sight anyone ever saw was dawn. We had been forced to stand on the table and hang on to the chandelier, and from this point the water rose steadily until it was at our chins with our heads touching the ceiling, we could go no higher and I told the policeman that if a lull came for only a few minutes I was going to make a break for it. How, I had no idea, but he protested it would be suicidal, as roofs were going by on the wind, and four were lying in what remained of the Roman Pools, and the debris was still racing by the windows at a terrific rate. I stepped off the table and swam under a door to a small closet adjoining this room, and on coming to the top was overjoyed to see the window there had not become blocked with debris. If I could smash it I could get out and possibly make my escape by getting back into the solarium. I swam back and so reported to him; he could not see it, but finally we agreed that I was to go and that if I should be swept away he was to attempt to recover me. I took his pistol and swimming under, after shaking hands with him, I reached the window sill, and after trying unsuccessfully twice finally smashed the window and then the screen, dropped the revolver and stepped gingerly from the window. I had, however, barely got my right leg and arm through before I was picked up as though I had been nothing and thrown bodily back into the pile of debris and piano. I picked myself up and clinging to the balcony above me made my way hand over hand to the windows of the Salon. The wind was now coming from the south at terrific force making it difficult for me to retain my hold, and finally tearing me loose altogether it hurled me through the windows and up against a marble fountain in the centre of the solarium. I made my way, swimming and crawling, to the mantel piece where I rested. The tide was now receding and the waters in the office also were going with it very fast. Finally I swam and walked where the sand was exceptionally high to the door of the room in which the policeman was still a prisoner. My hand hit something metallic which turned out to be a frying pan with which I gradually dug him out. The wind was still raging so that we could not stand erect. We made our way to the mantel. At noon on Saturday we were rescued and taken out, after having been in the water for over ten hours. I had nothing but a bathing suit on, this even was partly torn off, and for the next four weeks I was forced to live in a borrowed one. The office was stripped bare of all its beautiful furnishings and decorations, even the piano was smashed to pieces and was found a half block from where it formerly stood. Sand in some places in the inner office was over six feet deep, and was nowhere less than two
