CARTHAGO DELETA EST 485 



who took the baby out through the window and then helped 

 the parents out, they also escaped unhurt. Three other 

 maids were imprisoned in the kitchen by the falling of the 

 walls and it took an hour's work to liberate them. Unfor- 

 tunately Mr. Weldon was hit across the back by a beam and 

 was very sick all night. The boiler connections burst and 

 flooded the kitchen fire, putting it out instantly, by great 

 good fortune. 



The streets were full of terror-stricken people, but it was 

 remarkable that on this night, with infinitely greater cause, 

 there was much less hysteria and excitement than on April 

 13. Everyone seemed stunned and crushed, and even from 

 the wounded there was little screaming. Of the full extent 

 of the catastrophe we were of course ignorant until morning. 

 The streets were dark, there was no moon and too much 

 cloud for the starlight to have any eifect at all. We could 

 see that all the shops opposite were demolished, we knew 

 the whole interior of the hotel was absolutely wrecked, we 

 could make out that a shop on the lower corner of our square, 

 "El Irazu," was also in ruins, and as this was the best-built 

 part of Cartago, with the thickest, strongest walls, we could 

 imagine what the rest of the town must be like. 



It soon began to mist and rain and be very cold. As our 

 closet was immediately by the window, P. climbed into the 

 room and brought our warmest wraps and blankets. Others 

 did the same. Some knocked in the parlor windows and 

 handed out couches and chairs. The big doors opening 

 into a passage where firewood was stored were battered in, 

 wood brought out and a fire built in the street. Owing to 

 the lack of combustible material in these houses there was 

 little danger of fire and although the police warned us to 

 keep it low — which of course we would have done in any 

 case — they made no further objection to it. On the con- 

 trary they came to it frequently during the night to warm 



