Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1902-05-23
THAN POMPE1I.
10000 People Perished in the
Terrible Eruption at
st. Pierre. ".
1t Was Like witnessing the End
of the World.

1t Was Like witnessing the End
of the World. ..
| Many accounts of the terrible VOL
canic eruption on the island of Martin
ique have been published, but we be.
lieve the following statement of Cap.
tain freeman of the British ship
that escaped from the hell Of fire and
birthstone, is the most graphic we have
seen:
St. Lucia British West Indies, May
1.-THE steamer Roddam, Of which !
am captain, left st. Lucia at midnight
Of May Z. and was of st. Pierre, Mar.
Unique, at o'clock on the morning of
the 18th. noticed that the volcano
Mount Pelee. was smoking, and crept
slowly in towards the bay, finding
there. among others, the steamer Ro'
raima, the telegraph repairing steamer
Grappler and four sailing vessals. A
wall of fire swept over the town and
the bay. The Roddam was struck
broadside by the burning mass. The
shock to the ship was terrible, nearly
capsizing her. .-.
went to anchorage between, seven
and eight, and had hardly moved when
the side Of the volcano opened out with
terrible explosion. Hearing the aw'
full report Of the explosion, and seeing
tho great wall Of fame approaching
the steamer, those on deck sought
shelter wherever it was possible. and
Jumping into the cabin, the forecastle
land even into the hold. I was in the
chartroom. but the burning embers
were borne by 90 swifta movement OF
the air that they were swept in
through the door and portfolios, suffo-
eating me badly. .-.. ..
l was terribly burned by. these en-
bers about tho face and hands, but
managed 70 reach the deck. As soon
as it was possible when there I must
cred the few survivors who seemed
able to move. ordered them to slip the
anchor, leaped for the bridge and rang
the engine for full speed astern. The
second and third engineer and fire.
man were on watch below, and 60 es.
capped injury. They did their part in
the attempt to escape, but the men on
deck could not work the steering gear
because it was jammed by the debris
from the volcano.
We accordingly went ahead and as.
tern until the gear was free, but in this
RUNNING backward and forward it
was two hours after the first shock be-
fore We were clear Of the bay.
The atmosphere was charged with
ashes. The sun was completely obs
cured. and the air was only illumina-
ted by the flames from the volcano and
those Of the burning town and ship.
ping. 1t seemed small to say that the
scene was terrifying in the extreme.
As We backed out we passed close to
the Roraima, which was one mass of
blaze. The steam was rushing from
the engine room, and the screams of
Of those on board were terrible to hear.
The cries for help were all in vain, for
we could do nothing but save my own
ship. When I last saw the Roraima
she was settling down at the stern.
That was about 10 o'clock in the morn
ing. 4
When the Roddam was safely out Of
the harbor Of st. Pierre and it's desola-
tions and horrors, made for St. Lucia.
Arriving here, and when the ship was
safe, mustered the survivors as we'll
as I was able and searched for the dead
and Injured. Some I found in the sa.
loon, where they had vainly sought for
safety, but cabins were full of burn.
| ing embers that had blown in through
the portfolios. Through these the fire
swept as through tunnels and burned
the victims where they lay or stood,
leaving a circular imprint of scorched
and burned flesh. I brought ten on
deck who were thus burned. Two of
them were dead, the others survived,
although in dreadful state of torture
from their burns. Their screams of
agony were heartrending. Out of a
total of twenty three on board the Rod
dam, which includes the captain and
the crew, ten are dead and several are
in the hospital. My first and second
mates, my chief engineer and my sup.
ercargo, Campbell by name, were
killed. The ship was covered from
stem to stern with tons of powdered
lava, which retained its heat for hours
after it had fallen. In many cases it
was practically incandescent, and to
move about the deck was not only diff.
cult, but absolutely perilous.