The most pitiable thing we saw was in thy ruined house just west of the craters. There were two nien, two women and two children living in the home. One of the men had gone down on the street in the morning to buy food and when he returned ho found his wife, his son and daughters-inlaw, and two grandchildren, dead. At one blow his whole family was wiped out of existence. He was standing there looking at the ones he loved, and at the surrounding ruins, utterly rushed, his face a perfect blank, talking, talking, talk but not knowing a word he said. It was unpossible to keep back the tears as we locked at this man whose future seemed blank and hapless.
The scene is one never to be forgotten. This morning there existed a peaceful, quiet, and happy little valley, nestling down in the hills which surrounded it on all sides, and which were covered with pines, elms and bamboo groves—all gorgeous with the autumn foliage—to-night all is blackened, stripped and flat in the mire—the work of a moment.
I hope to get some photographs of it, but it still continues to rain.
Yours sincerely,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.