SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

Colonist, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11976, 11 July 1906, Page 4

SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

Mr A. E. Sykes, in the course of a letter to bis sister, Mrs Everard, of Wellington, gives some graphic descriptions of conditions in San Francisco during the late disastrous earthquake and fire. Telling of a. walk through a portion of the city on the night of the great fire, while in search of his luggage, he Bays:— "There were only f-wo things any, sane person could do with baggage —check it right on the ferry, or return it to [starting point. Apparently it was" not at the ferry, and I j decided to go back. 1 almost funked it, knowing the dangers. In the way of protection I had a sabre (one I wore in the British- American Rifle Company), an umbrella, walkingstick and a police whistle, and started for a mile tramp through the burning city. It was dark, except for the glare, the wind blowing a hurricane, and a blinding storm of cinders. The water front was on tire in three places, the people huddling together like frightened sheep. I went on and on, the little knots of people growing less' and less, and then I came to see that my surroundings were becoming a bit serious. "Figures were moving among the stacks of fallen timbers and debris; a ehct here and a Bhot there. Tbe soldiers were shooting looters, and the aesperate characters operating in their desperate ways. It was no more serious to go on than return. I turned a corner, and was challenged by a sentry, but when he saw sidearms he presented, and I Baluted and pased on. I "carried on this bluff through tbe lines, and they must have taken me for the officer of the day in civilian dress. "After about three miles I reached the first camp.and found the corporal in charge of our baggage, but got little information, except that it had gone on. I asked for a pass to get through the lines to my friends, but he could not get one, and told me to remain in camp, or go on my own, and I went. I got past three sentries, and entered the unpatrolled area, and here I got mixed up. Saw three or four men moving about mysteriously in front, and took the centre of the road. Return was out of the question, as the fire had crossed behind me. I had gone about fifty yards, when one made a beehne for me, and I gripped the hilt of my sword, but he was on me before I could free it from the sheath. I got him under the chin with the hilt, and got back and drew the blade across his neck. He came on again, but I was on guard. Then I heard a shot, and the image in front fell over, and a soldier came up and took me about one hundred yards further on, and told "me to stay there till he returned. I thanked him for shooting straight. I waited nbout five minutes, and heard his rifle crack twice, and decided to move on. Things looked serious, and I did not feel too plucky ; 1 wanted to run. I saw the fire creeping along the water front to the ferrry buildings at a tremendous rate, and I must get that last boat, and I doubled. Furtive figures were sneaking about, but the sword caught the gleam of the fire, and they kept clear. Cold steel is nasty. At last I'gofc to the boat, and I was'mighty glad to put my foot on that steamer. Over 200 were burned, and twenty shot on the water front that night, aod I am glad I didn't swell the number."