pulling
away the beams and planks and rubbish which stopped up the entrance.
Mr Ringer joined us, though evidently considering our occupation a very
dangerous one. However, we persevered, and at length had made an
opening sufficiently large to look in. We could see two ladies, an old
gentleman, and a mulatto servant.

"We have come to help you," I cried out. "If you'll climb up here
you'll be free, and there may yet be time, Mr Ringer thinks, to reach
the open country."

Mr Ringer joining us, the two gentlemen recognised each other.

"What, Martin! Glad to see you safe," said the former. "Come, get out
of that place as fast as possible."

Encouraged by us, the youngest of the ladies first made the attempt, and
succeeded in getting high enough to reach our hands. The old lady
followed, though unless Mr Martin and the mulatto girl had shoved
behind, we should have found it impossible to have got her through. Mr
Martin and the girl followed.

As may be supposed, we didn't stop longer on the ruins than was
necessary, but scrambling over them, again reached the open street.
Scarcely were we there before down came the remaining wall, with a crash
which broke in the arch. It would certainly have destroyed Mr Martin
and his family had they been there. The event showed us clearly the
importance of getting out of the town. It seemed scarcely possible that
any one passing through the narrow streets could escape being killed.
Even in the broader ones the danger of being crushed was fearful. Mr
Ringer assisted Mrs Martin, I offered my aid to the young lady, and
Larry took charge of the old gentleman, who required helping as much as
his wife and daughter. I had forgotten all about my lameness. We of
course were somewhat delayed in our progress. Now we had to scramble
over fallen walls--now we narrowly escaped being killed by masses of
masonry and timber falling around us.

At length the open was reached, and we made our way to some higher
ground overlooking the bay. We had reason to be thankful that we were
out of the town. Providentially we reached a small stone building,
which afforded us some shelter from the driving rain and furious wind,
against which it was impossible to stand alone. The bay, as we looked
down upon it, presented a fearful scene. The whole shore was strewn
with masses of wreck. Not a small craft had escaped, and the largest,
with all anchors down, were tossing about, and seemed every mo