The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-02-29
T,iE EAI,'r,li,I.AEEI


T,iE EAEriiQCAkE!
70 satisfy the n,nis OF t,.ee srsons who may feel
ucnroIe o. tcsyi' attenuation relative the ,reat
aud alartnins {..esolnenen which has visited our
si'ssy, the following brief detail of facts offered
the public, communicated to- ", by ~ genl. man who
arrived yesterday morning from the Western Coun-
try Ckdrleston Iinsss, Eco. Ia.
!" The late Earthquake has extended through
great portion OF our Union, and has, in many places
been attended nth the most portentos appearances.
II ranged from Aiexandria, in Virginia, taruugh the
interior OF that State thence striking the Ohio liz
yer. and RAINING IN numerous veins throughout the
INDIANA Tennessee, and the Indian Nations. What
was the exact direction OF the veins, which were nu-
mcrois, tits almost impossible exactly to state the
one Which was accompanied with the greatest injury,
appeared TO proceed in due course from w. to Il.
marking with dreadful Impressions tue country thro
which 1t proceeded. The writer had an cppor tunity
al seeing the injuries made the Mssssipp where
ehey were not only most extensive, but most
he Was descending that river, and when about lO6
miles from the confluence OF the Ohio ut about o.
clock IN tlle morning of the 10th December, several
shocks OF an Earthquake were felt--the appearance
u the weather had been for several days alarming,
aud we had every Indication OF severe rains 1t
generally remarked that the aspect OF the heavenly
bodies was singular, the comet was unusually lazy,
ana the western horizon very glowing. The banks
the MssssPp have been snnken in many places for
hundreds Of acres, the bed of the river constant
agtated, the very bowels Of the earth appeared to
teel the severity oil the Shocks and from numerous
oshces, sticks and stones were elected into the cir
for at least SO feet.
1t extended directly on the river about 700 miles
from the mouth of the Ohio, several boats were ies
toyed from the falling in of the banks; much tim
Der, which tor ages had been washed into the river
anu matted at the bottom, was raised yet, though
violent were the shocks, few material injuries were
instanced-the greatest part Of them provdsntiaiy
occurred IN the widest and most uninhabitcd parts 1t
appears also to have extended up the Mississippi al
most to its source, aud through all the large tributary
Streams. AT Louisville aud Lexington, in Kentucky,
thc inhabitants were much alarmed, but injuries of
moment were sustained The inhabitants in the ,lif.
ferent small villages, bordering the Mississippi, were
much alarmef and fed in every direction. Very few
lives were lost, and those mostly upon the waters. 1t
singular, that in many places the country 40 miles
back from the river, was sensible Of Shocks when
those more Immediately in its vicinity felt them Sc
verey. Whilst, at the same time, few miles higher
or lower, the whole country the river banks, and
for unheard OF distances back, shaken with yio-
ience This proves that the shocks partial that
che Earthquake in veins; which, though appa-
renty the most severe, really less injurious than
general convulsion. Indeed, from every crcum-
stance attending this phenomenon, much less danger
Is to be apprehcnded from it, than generally lima
Bnet On the Mississippi, the last shock felt on
abe 23d December, thus making its continuance ex-
actiy one week; in which space of TIME. were felt
upwards OF 500 shocks, many of which were violent
enough to have shattered to atoms the neet edi6ces
nnt the sensible Injuries which followed, were by no
Means commensurate"
tH.) SAVANNAH, Feb TO-
50 EARTHQUAKES-AGA
4 he Inhabitants OF city, had hardly recovered
From the alarms excited Ivy the frequent shoe lately
experienced, when they were again aroused on Fri
day morning bv a severe and treIncuIo, Earthou.ke
which commenced ut about four O'Clock, and contnu-
ell for two minutes this awful and most impressive
visitation, WAS preceded by loud ruTnbiing, resem-
bling the noise OF number ot cart.cs following
each other, and thenutOn OF the earth so yio-
lent as TO occasion numbers rush from their beds to
their doors, to avoid the danger which might arise
from falling buildings. We are happy to howe
yer, that noinjury has been done. The horizon i'm.
mediately after the unduatiom OF the earth had ceas
ed, presented most gloomy and dreadful appear
anec the black clouds which had settled around it.
were iumined as if the whole country 70 the west
ward was in flames; and for fifteen or twenty mi
rutes continued of distant, but distinct thun
der, added to the so.emnity of the scene. storm
OF wind and rain succeeded, which continued until q
bout SIX O'Clock, when vivid fash OF lightning was in
followed by loud peal of thunder; Sc
yeral gentlemen who were in the market at the time
distinctly pereeveda blaze of fire which fell between
the centre and south range Of the market. To those
who have made the wonders of nature their study
We leave the calculation whether eruption has Ia
ken place in distant part, whether we are A.
gain to experience still severer trials
shght notion sufficient to cause vibration was
distinctly felt minutes before nine on the night
succeeding the above, and at eleven another smart
shock took place--clocks, the pendulums of which
vibrated north and south stopped and several rents
have been discovered in brick buildings which were
"iehodt uoubs occasoned by 1t. .HuseunI.
NASHVILLE, Jan. 81.
From Mr.. James Fletcher, Tin whose statement
we place the utmost reance,) have received the
following narrative" At the Little Prairie. on the
10th of Dec. last, about o'clock, A. NJ we felt Sc
we're conclusion of tie earth, Lich We supposed to
be accustomed by distant Earthquake, and did not |
npprebend much danger. Between that time and |
day we felt several other s!ghter shocks about sun
rise another severe ore came on, attended with a
perpendicular bouncing that caused the earth to open
IN many places-some eight and ten feet wide num-
sers OF less width, and of considerable length, some
parts have sunk much lower than others; where one
81 those large openings are, side remains high
- before She shock, and the other is sunk more
some lees but the deepest saw was about IL feet
he Garth was, in the course OF Is minutes after the
Shock in the morning, nearly entirely inundated
With water. The pressing Of the earth, If the ex.
preston be allowable, caused the water spout out
o. the pores OF the Garth, to the height OF eight or
Ten feet! We supposed the whole country sinking
and knew not what to do for the best The aeitati-
On was so great that it with officially any could
stand on their feet could notTlic air was ye-
~ strongly impregnated with sJphuIious smell 81
As 1t by instinct we few soon as We could fro IA the
Rover, dreadng most danger there; but after ram
dung about two or three hours, about two hundred
gathered at Capt. Francis Lcseuers, where We cam
ped until we heard tliat the upper country was not |
damaged, when left the camp, Cater staying there
tsei,e days. to look for some other place, and was
three days getting about thirty miles, from being
bhged to travel round those chasrns.
&c Previous to nay leaving the country heard that
many parts Of the Mississippi River had cayeI in -
the niost extraordinary effect produced that saw
W n lax hello he