Cyparis, Le Survivant, The Survivor
One of only two survivors, 25-year-old Louis-Auguste Cyparis was in jail for his involvement in a brawl when the volcano “Mount Pele” erupted the morning of May 8, 1902.
After escaping a work detail, Cyparis had been moved to solitary confinement in an underground cell. The thickness of the walls and absence of windows sheltered him from the most deadly effects of the eruption, but Cyparis was severely burned by hot air and ash. In great pain, he managed to survive trapped in the cell for four days until scientists exploring the ruins rescued him.
Cyparis recovered from his injuries, received a pardon, and became a minor celebrity when he toured with the Barnum & Bailey Circus as the “Lone Survivor of Saint Pierre.”
