With headquarters also upon the _Celtic_ was Lieutenant Commander R. R. Belknap, Naval Attachè of the American Embassy at Rome, but now in full charge of the work of constructing the American cottages in the earthquake district. Captain Belknap is clear headed, tireless, executive to his finger tips, and a most courteous and considerate gentleman to meet. He had his hands full with clearing and laying off the land upon which American houses were to be built in Messina and Reggio and the organization of his working force consisting of half a dozen young American naval officers, about thirty American jackies and several hundred native mechanics and laborers. The first of the ships bearing lumber from America was expected in a day or two and arrangements for unloading the lumber upon lighters, transferring it thence to the dock, then loading it upon ox-carts and hauling it by circuitous ways through the ruins to the sites where it was to be used, demanded much attention. The revising of plans for the houses to adapt them to the Italian needs, the making of itemized estimates of cost and the letting of certain contracts also required time and much knowledge of local conditions. Captain Belknap usually worked a couple of hours before breakfast and the light in his cabin was the last to be extinguished at night. A few days later when the first American ship anchored in the harbor, with lumber for five hundred American houses on board, a new activity began. Teams of great red oxen with horns of tremendous reach, each team attached to a massive two-wheeled cart, blocked the water front while a crowd of noisy, hustling Italian laborers, like ants about an ant hill, carried the lumber piece by piece and stacked it high upon the creaking vehicles. Processions of loaded carts moved sinuously among the ruins, each driver guiding his oxen by ropes attached to their horns and by means of mournful cries which the animals seemed to understand. _Impressions of Messina._ [Illustration: RUINS OF MESSINA, SHOWING METHOD OF OPENING STREET.]