The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-02-06
e5Tntsceilanu.
TragAafed from, Pari, paper.
sCHWiTZ, Sept Is.

~
sCHWfTZ, Sept IS.
" Our government have not yet decided upon the
projects which have been fubmitted for opening a ca
nal, to empty into the Zug ar Lake Sauwertz, the
waters Popped by the falling of the mountain, The
Engineers Of Zurich aud Bernie have returned home
The Official report which has been publiihed OF the
awful diiater OF the econd OF September, could not
in the lirR moments OF terror be 70 infinitely detailed
= aswe could have w;ihsd The following relation
from an eye witnei, may be depended OF.
his canton OF Schwitz and the diRri4 of the
fame name. j. iiua,ed between lake Sauwertz and
the village OF Arth, between the two mountains of
Sig' and Rosi5erg, charming and fertile valley, a
league in breadth and two in length, and where are
alio iitIsted the three villages of Sauwertz Buifn-
ges,and Go!dau, and the little Hamlet of Roethen.
he iPirit ct donee economy and indultry poisiI.d
ny the inhabitants connected with peaceable and
moral character, had made it Z fourilhing place.
The houies and other buildings, for the moa part,
were wei! eoniruefed and kept in good repair The
orchards were filed with fine fruit trees Of all kinds,
Sainn cattle, and making butter and oheee was the
principal occupation c. the inhabitants. They diitn-
guieied themieves from the other villagers by the
neatseis OF their dre and their houles and lived con-
tented and happy To the north of this valley rofe
mijesticaly the hghea part of the mountain called
sPitzerbull It's hdes, from the bale half way up,
were covered i'll the noit romantic manner, with
meadows, paitures orchards. houlss and dfperfed
taiiies Farther towards the lummit their mea-
dows, and foretfs, and above all a Grand Alp. The
heart (or entras of the n,esntan) was competed in
greater part Of cacihed and (charbsnne de pierre)
burnt aones. AT aseoniiderable diifance up the
: mountain the young men in watching their foeks had
deovered long time lince, cavern the entrance
OF which was very narrow, but which grew infenG-
bly, wide as one advanced, in the form OF road hewn
IN the rock, and under which was lake the extent of
which was known on account of the darknefs of
the place Its depth had never been found, notwith-
handIng the length of the cords ued for the purpole
In going up the mountain far above this cavern eve-
RAJ holes were ieen, in which ffones when thrown in
Tcsd as lorg as they could be heard.
' Such was the ii.ustion of that beautiful valley
and the envrons of the mountain On the 9nd of
September, 3c6 alter an extraordinary rain of two
whole days particularly upon the heights the inhabi-
tarts OF the mountain mead ~ the morning and dur
ing the day, at intervals ilnguiar none, which the
hn,pie and creduous people attributed TO fome myfe-
F:ous OF Supernatural caute. AT in the afternoon
fevera large Rones rolled half way down the declivi
~ OF the mountain, with great violence and noie. As
ehoie movements are common in mountainous coun-
tries, nobody paid any attention to it. One hour af-
Ter the dreadful fall of the mountain took tee. AT
frit the iumn,t id lowly down a certain ditance
when 1t exploded ike mine with mott trench
dous qoIs, accompanied with imoke, vapour and
flames OF fire, which fhot into the air in different d.
reoiors with the rapidy of lightning, and fpread in
every direction tina. luperb valley 1t then took
sourie mp the oPPoite mountain, after having the
twinkling of III eye buried this beautiful vale, and all
its inhabitants. at the moment of the unforeieen ca
talrophe all the elements FIRE, water, and earth were
in irigheiul agitation. The fpeelstors were very
fearful they ihonid be iwallowed up Ill this vortex
which fPread around chaos, dearutiion and death
The greatef MATS paied Ruiingen and the envi-
rous OF Goldeau iweeping every thing in its eourle
The eye OF the fpeaator now behold but one
frightfu picture of deltrut,ion and ruin. All that
beautiful and fertile counry, where long fince
were feen tvs hundred villages, is buried under
high mountain newly formed and which will re-
main thoufand of year feriIe and uncultiyated. "A
fecond MATS, preeiPitated towards Sauwertz and
the Lake, which is league in length. 1t is here
where the greatef part of Sauwertz and Ruiingen
entirely buried. The force OF the MATS of earth
like torren lwept buildings, trees, and every thing
in its courle. For fniihing nroke this horrd
fceue Of deoation another great MATS OF earth,
cordng fome fell into the Lake of Sauwertz, and
according to others (Which is mot probably role from
the bottom of the Lake, drove the water in an uf-
heard OF manner, and with great impetHoy over its
banks, and lpared manner Of thing around the
Lake. The roie with frightfu roaring to
about hundred feet perpendicular, and in return
ing tore up rocks and trees, which it drew along
with it into the Lake. The beautiful Plain with
all the houfes which covered it, has been fwallowed
up and annihiated by the current of the enormous
mals of water 70 that icarcely the leaf veiige of the
place where it exifed be perceived. AT the up
per end of the Lake the little village of Seven was
txpofed to the gEeatet danger. Two houfes aud a
Rable have been carried away--levera others much
damaged. and rendered Sninhabtable The earth
has flied the Lake in fueh manner, that people 90
on foot nov, where before they went in boats The
wreck Of houiF trees, beams, plank, furniture, &C.
feet in theknels the furface, which now
refembles ruarih. The rubbih has obflruaed the
outlets OF the between the mountains and as
their eltape, they have sverfown the
fallen earth, formed Lakes and fpread their waters
to great diIlance."