4 2 



VIKINGS OF TO-DAY 



battered, and discarded at intervals, served to en- 

 hance the sense of general desolation. 



From the harbour the first appearance suggested 

 the ruins of Pompeii, for the wooden houses of 12,000 

 people had gone up in smoke, leaving only rows of 

 blackened and scorched pillars rising from the 

 charred debris. On closer inspection, however, the 

 illusion was dispelled, for the pillars proved to be 

 tottering brick chimneys, with two or three half- 

 destroyed fire-grates above one another, the whole 

 being topped by most prosaic cracked chimney-pots. 

 Queer things had happened in the general panic. 

 Patients who had lain in bed for years "arose and 

 ^walked." Barrels of dry goods were rolled pell-mell 

 into the harbour, whence they were subsequently 

 fished out. Merchants gave general leave to by- 

 standers to save what they liked from their shops. 

 Church pews were packed with heterogeneous goods 

 and chattels, which only served to add to the con- 

 flagration when the sanctuary itself fell a victim 

 to the all-devouring flames. Title deeds, recent 

 enactments of parliament, ledgers, valuable manu- 

 scripts, were destroyed in scores ; while, as the fire 

 occurred just before tea-time, thousands found them- 

 selves houseless, hungry, dusty and " smoke-dried ' 

 by morning. To meet these sudden needs every 

 available building was thrown open for shelter, 

 while weak tea and light refreshments were served 

 out, in every variety of pot, kettle, and cauldron 

 available, by cabinet ministers from the steps of the 



