484 
DRS. T. ANDERSON AND J. S. FLETT ON THE ERUPTIONS OF THE 
degrees above the normal for the time of year. The wood deck of the “ Roraima ” 
was set on fire; the “ Roddam ” had iron decks, and was lying further to the south, 
in the quarantine station. Some of the crew of the “ Tereso Lobico ” also escaped. 
The rigging of the sliijDS, where it was not cut away by the blast, was charred or set 
on fire by the heat of the dust. 
It does not appear that the smell of burning sulphur was overpowering as in the 
black cloud at St. Vincent. There it was noticed by all; but in Martinique 
comparatively few of the survivors mentioned it. The hot dust entered nose, and 
mouth, and throat, and some stuffed their caps in their mouths to prevent getting- 
burnt in the respiratory j^assages. They had great difficulty in breathing, and felt 
choked; some noticed a gentle return current, which brought fresh air and relief to 
the suffering. The burns on the bodies of those least severely injured were often 
beneath their clothes, which had not been ignited or destroyed. In the north end of 
the town the corpses were superficially charred ; their clothing had often entirely 
disappeared. It is probable that in many cases death was instantaneous, though 
many of the stories which were printed in the papers as to the attitudes in which 
the bodies were found are not worthy of credit. 
The Effects of the Eruptions on St. Pierre and its Vicinity. 
We visited St. Pierre in the beginning of July, 1902, and are able to confirm 
from our own observations the majority of the facts already described by Mr. Hill, 
Professor Russell, and the French Commissioners. Before we arrived much time 
had elapsed, and the eruptions of May 20th, 28th, and June 6th had added their quota 
to the sum of destruction. Moreover, the city had for 36 hours after the first eruption 
been the scene of a gigantic conflagration. The piles of coal on the wharves still 
smoked when we were there. No good evidence is yet available of its condition when 
the first blast bad finished its deadly work, except, perhaps, the reports furnished by 
the relief party, who went from Barbados under Mr. Newton, the Colonial Secretary.'" 
We have also some photograjihs taken on May 14th by Mr. Poyer, of Barbados. 
These show that the eriqition of the 20th had finished the destruction of the cathedral 
and demolished many houses, weakened as they must have been by the fire which 
consumed the city. In the north end of the city, across the Riviere Roxelane, all 
houses were levelled with the ground, except wliere they stood below the bluff which 
forms the river’s bank and faces the sea. Everything was burnt up, all vegetation 
gone, but the copper telejihone wires were not fused, and objects of metal were little 
affected by the direct heat of the blast. Those, of course, which were within the 
houses showed more alteration, but nothing that might not reasonably have been 
attributed to the action of the conflagration. 
* Blue Book : ‘ Correspondence relating to the Volcanic Eruptions in St. Vincent and Martinique in 
May, 1902,’ p. 47. 
