The Express.
London, England, 1849-05-22 00:00:00

THE EARTHQUAKE AT NEW ZEALAND.

The following is an extract from a private letter
from New Zealand, dated " Wellington, October 25,
1848," descriptive of the late appalling series of earth-
quakes in that colony. It appLare in the last numbtr
of the Inverness Courser _ _

As you will learn from the newspapers that we have suf-
fered severely in Port Nicholson from earthquake, I am
anxious to show you that I am still in the land of the livieg.
On the 24th October, about two o'clock in the morning, I
was awakened by a most violent shake, whiohll had no diffi-
culty in discovering to be an earthquake, the most
severe I had ever experienced here. I was nearly
thrown out of bed, and, expecting the chimney to fall In,
I got up to rescue a favourite bust that stood upon a
bracket on the wall. The bust, however, was thrown
down, and the chimney stood. When darliebt came, the
damage to the town was found to be considerable. Perhaps
one fifth of the chimneys had fallen, and many of the brick
buildings were rent and shattered. This war on Monday
miming, and, as on former occasions of earthquake we bad
only one shock, we thought little more of the matter. The
following day, when at a short distance from town, I felt the
grornd beneath me rook to and In,, and looking towards the
town, I saw, from the dust, that come buildings had fallen.
Almost every brick building was in ruins, and two children
were thrown down and killed by • wall. The father of the chil-
dren, an old Waterloo soldier, was liketwi is so hurt that he sur-
vived only two days. Ou Thursday evening, another violent
shock destroyed nearly all the clay and brick buildings—
the hoepital, the Wesleyan chapel, the gaol, the stores, &c.
Hundreds of houses were demolished. Since then we have
had several smaller shocks, but they are now dying off,
and some days have elapsed since the lest severe one. The
town of Wellington is, by this calamity, put back almost
to its first stage ; for although the wooden buildings have
not suffered to any extent, still, as the brick houses formed
the principal stores of the leading merchants and dealers,
and also of government, the loss cannot be reckoned at
less than from 100,0001. to 150,0001. Many people have
to begin the world again, and alt feel it in some degree.
Consternation was on every countenance—ne one knew
where it might end—and those whose houses were de-
stroyed or injured went to their neighbours and kept up
the excitement and gloom. Many of the inhabitants
flocked on board the Subraon, a ship bound for Sydney ;
and the captain generously kept open table for all comers.
His conduct has been much applauded, and from 701. to
801. bre already be. n subscribed to present him with •
piece of plate. Mr. Fit:herbed, one of the largest mer-
chants hart, has suffered so much that he intends rem lying
to Sydney, and great numbers will follow his example.
You will have heard that Colonel Wakefield died some
months ago. This calamity would have broken his heart.
Even the natives are deeply sorry for us. They say they
have before had single shocks of earthquake as heavy as
those we experienced, but never such • succession of them
in so short a time. I have been going from house to brass,
encouraging the people, and also visiting thoso on board the
Subraon. After the terrific shock en Thursday Governer
Eyre issued a proclamation, ordering the following day to be
observed as a day of public fart and prayer. All persuasions,
sews and Christians, concurred, and in the open air, ma
measure of safety, the whole European population (nearly
6,000) joined in devotional exercises. Strange to say, no lives
were lost but those of the old soldier (Barrack-Sergeant
Lovell) and his two children. The remains of the veteran
were interred with military honours, while slight shocks of
earthquake dill prevailed. At Nelson, and various other
parts of the colony, and at sea, the earthquake was felt.

A CVIHoUB STORY.—The Buenos Ayrean Packet,
of the 10th February, says, " A strange incident took place
in the city a few days since. A man tar advanced in years
bad been employed to carry • box to a certain quarter in the
city, but previous to reaching his destination he fell dead in
the street. The authorities ordered the body to be removed
to the hearse depot; the box being meanwhile left in an
adjoining house. The inmates proceeded to examine the
box, when to their astonishment it was found to contain the
skeleton of a child, and the skull and some ether bones be-
longing the body of an adult. This discovery was OM
muniested to the proper authorities, and at length the
following patient= transpired:—Don Ramon Darn, a 1
, native of Catalonis, in Spain, married In this city, may
' ran ago, a wealthy lady, called Donna Isabel Rouen. flat
wbes he professed the most tender attachment. Tike biter
bias, Duren by some means obtained the skull and sew of
lise -other bone, of his deemed wife, which he ever after
kept with the greatest care wrapped up in a piece of black
`cafe. Some years after the death of his first wife Duran
married a ascend—a person many years younger than him-
self. By this wife he had a daughter, on whom he fondly
dented; but the latter dying about 1828, when only in her
seventh year, Divan was plunged in the deepest grief, and,
determined not to part with Isis daughter's body, bad it
secretly embalmed and subsequently put into a box sloop
with the remains of his former wife; but in order not to
appear as opposing the laws and established custom, he
went to the expense of • mock interment. This kes mar-
ched se strong ea impression on his mind that he seemed
indifferent to all about him, and his affain began rapidly to
decline. His keenly sensitive heart was, however, usthuid
to feel another, and, from the attendant cinnimasamoss, sew
more painful bereavement, in the elopement of his wills,
which event almost unseated his judgment. Bain made now
such rapid strides in the fortunes of this heels man that
is the muse et a sheet time the once wealthy proprietor
was reined IND the omit= of a common beggar. But he
had still ens MIMS lest ; the humble suppliant wandering
*1111400( to deer, deputies' mi public charity for support,
W yet in kb peemesim m ignored end to him priceless
gm, which shared obtain bb betume, whatever roof " his
seaims allowed"—the beat egabliwing the bones of his wits
sod aid. He thus lived Ike a swim of years, and, when-
ever k bosom neememy to chit him glen of residence, the
hen emblobg the protium ribs woo ever his tint oars,
sad be whisk he craved a shelter under the title of im
perteat papers. His last residence was the house of a widow
who had known him fa Mb: times. Here he lived until
limbers overtook him whoa the scanty means of his hos-
not Jowl% her to minister to his wants,
L wee `weal to the pub hospital,where he died about
a yew mod a half rime. This lady,o : tumors in some
amore te hove imbibed hie prej or meet in his
tomery would set for a long time the seise be se
highly lobed te be removed, but the muse seisliallem
emiusblemem, who were already see
_well es hermit sp-
p.
puled el the sestsats of the box Wood her at lest to eses
mat Proper having been esmorsestly him titem-
sme their to the publicfinkswq, on old men yes
employed for the purpose of oonveytei be men
ye
depot, who, es we have seen, mink wrier burin to vie
se mere. According to the report el the sealed
mm who was celled in to exembe the body, deaM
moselesed by a fit of apopieuy, Mimed by overexertion
sod the (dews of lateoqimems ma • day of animal
heat."
Puurr PIRIONXIITT.—An amusing incident re-
=ennui at the Old Church, Cabana, during liebie
(4.Tieg= win a wet one, sad there was bag
somity imem those sitembled, tweeter,wasy who so desht base thought • amok • wiry
retest hem the nib, er loteaticeall= thwe
=e lessilesd. Mile the Rev. Henry wee
eresdhlot mod somberiog ea the duties of good @Mises,
hik 'mama aNEW•sb time rev. gentlemen faded ;
whoa, elmtbg up, end Maim ihelk hintin • deprer
(snag arsimie as doubt te erred atemlimeise
B,exdobsed,
Asa whet do you say Mr the sollers—de met do shit
duty r Mood melted up the member'. the dark
asodp emessed Mak hearer,
_So while illebestea were la
Mille aphides, sad binw bleed the smolt would not be
=el: the vehmtery Oat senies—dos
Josh eared me de the whole :it=
host his hot sad walked me With ea air of isigoant
litylishatsia