CHAPTER XIV. 



MARTINIQUE. 



On December 18th, 1903, the " Valhalla " sailed 

 from Cowes for the Canary Islands, en route to the 

 West Indies. 



On 5th February, 1904, we dropped anchor at 

 Port de France, which has been, since the 

 destruction of St. Pierre, the principal harbour 

 of Martinique. Our object was to obtain permis- 

 sion from the Governor to visit the ruins of St. 

 Pierre, which was destroyed by an earthquake 

 on 8th May, 1902. 



It may be well to mention that the destruction 

 wrought by the volcanic eruptions at Martinique 

 and St. Vincent was not nearly so complete as 

 many appear to think. It seems to be supposed 

 that these islands suffered to such an extent 

 that their pecuUar species of birds became extinct 

 at the time of the volcanic disturbances. This 

 is not so, for in both islands the only damage 

 done was in the immediate vicinity of the 

 volcanoes ; thus, on St. Vincent only a very small 

 portion of the country has been destroyed; the 



