r, everything wore a cheerful
aspect, every step seemed elastic and every heart buoyant with hope.
There was a continual hum of busy men and women, as we were passing near
a market. Such a rolling of carts and carriages--so many
cheerful children, some crying "Raddishes"--"raddishes"--others
"Strawberries"--"strawberries"--others with baskets of flowers--all wide
awake, each eager to sell his various articles of merchandise. This was
indeed a novel scene to us--it did seem a charming place. My young
companion remarked, Aunt C----, "I think everybody here must be happy."
I could not but at first respond to the sentiment. But presently we
began to meet persons--some halt--some blind--some in rags--looking
filthy and degraded.

Every face was new to us--not one person among the throngs we met that
we had ever seen before. An unusual sense of loneliness came over me,
and I thought my young attendant participated in this same feeling of
solitude, and though I said nothing, I sighed for the quiet and familiar
faces and scenes of the "Home, sweet home" I had so recently left.

We had not proceeded far before we saw men and boys in great commotion,
all running hurriedly, in one direction, bending their steps towards the
opposite shore. Their step was light and quick, but a look of sadness
was in every face. We could only, now and then, gather up a few
murmuring words that fell from the lips of the passers-by.

"There were more than thirty persons killed," said one. "Yes, more than
fifty," said another. We soon learned that a vessel on fire, the
preceding evening had entered the harbour, but the fire had progressed
so far that it was impossible to extend relief to the sufferers, and
most of the crew perished in the flames, or jumped overboard and were
drowned.

The awful impression of distress made upon the minds of persons
unaccustomed to such disasters, cannot well be described--they certainly
were by no means transient.

It was sad to reflect that many who had thus perished after an absence
from home, some a few weeks, others for months, instead of greeting
their friends, were hurried into eternity so near their own homes, under
such aggravated circumstances. And then what a terrible disappointment
to survivors! Many families as well as individuals were by this calamity
not only bereft of friends, but of their property--some reduced to a
state of comparative beggary.

This day's experience was but a faint picture of hu