THE ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 26, 24 February 1909, Page 4

THE ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE.

A TALE OP A TERBIBUE JOURNEY. GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION. 21,600 RESCUED ALIVE. Paris, January 8. The following graphic account is given by tie correspondent of the Matin of a journey performed on foot through the devastated province of Calabria:— "We were only able to proceed by train as far as Palmi, where we alighted, determined to reach Reggio as best we cuuld. Penetrating into the tunnel, five and' a-half miles long, which connect the railway stations of Palmi and Bagnarat we stumbled along the dfcrk passage* strewn with debris. "We came across whole families that had sought refuge in the niches reserved for railway servants, but we received no answer from the terrified men and women when we questioned them. The disaster had stunned them, aad they fixed their dull stare upon us in silence. "After a two hours' journey we saw daylight at last, and emerged from the dark tunnel to be confronted by the ruina of Bagnara. /'The mansions and palaces were all razeH, to the ground or half ruined. On the remains of a tottering wall a man was selling bread at, exorbitant prices amid a torrent of wailing and curs 63. v "Hie tunnel begins again after Bagnara, but further progress through it was utterly impracticable, an enormous boulder from Mount Ravazzina having crushed in the roof. We decided, therefore, to scale the mountain and proceed ■through the ravines. It was eleven o'clock at night when, under pelting rain and well nigh exhausted, we descended into the village of Ravazzina. "Of its 300 inhabitants there survived seven, and these came to us imploring food and water. But we had! nothing to give them, and were compelled to leave them to their fate and resume our Journey. . "At last we reached Scylla, which is entirely devastated. At the station the railway vans were packed like barrels of herrings with the survivors. We learned that the victims numbered between 750 and 1000.

"A few miles beyond Scylla we came on Camritello, a beautiful village which lias been visited not only by the earthqukt but swept by the sea. The buildrags have all united to form a single mass of ruina dashed by the breakers of a seething sea. "The railway line was gtrewn wiili .debris of boats, furniture, papers, ctnlil,Ten's perambulators, and I saw a doll's •waxen head with coral in its hair. From beneath the ruins now and again were heard imploring assistance. On questioning a fisherman as to the probable number of dead and living, 1 was told: The survivors?—perhaps there are five, six, or seven; the dead? —2OOO or 3000, who knows? "An appalling spectacle was presented by Villa San Giovanni, which was one of the most prosperous towns of Calabria, Ten minutes sufficed to destroy it. After the seismic wave the sea rose in one gigantic breaker and swept everything away—hospital, churches, houses. ,The inhabitants lie buried under its ruins to the number, it is said, of 4000. "No relief has reached there. Tt was . raining hard, and neither bread nor even a handkerchief was forthcoming. The few provisions that could be unearthed Were fought for savagely by the few survivors. "Nine miles beyond we came to lieggio—the tomb. It was a vast oceaa of ruins; everything is destroyed, and the sea pouring into the Rnc Marina has cut off all escape. "It is impossible to picture to onc- . self a more formidable impression of death. Not a living soul amid the heap of corpses—not S single human voice. The silence is terrible. "A house cleft in two displays a red velvet drawing room, and again a bedToom with its dead occupant in bed. Again I ask&l the eternal questiou. The dead?—2s,ooo to 30,000. The living?—perhaps 5000 to 0000."' Homo, January 4. It is announced authoritatively today that from the various towns and Tillages laid waste by the earthquake 21,380 persons have been rescued alive. This total, it appears certain, must vet be swelled considerably, and, though the cataclysm must still remain by far the ; greatest in the known history of the - ' world, the aggregate number of deaths, once made approximately sure, will pro"bably be found to be below rather than 200,000. The number of rescues by represenf tativea of different nationalities is apportioned as follows: > Italians ... ... 12,270. Russians ... ... 3.400 BritWh 3,210 French .... ... 1/iOO Germans ... ... 010 The present year will be p'lc of mourning for Italy. There is to be no : carnival, and the Minister of the Interior is even prohibiting the holding of . fetes and masquerades for the benefit . " of the relief ftinds.