The Sun.
London, England, 1825-01-19 00:00:00

THE LATE EARTHQUAKE IN PERSIA.

• ( From the Bombay Gazette of Sept. 8.)
We are indebted to a correspondent in Persia, who was an
eye-witness, for the following account of the dreadful earth-
quake that has devastated so much of what is interesting in that
ill-fated c,ountr3.
JEHAN NUMAH NEAR SHIRAZ, JUNE 25,.1824.

This morning, about half-past five A.M. I was disturbed
out of a sound sleep by the violent commotion of an earth-
quake, of much greater, force than the one I sent you an
account of from KhonaAueta on the 2d instant. Illy first
object was to move out of the house, but to accomplish it
was difficult and dangerous, owing to the number of large

bricks, pieces of - wood, and mortar, falling from the roof all
round the outside of the house, and a few stones and cha-
nam from the ceiling inside that had been previously in-
jured. Having happily effected my escape without injury to
myself or servants, I walked out of the' garden to see what
damage Shiraz had suffered : the first sad effect that I ob-
served was the complete destruction of the Shaw Meez Ally
Ebna Hoonza, a beautiful mosque about 400 yards in frOnt
of this garden, and perhaps the same distance from Shiraz; its
finely ornamented cupula had fallen in, and the body of the
building was rent in every part; Shiraz itself was enveloped in
dust, nor could I for many minutes see any thing else, but this
sad sight was enough to show that it had suffered severely. As
the dust cleared away, it was truly awful and distressing to see
the ruins of the fine stately mosques and minarets, a few mi-
nutes before the chief ornaments of the town, but now a shape-
less mass, and each succeding minute, as it vanished, some fresh
object presented its shattered form. he eastern side of the wall
that surrounded the town, and the only face discernible from
hence, has fallen in, and most of the towers were laid level with
the ground, and the remainder much injured. But melancholy
and distressing as what I have attempted to describe may he,
what is it compared to the sufferings of the unfortunate inhabi-
tants ? The cries and lamentations of thousands, bewailing the
loss of relations, friends, and every thing dear, resounded in the
air, and were enough to soften the hardest heart: you may then
easily conceive what my feelings were, indeed are at this mo-
ment, hearing dismal cries and mournful lamentations in every
quarter. To get any thing like an accurate account of the suf-
ferers will take some days. Since the first great shock, and be-
' tween that time and ten o'clock, there has been three shocks,
though smart, nothing compared to the first. I have pitched
my tent in the garden, and intend occupying ;_ the compara-
tive degree of safety will more than
have
for the corn-
forts of the house. The inhabitants have quitted the town, and
are living in tents -routies, and under cumlies outside. Ally Aebor (our Agent), poor fellow, and his whole family, are
living with me; his house is completely destroyed ; and Zak-2e
Khan's (the Minister) quite in ruins; the Prince's state room ti c-
stroyed, and every part °file palace has been much injured; to he
short, I believe nor a house has escaped without .some injury, and
most of them in ruins ; the fine Bazaar is still standing; but
. much shaken and injured. The exact number of those who
have perished in the ruins I cannot ascertain. Merza Ally.
Aebor assures me that 2,000- is under the number, but receive
this as mere conjecture ald report only; I should. think half
the number nearer the mark.