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254 WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES IN THE WEST
valuables and a good many domestic animals—I dare say also
provisions. There were weeping women, screaming children
and excited men. Many of them, perhaps, had seen shells
falling near them. The number of these fugitives might be
computed at over 150,000. They made for the Dutch frontier
village of Putten, and thence for Bergen-op-Zoom, but many
got as far as Esschem and Rosendaal by other roads.
By 10 a.m. on Thursday the town was almost deserted,
10,000 having perhaps remained out of nearly 400,000 in-
habitants. Nearly all of these sought refuge in the cellars
under the houses which, with very few exceptions, stood
empty. Among those remaining were nearly all the Swedes,
Norwegians and Danes residing in Antwerp ; in fact, many of
the Scandinavians who had already taken out their passports,
nevertheless remained behind.
The bombardment continued all Thursday, and the town
was set on fire by shells in several places. It was a terrific
din, what with the roar of the guns and the crash of falling
walls. The bombardment increased in intensity during
Thursday night, and the fire spread. But at 11 a.m. on Friday,
the 9th of October—the day before my visit—all became quiet.
Consul Petri had disdained to seek shelter. In common
with other officials, he had been invited to take refuge in the
Townhall, but he preferred to stay at home. From time to
time he went out into the streets to see the effect of the bom-
bardment. As soon as it had ceased, he went to the Townhall,
and then for a long stroll. The streets were deserted and
silent ; there was scarcely a soul to be seen. But suddenly,
he saw a host of people. This was the German vanguard
marching in from Berchem, to be followed later in the day by
the main body of the besieging army. The public buildings
were taken possession of, the artillery drove up to the quay,
and the St, Anne’s quarter of the town was bombarded for
two hours. Then all was quiet.
Another informant in Antwerp told me that certain promi-
nent persons would have left the town on October 3rd, if the
Belgian Government had not ordered them to remain. This
was done at the request of the British Government, who had
promised to send troops to relieve the town. On the same
day, at 2 p.m,, Mr, W, Churchill arrived in a motor-car and
had a consultation with the civic and military authorities of
the city, in the course of which he promised to send 30,000
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