es of lightning, brighter than I had ever before
beheld, darted from the sky and lighted up the sea. Even the night
scarcely added to the horrors of those moments, as far as we were
concerned, though it must have done so to the miserable people still
within the precincts of the town. At one time the water seemed to
recede altogether out of the bay, but presently, as if gathered up in a
heap, it once more rolled over the land.

Hour after hour went by, till about midnight, almost as suddenly as it
had commenced, the hurricane passed away from us on its devastating
course; and in a short time, excepting the roar of the surf upon the
shore, scarcely a sound was heard. On this we set out for the barracks,
hoping that they had withstood the tempest. Although they had suffered
considerably, the larger portion had escaped.

Mr Martin and his wife and daughter warmly expressed their gratitude to
us for having rescued them from their perilous position, saying that
they must have perished had we not come to their assistance.

"I wish that I had a home to which to invite you, said Mr Martin, with
a melancholy smile; but I trust that my house may ere long be rebuilt,
and that I may have the means of showing my gratitude better than I can
now."

"I shall be very happy to stay with you if I have the chance," I
answered; "but I suspect it will be a long time before I again get
leave."

The officers, as might have been expected, received us in the kindest
way possible. Duffy was delighted to see us. He fancied I might have
gone on board, and sailed before the hurricane came on.

Next morning the commanding officer marched the whole of the men down,
to render such assistance as they could to the survivors among the
suffering inhabitants. I have never since witnessed a more fearful
scene of destruction than the town presented. Numbers were lying about
in the streets, where they had been crushed to death by the falling
masses, many among them being the principal people in the place. In all
directions the survivors were rushing about in quest of relatives or
friends; while the larger number of the dead lay concealed beneath the
ruins.

The appearance of the _Princess Royal_ was extraordinary. We had seen
her cast on shore and left on her beam-ends. At present she was
perfectly upright, the ground beneath her keel, during the earthquake,
having given way: and there she lay, securely embedded, without the
possibility of e