Outside Reading
The Tragedy of Pelee I
Basking in the warmth of tropical Caribbean waters and sunshine lay the small island of Martinique. A French possession, it boasted the beautiful and thriving port of Saint-Pierre, the largest and most important city in the Lesser Antilles, called "the Paris of the West Indies". The charm of its crooked, narrow streets bordered with low, tile-roofed stone houses set in a background of tropical flowers and vegetation gave the appearance of an alluring travel poster. Like a diamond in a perfect setting, Saint-Pierre nestled between a concave two-mile strand of wave-lapped beach and a small volcanic mountain called Pelee.
It was May 8, 1902. To be more exact it was 7:50 a.m., and a sleepy populace was arising to meet the new day. They needn't have bothered. Four deafening whiplash reports signaled the beginning of the end for Saint-Pierre and all but two of its thirty thousand inhabitants. At 7:59 Mount Pelee literally burst apart, and within three minutes the city was a shambles. Everyone in it, less the two survivors, died a horrible, burning death.
Pelee, located about six miles northeast of the city, was not at all impressive in the ranks of the world's volcanoes. Only 4,430 feet high, the mountain was actually a favorite with the residents of Saint-Pierre. Its ravines and forested slopes provided enjoyable holiday interludes, as did its crater lake, where picnics were often held by light-hearted and light-footed residents and tourists alike.
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The mountain had two craters. At the summit was L'Etang de Palm-istes with its pleasant lake, and lower on its flanks to the southwest was L'Etang Sec, a dry crater and the last known site of volcanic activity.
Pelee had been active before, in the historical past, but with no harmful effects. In 1851 ashes were ejected from L'Etang Sec after its crater lake had been evaporated by thermal activity. On the night of August 4 of that year, a mild eruption scattered a light blanket of ash over Saint-Pierre while the people slept. On the fifth, Mount Pelee rumbled and shook and threw up a column of vapor and ash, the latter sprinkling the countryside like gray snow. But this mild activity quickly ceased, without giving any further trouble, and was soon forgotten.
Ш Suggest how the following could be expressed in Russian:
basking in the warmth of tropical Caribbean waters; it boasted the beautiful and thriving port; crooked, narrow streets; houses set in a background of tropical flowers; houses... gave the appearance of an alluring travel poster; a diamond in a perfect setting; town ... nestled between a concave two-mile strand of wave-leaped beach; to be more exact; they needn't have bothered; deafening whiplash reports; literally burst apart the city was a shambles; less the two survivors; not at all impressive; in the ranks of the world's volcanoes; the mountain was a favourite with the residents; provided enjoyable holiday interludes; residents and tourists alike; the last known site; with no harmful effects; eruption scattered a light blanket of ash; rumbled and shook; threw up a column of vapor and ash; this activity quickly ceased; without giving any further trouble
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Give a detailed account of
e the island of Martinique
the port of Saint-Pierre
the day of May 8, 1902
the volcano Pelee
the historical past of Pelee
, n
In May, 1901, a group of picnickers, upon arrival at the summit, found a small jet of steam rising from the margin of the old crater lake. It smelled of sulphur and had killed all the vegetation nearby. On April 2,1902, further evidence of such fumarolic activity was discovered by a Professor Landers in the upper reaches of the Riviere Blanche, an intermittent stream whose valley was etched into the flanks of Pelee. On April 23 of the same year, three small explosions and accompanying earthquakes were strong enough to be noticeable in Saint-Pierre. On Friday, April 25, explosions producing ash and steam occurred in L'Etang Sec, and from that time onward, until the May 8 cataclysm, the activity was more or less continuous, though varying in intensity.
On April 27 it was discovered that a lake some 650 feet in diameter had formed in the previously dry bed of the crater L'Etang Sec; along its margin was a small conical mountlet, about thirty feet high, which was throwing out steaming vapors and ash.
From April 29 to May 5, the fall of ash in Saint-Pierre intensified, causing increasing hardship in breathing, sore throats, and irritation to the eyes. Wild and domesticated animals seemed to suffer the most,
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for they could not seek refuge indoors from the ashes and the poisonous fumes. It was reported that these animals sensed the coming eruption even before the first signs of activity. This is not at all uncommon, for animals seem to have an extra sense which warns them of such things as violent electrical storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural calamities. Wildlife left the vicinity of the mountain, and the birds were no longer heard singing in the forests on its slopes. At 11:30 a.m. on May 2, the first really violent eruption occurred, with heavy steam and ash ejections, accompanied by spectacular displays of lightning. Ashes began to fall over the entire northern half of the island. The activity intensified, and as the eruptions became increasingly violent the populace of Saint-Pierre became more and more worried. Schools closed, as did commercial stores, since very few people cared to go forth from the security of their houses into the dust and dirty ash fall. Life in the city came to a standstill.
Ш Suggest how the following could be expressed in Russian:
upon arrival at the summit; a jet of steam; it had killed all the vegetation nearby; further evidence; fumarolic activity; the upper reaches of the Riviere Blanche; an intermittent stream; the valley was etched into the flank of Pelee; accompanying earthquakes; strong enough to be noticeable; from that time onward; varying in intensity; the previously dry bed of the crater; causing increasing hardship in • breathing; sore throats; irritation to the eyes; wild and domesticated animals; seemed to suffer the most; seek refuge indoors; sensed the coming eruption; this is not at all uncommon; seem to have an extra sense; natural calamities; the vicinity of the mountain; the birds were no longer heard singing; spectacular displays of lightning; the entire
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northern half of the island; the eruptions became increasingly violent; very few people cared to go forth; the security of their houses; life came to a standstill
Give a detailed account of
the evidence of fumarolic activities in Saint-Pierre during the years ofl901-1902
the effects of the falling ashes on people and animals
the situation in the city of Saint-Pierre
Ш
On May 3, from the pages of Les Colonies, the provincial newspaper of Martinique, came the following statement: "The rain of ashes never ceases. At about half-past nine the sun shone forth timidly. The passing of carriages is no longer heard in the streets. The wheels are muffled... Puffs of wind sweep the ashes from the roofs and awnings, and blow them into rooms of which the windows have imprudently been left open" (1).
Torrents of rain, resulting from the emission of great quantities of steam from the volcano, fell during this time on the summit of the mountain and on the lower crater of L'Etang Sec, which, with its natural drainage blocked by the extensive ash falls, began to accumulate water in some quantity. This was brought to a boiling condition by contact with heated gases and molten rock. Suddenly, at about half-past twelve in the afternoon of May 5, the side of the crater fissured and masses of water mixed with ash flooded into the upper reaches of the valley of the Riviere Blanche.
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In the sharp descent of three thousand feet to sea level, the flood rushed headlong, attaining tremendous velocity. The whole lake had been set loose and, upon absorbing great quantities of ashes and volcanic debris from the crater, became a highly fluid mass of thin mud, which proceeded at high speeds down the confines of the stream valley. It took only three minutes for the flow, nearly half a mile wide, to traverse the three miles to the sea. It completely engulfed everything in its path.
Near the mouth of the Riviere Blanche was the sugar mill Usine Guerin. In its journey to the sea the boiling mud completely buried the mill, leaving only smokestacks protruding and burying alive forty men below its surface. Mount Pelee had claimed its first victims.
Within the flow of mud, said one observer, were boulders of fifty tons or more which, with the rest of the material, were carried along at a velocity of nearly a mile a minute. When the avalanche of boiling mud reached the sea, the latter withdrew about a hundred yards along the west coast of the island, as far away as Saint-Pierre. It then advanced again, reaching the level of waterfront houses in the port area and causing some slight damage. At the mouth of the river a yacht, the Pecheur, anchored five hundred feet offshore, capsized, drowning all those on board.
This peculiar action of the sea, though not causing much damage, thoroughly worried the inhabitants of Saint-Pierre, and many started seeking higher and drier ground. About three hundred people left the city each day, many of them going to Fort de France, the provincial capital, and some to nearby islands. Those who lived outside the city, however, were apparently even more worried and began to flock into Saint-Pierre at the rate of a thousand a day. Thus, for about five days prior to May 8, the city's population was expanding daily by nearly seven hundred persons.
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Ш Suggest how the following could be expressed in Russian:
the rain of ashes never ceases; the sun shone forth timidly; is no longer heard; the wheels are muffled; puffs of wind sweep the ashes; the windows have imprudently been left open; torrents of rain; emission of steam; extensive ash falls; this was brought to a boiling condition; water... flooded into the upper reaches of the valley; the sharp descent; the flood rushed headlong attaining tremendoius velocity; the lake had been set loose; volcanic debris; a highly fluid mass of thin mud; the confines of the stream valley; it took only three minutes for the flow to traverse the three miles; it engulfed everything in its path; the boiling mud buried the mill; mount Pelee had claimed its first victims; the latter (sea) withdrew about a hundred yards; as far away as Saint-Pierre; the sea advanced again... causing some damage; a yacht capsized;at the rate of a thousand a day
Give a detailed account of
the streets of the city after the eruptions
what was happening to the mountain and the crater
the way the water acted in the area
the action of the sea
IV
On May 7 there was another violent eruption with loud detonations, lightning in the clouds, and the visible appearance of incandescent material pushing up through the summit crater. The talk in Saint-Pierre was of
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mass — or individual — evaporation, but there were factions in the city which were wholly against this for political reasons, and they controlled, or were supported by, the press. Elections were upcoming on May 10, and volcano or no it was expected that everyone would remain to vote. A "scientific commission" was formed, possibly with political backing, which reported in Les Colonies that the condition of the volcano did not warrant leaving the city. This had a calming influence. To further soothe the nerves of the populace the provincial governor, who endorsed the •report and who had a politically good reason to discourage evacuation, came with his wife from Fort de France to make a personal inspection tour of the volcano. They never returned.
An article from Les Colonies on the same day declared, "We confess that we cannot understand this panic. Where could one be better off than at Saint-Pierre?" (2). It would be more difficult to explain the zeal with which the editor of this paper attacked the impeding but unfortunately unaccomplished exodus from Saint-Pierre, except for the fact that he was politically aligned with several of the men who were seeking office in the upcoming elections.
The wife of the United States Consul at Saint-Pierre wrote to her sister in Boston on the seventh: "My husband assures me that there is no immediate danger, and when there is the least particle of danger, we will leave the place. There is an American schooner in the harbor and she will remain here for at least two weeks. If the volcano becomes very bad, we shall embark at once and go out to sea" (3). The consul and his wife were two of those who died in the wreckage the next morning.
In Les Colonies yet another article bolstered the courage of those who sought to leave the doomed city, the text of an interview with Professor Landes of the Lycee. He was a reputable, but sadly mistaken, scientist whose final conclusion was: "The Montagne Pelee pre-
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sents no more danger to the inhabitants of Sain-Pierre than does Vesuvius to those of Naples" (4).
A sea captain, Marino Lebofte by name, of the Italian bark Orsoli-na, had seen Vesuvius in eruption and wanted to get out of the port without delay. On the afternoon of May 7 his ship was only half loaded with a cargo of sugar bound for Le Havre, France, but he decided to hoist anchor anyway and be off.
This caused some consternation among the shippers, who threatened to have him jailed, both for breach of contract and for leaving port without clearance papers. They tried to convince him that there was absolutely no danger and to finjsh loading the cargo. After all, Professor Landes had assured everyone that there was nothing to be feared. The captain replied, in essence, that he knew nothing of Mount Pelee, but that if Vesuvius were looking and acting like Pelee he would get out of Naples and that regardless of their arguments, their threats, and the comforting words of the professor he was going to leave Saint-Pierre. The shippers sent customs officials on board the Orsolina to prevent departure. The captain told them he was putting to sea in less than an hour; if they wished to go along with him they were welcome, but if not it was time they got off. Only when the ship had hoisted anchor did the customs men hail a small craft to take them back to Saint-Pierre.
Ш Suggest how the following could be expressed in Russian:
the visible appearance of incandescent material; were wholly against this; for political reasons; elections were upcoming; with political backing; the condition of the volcano did not warrant leaving the city; they had a calming influence; to further soothe the nerves; the governor endorsed the report; to discourage evacuation; to make a personal inspection tour; they never returned; where could one be
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better off; the impeding exodus from Saint-Pierre; politically aligned; immediate danger; the least particle of danger; those who sought to leave the doomed city; a reputable scientist; a sadly mistaken scientist; without delay; a cargo bound for France; to hoist anchor and be off; this caused some consternation; to have him jailed; breach of contract; there was nothing to be feared; regardless of their arguments; the comforting words; to prevent departure
Give a detailed account of
the political situation in the city
the reaction of the papers to the events
the behavior of captain of the Italian bark Marino Lebofte
the actions of the shippers
V
The morning of May 8 dawned bright and clear. There was that great column of vapor and ash rising out of the volcano, but this was no more than was expected. A gentle westerly breeze was deflecting the ash fall away from the city for the first time in many days, and the air was pleasantly breathable. Eighteen vessels lay quietly at anchor in the harbor. Church bells tolled, for it was Ascension Day.
It was 7:52 a.m. by the clock of the Hopital Militaire when the cataclysm started: four staccato report were heard from the mountain. About 7:59, the volcano blew apart. At 8:02 the hands of the big clock stopped forever, marking the time that the city died.
A glowing cloud of superheated gases and incandescent solid particles descended on, and enveloped, Saint-Pierre. It burst from the side
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of the mountain rather than the top, which had been plugged tightly by a semisolid mass of viscous lava whose withholding strength was apparently greater than that of the flanks of the cone. Under tremendous gas pressures, a fissure was explosively forced open and the cloud shot laterally and directionally, with hurricane speed, at the city.
The initial velocity of the emulsion cloud has been estimated at between 100 and 180 miles an hour. It completely passed over Saint-Pierre in a matter of three to four minutes from the time of its expulsion from the volcano, leaving nearly thirty thousand people dead or dying in its wake. Those on board vessels in the harbor fared little better.
The following is the account of Assistant Purser Thompson, on board the Roraima:
I saw St.Pierre destroyed. The city was blotted out by one great flash of fire. Nearly 40,000 people were killed at once. Of eighteen vessels lying in the roads, only one, the British steamship Roddam escaped and she, I hear, lost more than half of those on board. It was a dying crew that took her out. Our boat, the Roraima, arrived at St. Pierre early Thursday morning. For hours before entering the roadstead we could see flames and smoke rising from Mt. Pelee. No one on board had any idea of danger. Captain G.T.Muggah was on the bridge, and all hands got on deck to see the show. The spectacle was magnificent. As we approached St. Pierre we could distinguish the rolling and leaping of red flames that belched from the mountain in huge volumes and gushed into the sky. Enormous clouds of black smoke hung over the volcano... There was a constant muffled roar. It was like the biggest oil refinery in the world burning up on the mountain top. There was a tremendous explosion about 7:45, soon after we got in. The mountain was blown to pieces. There was no warning. The side of the volcano was ripped out and there was hurled straight toward us a solid wall of flame. It sounded like a thousand cannon.
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The wave of fire was on us and over us like a flash of lightning. It was like a hurricane of fire. I saw it strike the cable steamship Grapper broadside on, and capsize her. From end to end she burst into flames and then sank. The fire rolled in mass straight down upon St. Pierre and the shipping. The town vanished before our eyes.
The air grew stifling hot and we were in the thick of it. Wherever the mass of fire struck the sea, the water boiled and sent up vast columns of steam. The sea was torn into huge whirlpools that careened toward the open sea. One of these horrible, hot whirlpools swung under the Rorai-ma and pulled her down on her beam end with the suction. She careened way over to port, and then the fire hurricane from the volcano smashed her, and over she went on the opposite side. The fire wave swept off the masts and smokestacks as if they were cut by a knife.
Captain Muggah was the only one on the deck not killed outright. He was caught by the fire wave and was terribly burned. He yelled to get up the anchor, but before two fathoms were heaved in, the Rorai-ma was almost upset by the boiling whirlpool and the fare wave had thrown her down on her beam ends to starboard. Captain Muggah was overcome by the flames. He fell unconscious from the bridge and overboard. The blast of fire from the volcano lasted only a few minutes. It shriveled and set fire to everything it touched. Thousands of casks of rum were stored on St. Pierre, and these were exploded by the terrific heat. The burning rum ran in streams down every street and out into the sea. This blazing rum set fire to theRoraima several times. Before the volcano burst, the landings of St. Pierre were covered with people. After the explosion, not one living soul was seen on the land. Only twenty-five of those on board were left after the first blast.
The French cruiser Suchet came in and took us off at 2 p.m. She remained near by, helping all she could, until 5 o'clock, then went to
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Fort de France with all the people she had rescued. At the time it looked as if the entire north end of the island was on fire (5).
Ш Suggest how the following could be expressed in Russian:
the morning dawned bright and clear; column of vapor; this was no more than was expected; the air was pleasantly breathable; church bells tolled; the volcano blew apart; the hands of the clock stopped forever, marking the time that the city died; a glowing cloud; it burst from the side of the mountain rather than the top; the top had been plugged tightly; withholding strength; explosively forced open; the cloud shot laterally and directionally; in a matter of three to four minutes; leaving nearly thirty thousand people dead; the city was blotted out; all hands got on deck; the spectacle was magnificent; the rolling and leaping of red flames; a constant muffled roar; the side of the volcano was ripped out; the fire rolled in mass; the town vanished before our eyes; the air grew stilling hot; in the thick of it; the sea was torn into huge whirlpools; the fire wave swept off the masts; it set fire to everything it touched; the people she had rescued; it looked as if the entire north end of the island was on fire
Give a detailed account of
the morning of May 8
what happened in a matter of three to four minutes
the account of Assistant Purser Thompson
the situation in and around the mountain and the port
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VI j
Another survivor on the same ship was a Barbados nursemaid who, with one of her charges, was saved by taking refuge in a cabin. This is her story:
We had been watching the volcano sending up smoke. The Captain said to my mistress, "I am not going to stay any longer than I can help." I went to the cabin and was assisting with the dressing of the children when the steward rushed past and shouted, "Close the cabin door — volcano is coming!" We closed the door and at the same moment came a terrible explosion which nearly burst the eardrums. The vessel was lifted high into the air, and then seemed to be sinking down. We were all thrown off our feet by the shock and huddled crouching in the corner of the cabin. My mistress had the baby girl in her arms, the older girl leaned on my left arm, while I held little Eric in my right.
The explosion seemed to have blown in the skylight over our heads, and before we could raise ourselves, hot moist ashes began to pour in on us; they came in boiling splattering splashes like hot mud, without any pieces of rock. In vain we tried to shield ourselves. The cabin was pitch dark... we could see nothing...
A sense of suffocation came next. When the door burst open, air rushed in and we revived somewhat. When we could see each others' faces, they were all covered with black lava. The baby was dying; Rita, the older girl, was in great agony and every part of my body was paining me. A heap of hot mud had collected near us and as Rita put her hand down to raise herself up it was plunged up to the elbow in the scalding stuff...
The first engineer came now, and hearing our moans carried us to the forward deck and there we remained on the burning ship from 8:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The crew was crowded forward, many in a dying condition. The whole city was one mass of roading flames and the
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saloon aft as well as the forward part of the ship were burning fiercely, but afterwards they put out the fire.
My mistress lay on the deck in a collapsed state; the little boy was already dead, and the baby dying. The lady was collected and resigned, handed me some money, told me to take Rita to her aunt, and sucked a piece of ice before she died (6).
Ш Suggest how the following could be expressed in Russian:
one of her charges; by taking refuge in a cabin; seemed to be sinking down; to stay any longer; we were all thrown off our feet; the older girl leaned on my left arm; the explosion seemed to have blown in the skylight; they came in boiling splattering splashes; in vain; to shield; the cabin was pitch dark; a sense of suffocation came next; the door burst open; the city was one mass of roading flames; as well as; they put out the fire
Give a detailed account of
the first minutes of the eruption
what happened to the vessel
what happened to the people on board
the situation in the city
vn
Through the glowing cloud, called nuee ardente, which descended from Pelee onto Saint-Pierre was composed of hot gases and incandescent particles, within the cloud itself there was little or no free oxy-
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gen
necessary to promote combustion. While thus enveloped, Saint-Pierre
scorched rather than burned. It was only after the cloud had passed
and a supply of oxygen returned, a matter of less than a minute, that
the city took fire. It was then that the incandescent particles set
the "superheated
town" to burning.
But within that matter of seconds, when the nuee ardente was on Saint-Pierre, the heat was so intense that many objects were completely carbonized (turned to charcoal without combustion). Some wooden beams, four inches thick, were almost instantly charred by the intense heat. Books with charcoal pages were recovered after the disaster. Foodstuffs and green fruits were preserved in a sort of petrified state. Melted and distorted glass was also found. Relics such as these are kept in the Volcano Museum at Saint-Pierre, even to the present day.
Miraculously, there were two survivors within the city. Leon Comp-ere-Leandre, a Negro shoemaker, was one of them, and this is the story he told:
On May 8th, about eight o'clock in the morning, I was seated on the doorstep of my house, which was in the southeast part of the city. All of a sudden I felt a terrible wind blowing, the earth began to tremble, and the sky suddenly became dark. I turned to go into the house, made with great difficulty the 3 or 4 steps that separated me from my room, and felt my arms and legs burning, also my body. I dropped upon a table. At this moment four others sought refuge in my room, crying and writhing in pain, although their garments showed no sign of having been touched by the flames. At the end of ten seconds one of these, the young Delavaud girl, aged 10, fell dead; the others left. I then got up and went into another room, where I found the father Delavaud, still clothed and lying on the bed, dead. He was purple and inflated, but the clothing was intact. I went out
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and found in the court two corpses interlocked; they were the bodies of the two young men who had been with me in the room. Re-entering the house, I came upon the bodies of two men who had been in the garden when I returned to my house at the beginning of the catastrophe. Crazed and almost overcome, I threw myself upon a bed, inert and awaiting death. My senses returned to me in perhaps an hour, when I beheld the roof burning... With sufficient strength left, my legs bleeding and covered with burns, I ran to Fonds-Saint-De-nis, 6 kilometers from Saint-Pierre. With the exception of the persons of whom I have already spoken, I heard no human cries; I experienced no degree of suffocation, and it was only the air that was lacking to me. But it was burning. There were neither ashes nor mud. The entire city was aflame (7).
It is apparent that Compere's home was located in the fringe area affected by the glowing cloud. But why he should live when others were dying all around him is one of the unsolved mysteries of the catastrophe. However, in this respect, the contrasts of violence in the cloud within very limited areas were amazing. In the heart of the city iron bars were found twisted like pretzels, yet short distances away fragile china teacups were left unmoved and unbroken.
Many groupings of people were found, some of whom had been unclothed by the intensity of the blast, while others in the same group were found with clothes intact and hardly disturbed. Alongside the charred body of a man was found a box of matches, the contents of which had not been ignored (this can possibly be explained by the lack of oxygen).
Death came principally in three ways:from the effects of the hurri-canlike blast of the cloud, resulting in the collapse of buildings, and so on; from scorching and asphyxiation by the extremely hot and poisonous gases; and from fires after the cloud had passed.
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■ Suggest how the following could be expressed in Russian:
within the cloud itself; oxygen necessary to promote combustion; while thus enveloped; Saint-Pierre scorched rather than burned; a matter of less than a minute; the city took fire; it was then that...; within that matter of seconds; turned to charcoal; were instantly charred; books ...were recovered after the disaster; in a sort of petrified state; relics such as these; miraculously; their garments showed no sign of having been touched by the flames; the clothing was intact; re-entering the house; crazed and almost overcome; my senses returned to me; experience no degree of suffocation; the air was lacking; it is apparent; located in the fringe area; the unsolved mysteries; in this respect; twisted like pretzels; short distance away; cups were left unmoved and unbroken; alongside the body; resulting in the collapse of buildings
Give a detailed account of
the effect the heat produced on the things
the experience of a shoemaker
the miraculous things that happened during the blast
the causes of deaths
УШ
Auguste Ciparis, a strongly built twenty-five-year-old Negro stevedore, was incarcerated in the dungeon of the jail at Saint-Pierre at the time of the emission of the nuee ardente. His crime was murder. The
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cell he occupied was small, uncomfortable, and extremely poorly ventilated; it had only a tiny grating at the door and not even barred windows to look through. It was fortunate for him that his quarters were so normally uncomfortable — in fact, it saved his life.
On the reasoning of May 8, Ciparis was awaiting his free breakfast from the state. Quite suddenly the room became dark, and a hot, stifling blast of air flowed through the grating in his cell door. He could not escape the searing heat and writhed in agony, screaming for help. But by this time there was no one left alive in Saint-Pierre who was in less pain than he.
Ciparis, according to what he related after he had been saved, had absolutely no idea of what was happening. He had heard no noise, had seen no fire, and had smelled nothing but the stench of his own burning flesh. Instinctively he tried not to inhale the heated fumes which burned his lungs. The intence heat lasted only a few moments and then went away.
At the time he was dressed in trousers, shirt, and hat, but had no shoes. Though his clothing did not catch fire, he was most severely burned on his back and legs, which were covered by cloth. Surprisingly his face, hands, and feet were not badly burned. Probably he fell to the floor and buried his face in his arms for protection.
He called out for help again and again, but it soon became apparent that no one was going to save him. For four long days and nights he sat locked in his cell, without food or water, suffering with his terrible ulcerous burns and not even knowing what had happened. Even calling for assistance weakened him, so he stopped.
After four days of agony he finally heard the soud of human voices. (How this is possible, considering the fact that he did not hear the blast of the explosions, is another perplexing question which remains unanswered.) The voices he heard belonged to two Negroes from a neighboring town who were surveying the devastation wrought by the volcano.
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Once again Auguste Ciparis cried out for aid, and this time his plea was answered. As soon as his rescuers established his whereabouts, they cleared away the rubble and liberated the living dead man, the second and last survivor within the city.
The stench in his dungeon cell was overwhelming. His flesh had already begun to slough off. Those who interviewed him shortly afterward could hardly stand the sight of his terrible burns. And yet, upon rescue from his own personal hell and after taking a drink of water, he was able, with help, to walk six hilly miles to Morne Rouge.
After receiving treatment for his burns, Auguste Ciparis recovered fully, though he was horribly scarred. He was pardoned of his crime and spent the rest of his life touring in circus side shows as "the prisoner of Saint-Pierre".
■ Suggest how the following could be expressed in Russian:
strongly built; extremely poorly ventilated; a tiny grating at the door; barred windows; normally uncomfortable; escape the searing heat; writhed in agony; screaming for help; by this time; there was no one left alive; call out for help; catch fire; buried his face in his arms for protection; he called out for help; a perplexing question which remains unanswered; who were surveying the devastate; the devastation wrought by the volcano; his plea was answered; his rescuers established his whereabouts; shortly afterward; could hardly stand the sight; he recovered fully; pardoned of his crime
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Give a detailed account of
the cell the prisoner was j ailed in
the impressions related by the prisoner
the first moments when the blast occurred
what happened to his clothes
the four days before his liberation
his life after the treatment
The May 8 eruption of Pelee was not a particularly large one when compared to other volcanic outbreaks: the zone of complete devastation was less that ten square miles. But a set of interlocking circumstances made it one of the most deadly in history.
First was the fact that the eruption cloud was highly directional. Unfortunately, Saint-Pierre lay directly in its path and engulfed.
Secondly, it was a lateral and ground-hugging eruption cloud that overwhelmed the city. From the moment of its ejection, the nuee ar-dente kept contact with the land until it reached the sea. Its extremely high density made it flow in concentration toward Saint-Pierre rather than rise high into the air and dissipate.
The third and most important factor was that Saint-Pierre was not evacuated. If the people had used a little more common sense and forethought, the catastrophe could have been averted. Of course, this is very easy to say after the event. Nuees ardebtes, as such, had never been seen before the Pelean occurrence. But the people seemed to be easily cowed and herded by outside influences.
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Through newspaper editorials, political double talk, and mistaken scientific claims, the townspeople, though worried, had been convinced that the volcano could not hurt them. If they had acknowledged their own fear and acted accordingly, a great many lives would have been saved.
The combination of these circumstances produced in Pelee the worst volcanic disaster since that of Krakatoa in 1883. And so it was that Saint-Pierre was reduced to rubble and its inhabitants lost.
As if this were not enough, on May 20 a second great eruption cloud blasted from the flanks of Pelee and struck the city again. This time, however, there was little left to damage and nothing to kill. If any wrecked shells of buildings were left standing after the first cloud, the second one flattened them.
On August 30 the volcano blew its top again, but this time the cloud traveled in a more easterly direction, leveling Morne Rouge and four lesser towns. Almost two thousand more lives were lost.
By November of 1902, the final phases of Pelee's eruption cycle were taking place. A spine, or plug, of viscous lava began to rise within the crater of L'Etang Sec. Such a sealing of the conduit and crater is normally the concluding activity of stiff acid, or rhyolitic, lavas and the volcanoes which produce them.
In case of the 1902-1903 cycle of Pelee, the spine that was produced was phenomenal in its dimensions. Growing at an average rate of nearly thirty feet per day (though some disintegration was taking place concurrently), it reached a maximum height of 1,020 feet above the crater rim on May 30, 1903. Its diameter at the conduit was five hundred feet. One side of the spine had a smooth polished appearance, with grooves or striations, indicating a plastic molding action as it rose through the conduit.
Though the lavas which composed the spine were not fluid enough to flow, they showed incandescence, glowing noticeably at night. As this
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material cooled, it did so from the outside inward, the center being well insulated. Due to such differential cooling, the surfaces exposed to the elements soon became rigid and cracked. Great chunks of rock broke off the top and sides of the spine, which was eventually reduced to a mass of broken debris. And so ended the eruption cycle of 1902-1903.
Ш Suggest how the following could be expressed in Russian:
volcanic outbreaks; the zone of complete devastation; a set of interlocking circumstances; a highly directional eruption cloud; a ground-hugging eaiption cloud; kept Contact with the land; made it flow rather than rise; common sense and forethought; the catastrophe could have been averted; as such; the people seemed to be easily cowed and herded; outside influences; political double talk; mistak-. en scientific claims; acknowledged their own fear; acted accordingly; the city was reduced to rubble; there was little left to damage; the second cloud flattened them; leveling the town; phenomenal in its dimensions; growing at an average rate; disintegration was taking place concurrently; the crater rim; not fluid enough to flow; from the outside inward
Give a detailed account of
the three circumstances that made the eruption one of the most deadly in history
the phases of the Pelee's eruption
the end of the eruption cycle
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X
Between the years of 1929 and 1932 there was a renewal of activity. In August of 1929 earth movements were felt and subterranean noises were heard emanating from beneath Pelee. Fumarolic emissions took place, and on September 16 of that year a series of comparatively minor explosions occurred, with ash once again falling in the streets of Saint-Pierre.
Those people who had rebuilt and repopulated the city after the 1902 disaster needed no further excuse to desert it, and by the next morning there were no more than a handful of people in town. But these explosions did not give rise to the deadly glowing clouds. Indeed, the activity rather seemed to lessen.
Nothing else happened for the best part of a month, and people began to return to their homes. But in mid November they had to flee once again as it became apparent that a period of major eruptiveness was imminent. Not only Saint-Pierre but all the towns which were felt to be within the "killing radius" of the volcano were evacuated.
At the time of the renewal of activity, low-lying clouds above the summit of the mountain luminously reflected the glowing lavas rising within the crater. Small nuees ardentes soon followed. The action culminated on December 16,1929, with a cloud which arose twenty thousand feet and swept down to the sea in a matter of two and one-half minutes — a distance of more than five miles. It did not strike the city.
After this, the activity dwindled somewhat, though smaller clouds issued sporadically until 1932, when the activity ceased with the formation of several spines. Within this cycle there were no clouds comparable to those of May 8, May 20, or August 30, 1902. And with more foresight on the part of those living near the mountain, no lives were lost. The lesson of the tragedy of Pelee had been learned well.
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What the future holds in store for Saint-Pierre and her people is unknown, but it seems likely that Pelee will be heard from again.
■ Suggest how the following could be expressed in Russian:
a renewal of activity; noises emanating from beneath Pelee; with ash once again falling in the streets; needed no further excuse to desert it; no more than a handful of people; did not give rise to the deadly clouds; the activity rather seemed to lessen; to flee once again; it became apparent; major eruptiveness was imminent; the renewal of activity; luminously reflected the glowing lavas; the action culminated on December 16; the activity dwindled somewhat; smaller clouds issued sporadically; the activity ceased; with more foresight on the part of those living near the mountain; the lesson had been learned well; what the future holds in store for Saint-Pierre; it seems likely; Pelee will be heard from again
Give a detailed account of
the renewal of Pelee's activity
the reaction of the people to the renewed activity of the volcano
the eruption of 1929
the lesson learned