WRETCHED CONDITION OF BODIES
Some few of the bodies had been prepared for burial at Rimouski, but so great was the work that most of them had to be put in the coffins as they were found, the women in shreds of clothing, some absolutely naked, as were most of the children, with anything available wrapped over them, while most of the men were in trousers and undershirts. Every undertaker in Quebec and Point Levis had been engaged by the Canadian Pacific Railroad with instructions to embalm all the bodies and prepare them for burial. Each body was also photographed for its identification.
Many of the coffins were of the crudest make; some had this inscription: “Ne pleurez pas sur moi!” (Do not shed tears over me), but as the sailors arranged the coffins and the marines took their station tears were visible in the eyes of many. Coffin No. 1 had a card bearing these words: “Woman on bottom, baby on top.” There were two in the coffin. The only other writing on the boxes were words indicating that within were “fille,” “fils,” “femme” or “homme.” With the bodies were in some instances the articles found on them, such as watches, pocket-books containing money, letters or other things that might help in the identification.
Solemnly the search continued. A man would find the bodies of his wife and children. A woman would identify the body of her husband. In the hunt for bodies of the victims there was no distinction of class. Every person, whether finely dressed or roughly clad, took his turn in the line that moved constantly from coffin to coffin. The great majority of persons, however, were disappointed in their search.