ux Dieu had been destroyed by shell fire.
Mortsel was practically obliterated by the Belgians clearing the range
for the guns of the inner forts. In the preparation for defense the
Belgians destroyed upward of ten thousand buildings within a radius of
twenty miles.

The exodus of the civil population began in earnest on October 8, 1914.
Some of the streets in the heart of the city were choked with people,
while other streets in the same vicinity were dead and deserted. The
withdrawal of the troops was well screened from the German guns, but
their retreat to the west had been cut off to a great extent, and
Holland was now the only refuge for many. The Germans did not use their
heaviest guns and high-explosive shells in bombarding the city.

During this terrible time, in utter darkness and confusion, crowds
amounting to many thousands--men, and women with babies, and children of
all ages--streamed through the streets that led to the quays or to the
turnpike to Holland. All sorts of vehicles, from dogcarts to motor
trucks, the former drawn by dogs, men, and horses, carried the
belongings of the fugitives that could not be carried away in person.

The bombardment continued with varying severity throughout October 8,
1914. As the Germans drew nearer to the city all the inner forts on the
south and east sides of the circle took part in replying to the
cannonade. Some of these forts--notably two, three, four, and five--were
badly battered. By afternoon the city seemed deserted--nothing but
debris of fallen buildings and wreckage met the eyes, and a small
remnant of the population was still struggling for escape.

Along all the wayside immense crowds of men, women, and children
gathered. The railway stations were choked with struggling humanity.
Their condition was pitiable. These scenes continued all day and
throughout the entire night.

On the morning of October 9, 1914, the struggle to get away continued.
Long lines formed on the quay where it had been reported that two boats
would leave for Ostend by eleven o'clock, and all those that could pay
struggled to get their passage booked. There were between 35,000 and
40,000 people on the quays, every one buoyed up by the hope that safety
was in sight at last. But the boats failed to sail and a murmur of
disappointment rose from this vast multitude of unfortunates.

However, there were other means of escape available, such as tugboats,
plying between Flushing, Rotterdam, an