The Cruise of the Branwen

NAPLES ask " Is there any more sunshine anywhere ? " A little farther on the Red Cross tent had been put up, and sisters of mercy were at work near the church, where more than two hundred persons had been killed. At Ottajano, the next day, worse still was to be seen. The railway was entirely taken up by the relieving operations of the troops, and it was very difficult to get into a train at all. Several women were returning from Naples to their ruined homes. In three-quarters of anj hour the wan sunlight of the city was obscured by darkness. Soon after midday a waft of favouring breeze dispelled the murk, and all the women clapped their hands and shouted " for the sight of God's good sunshine." In another half an hour the pall had descended upon them again, and one rose to her feet and screamed she had been saved from hell once and she would not go back to it again. But the train moved slowly on, and at last reached Ottajano. In that unhappy town not a single house with a flat roof remained intact. The miserable people had been driven from their ruined homes, yet could find no shelter from the falling showers of red-hot stones outside. Bodies, terribly mangled by the broken debris of the walls and rafters, were still being brought out of the ruins by the soldiers, and here and there they were pulling down houses that were obviously unsafe. At five that afternoon the soldiers, who were full of sympathy and real kindness, distributed more bread. vVater was very scarce, and was only c 33