To the first great sea-wave several others succeeded, and the bay
continued for a long time in a state of tumultuous agitation.
About two hours after the first overthrow of the buildings, a new
element of destruction came into play. The fires in the ruined houses
kindled the timbers, and a mighty conflagration, urged by a violent
wind, soon raged among the ruins, consuming everything combustible, and
completing the wreck of the city. This fire, which lasted four days, was
not altogether a misfortune. It consumed the thousands of corpses which
would otherwise have tainted the air, adding pestilence to the other
misfortunes of the survivors. Yet they were threatened with an enemy not
less appalling, for famine stared them in the face. Almost everything
eatable within the precincts of the city had been consumed. A set
of wretches, morever, who had escaped from the ruins of the prisons,
prowled among the rubbish of the houses in search of plunder, so that
whatever remained in the shape of provisions fell into their hands and
was speedily devoured. They also broke into the houses that remained
standing, and rifled them of their contents. It is said that many of
those who had been only injured by the ruins, and might have escaped by
being extricated, were ruthlessly murdered by those merciless villains.
The total loss of life by this terrible catastrophe is estimated at
60,000 persons, of whom about 40,000 perished at once, and the remainder
died afterwards of the injuries and privations they sustained.
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