The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-03-25
EARTHQUAKE At ALEPpO.

Extract OF letter from Mr. Benjamin Barker,
Agent for the british and Foreign Bible So.
ciety at Aleppo.
Gn'dea ofibrdtim .9ga, near the Rains
Of .Hcppo, august 90, 1929. (
With heavy heart take up my pen to
trace anew in my detected mind, the most
dreadful of all events. The wounds OF af-
Fiction must bleed al'resh, when recall 10
my memory the lamentations of fathers
for their children, of children for their ia
Tiers, OF husbands for their wives, of wives
for their husbands, running naked from
place TO place, imploring the protection of
the Almighty, or with their feeble hands,
trying, amidst the falling ruins, to extricate
themselves and their relations.
On the night of the 18th Of August, a
bout half past nine O'Clock, Aleppo, the
third city in the Ottoman Empire built
entirely of stone, was, in the space Of
few seconds, brought down to its tounda-
tons.
| was at that time asleep on the ter
race of my particular friend, Mr.. Ma
seyk, who by the help of the Almighty,
was mercfully saved, with all his family.
About half an hour previous to the great
shock, "A light one was felt, when | took
the precauton to draw my bed from under
a very high wall, where it was placed. |
was soon awakened by the fall of that wall,
on the very spot where my bed stood. l
sprang from my couch, and, without wal
ting to dress myself, fled into the house,
which | found falling on all sides.
TO remain in the house, or to take TO
flight through the streets, amidst falling
houses, appeared to be equally dangerous.
recommended my soul 10 God, and
embraced the latter resolution. In con-
sequence, descended the back stairs of
Mr.. Maseyk's house by the Almlghty's
guidance, for the great staircase fell at the
same time.
The darkness of the night, and the clouds
oil dust that covered the atmosphere, pre-
vented me from perceiying the stoaes aud
rubbish ON the stairs, which bad fallen
from part Of the house, and consequently
was precpitated into the court yard on
dead body.
How can | express my feelings at that
moment, ignorant on what body hau
fallen | was half dead with fright and
horror. | afterwards learnt that it was
a faithful servant, who second before bad
descended those stairs, when some stones
of an adjoining Turkish house fell on him
and killed him.
quilted that melancholy spot, and, Ike
a man deprived of his senses, ran amidst
the falling walls to the gate of the town.
which is situated at some distance from my
friends house. 1t was on my road, among
N OF ,E I In W.T.
ness the most horrible of all scenes. Inc
lights of the houses whose sides had fallen,
exposed to my view men and women cling
ing to the ruined walls of their houses, not
ding their children in their trembling arms;
mangled bodies lying under my feet, and
piercing cries of half buried people assaL-
ing my ears Christians, Jews and Turks
were imploring the Almighty's mercy III
their respective tongues, who, minute
before, did not, perhaps, acknowledge NM
After great deal of trouble and fatigue
running among the ruins, | arrived, eh,
hausted, at the gate of the city, calieu
Babelanige, the earthq uake still con,'nu.
ing. Cold and dreadiuly bruised and CUT
in my body and feet, fell on my knee
among concourse of people, to thanh lho
Almighty for my happy deliyerance rom
the jaws of death. But the gate OF me ei-
ty was shut and no one dared to FISK hS
life under its arch to open it. AFTER re-
commencing my soul again to my Crea,Ii'
threw myself on the gate. fell III 'a'
dark, and perceived that it was not ioch-
ed, but the great iron bars that wen, a a.
cross the folding doors, were bent by w
and the little strength III
tanned was not sufficient to force them