In his History of the Catholic Church in Jamaica Father Francis Osborne recounts the experience of the sisters at Alvernia of the 'tidal wave ' rumour: The sisters had hardly retired to rest that night [Tuesday 15] under the trees when a strange noise was heard passing before their compound; it sounded like a sea of human voices growing louder as it approached. Threatening rumours of escaped prisoners and inmates of the Insane Asylum had already reached their ears; and as the crowds, in thousands, were passing Alvernia's ruined gates, each sister wondered what new danger was at hand, afraid to communicate her thoughts to another. Then a man ran through the gates and breathlessly said that the governor had ordered the whole population of the city to move northwards towards the mountains, since a tidal wave was imminent. The sisters were terrified, and the children more so. Among the boarders were a good number of young ladies from South America who understood English only imperfectly. When they heard the word ‘governor’ and were told to flee, they took it for granted that the government, like their own governments, had exiled the sisters. They begged to be allowed to follow their teachers into exile. It took some time to quiet them and explain what the real danger was. Since they were two miles from the waterfront and 250 feet above sea level, the superior decided all should remain at Alvernia. Quietly they again sat down under the trees and some had already fallen asleep when a messenger on horseback rode madly into the compound, saying that the sea had already covered the lower part of the city, and begged the sisters to run as fast as they could if they wished to save their lives. Each sister took as many children as she could and started on the march. Hardly were they outside the gate when a constable came from the nearby police station with official news that no orders had been issued by the governor and that the sea was perfectly normal and calm even in the ocean beyond Port Royal. Who spread the false, terrifying news never became known. Back went the sisters and children to Alvernia, worn out by terror, and all fell asleep under the convent cottonwood trees.

	The soldiers ignored the 'tidal wave' threat! On this occasion the soldiers of the British West India Regiment performed their duties well, as indicated in the item from the West India Committee Circular. The citizens of Kingston were accustomed to have their streets invaded by the Regiment's soldiers from time to time as they carried on their on-going feud with the men of the Constabulary Force; in this crisis in must have been a relief to see them acting professionally and responsibly!	Daily Gleaner, June 1, 1907