
Thomas. a gangway man and fello"
countryman, sprang into a room, shut
ting the door to keep out the heat that
was already uHUedIdUiS.
1.-THE ship rocked and I expected
every moment that 1t would sink. Out
side I heard a voice pleading for the
door to be opened. 1t was Scott. the
first officer, and I opened the door and
dragging him into the room.
1T soon became unbearably hot and
I went on deck. All about were lying
the dead and the dying. Little children
were moaning for water. I did what
could for them. obtained water; bu,
when it was held to their swollen lips
they were unable to swallow, because
of the ashes which clogged theil
throats. One little chap took water ir
this method and rinsed out the ashes
but even then could not swallow, sc
badly was his throat burned. He sank
back unconscious and a few minutes
later was dead.
"All aft the ship was aflre, and from
the land came draughts of terrible
heat. At last, when could stand 1t nc
longer I sprang overheard. The watel
was hot enough to parboil me; but g
wave soon swept in from the ocean
bringing with it cool water.
II was caught in the receding wave
which was of tidal velocity, and wa;
carried out to sea. Then on the return
of the second wave I was washed
against an overturned sloop, to which
I clung. A few minutes later, I wa:
Joined by another man. whom I learned
was Captain Muggah, of the Roraina
He was in deadful agony and kept beg
ging piteously to be put on board nj:
ship.
picking up some wreckage and
tool chest, I and five others who joine
me, succeeded in forming a rude raft
on which we placed the captain. See
ing an upturned boat, I asked one o
the five to swim out to it and bring Y
over so that Captain Muggah might
have an opportunity to live. The mar
succeeded in getting the boat righted
but instead of returning he picked vi
two of his countrymen and went away
| in the direction OF Fort de france.
Seeing the Roddam, which had ar
rived in port soon after we anchored
making for the Roraima, said goodoS
to Captain Muggah and swan to the
Roddam. Before I could reach her She
burst into flames and put out to sea
l finally reached the Roraima abou
hole poet Q o'clnok In tha a afternoon an(
later was taken off by the cruiser
Suchet."
Samuel Thomas, the gangway man
whose life was saved by Taylor, de-
scribes a woman who was burned tt
death while she held her baby in hel
arms, protecting it with her own body
from the fire that filled the air. The
child was alive long after it's mother
had ceased to suffer.