Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-05-24

meteo.s. peculiar thickness, or rather want
of perfect transparency in the atmosphere and
a similar dulness or fiery redness in the as
pee, Of the sun. -,
U5,h. The searalso is generally affected in an
unusual manner previous 10 an earthquake hap
ppning upon the adjoining land. !. either swells
up to an unusual height, or bubbles up and e
nits pecuilr roaring noise The waters
Likewise, of springs. wells, ponds, ana rivers,
frequently grow muddy previously to an rar'h>
quake, or give other indications Of II, such as
to become suddenly more abundant, or more
scanty, 10 WELD unpleasant smells, &c. II has
been often observed, that waters OF ponds, RI
vers seassec. have given indications OF an earth
quake having taken place at an immense els
lance when no shock or tremor OF the earth or
other unusual phenomenon, could be perceived
in the neighborhnod Of those waers
Goth. At the lime of an earthquake, the air
is generally calm and serene, though seldom
very pelucid; but afterwards becomes gene
rally obscure and cloudy.
9th A noise of various kinds, viz: Either
continued rumbling, or something like The
| ra, Ting of carriages, or like the explosionsof
heavy cannon, is the general forerunner OF an
earthquake but sometimes he shock and noise
commence at The same time.
18th The nature and direction OF the shocks
vary much, and mostly they succeed each other
| in very shor, time The earh sometimes
trembles, at other times II moves somewhat
| like the waves of the sea The shock frequent.
" begins with perpendicular heave, then
changes into vi5ratory motion backwards and
forwards, or in a whirling sort OF movement,
''0lh A single shock is of short duration,
scarcely ever exceeding minutes but they Ire
quently succeed each other, at short Intervals;
| for considerable length Of tims.
| Goth Az the time OF all earthquake, hesures,
| Cracks, or chasms, are frequently opened IN the
! earth, which are of various shapes and sizes,
and are either shut up Immediately, or they arc
left open. In great earthquakes those open
ires Of the earth frequently swallow up human
! oeines and other animals. And there are va
rious instances OH record, Of their having swal-
| lowed up even large towns. Sometimes sui
! phuleous, or phosphoric smell, smoke, and
flames, but more commonly waters, issue GU,
Of those openings.
| "llth. Flame and smoke have also been emit
ted from the earth, when no openings we're VI
sible in il, and i, is said, that fame and smoke
have issued, likewise, from The water OF the
sea al the time Of an earthquake.
| "l2th. The effects Of an earthquake are felt
hy ships at sea, aud often in very great degree.
| An unu sual motion Of the wafer Is mostly OBJ
served, which is either like prodigious swell,
or like current setting in certain direction,
or somewhat like awhirling movement The
ships are aft, cted with sudden stroke, as u
| they had run aground, or struck upon rock;
and sometimes they are affected in more hurt
| rul manner, as was observed during the earth
quake Of Lisbon
"l3,h Earthquakes are not confined TO any
| particular district, within any prescribable
limits Some OF their effects have frequently
o. en- observed al an immense distance from the
! actual scene OF ton Anu, ic arreutiye OBJ
servatons were made, and proper machines
were used, there is nc doubt tn, that their ef-
fects would manifest themselves al muo h
more surprising distance"
The BaromeIrica column is said TO lie very
extraordinarily affected, as was the case at The
| Isle de Bourbon, Mauri,ius, during very Sc
we're and terrible earthquake in 1863. 1t was
observed, and it is believed, stated, by Bernar-
din de st. Pierre that the column desc ended
| considerably below 30 inches, twenty or thirty
minutes before the shock was fell; and after its
fury was spent, il rose very suddenly to 81 inch
es. Measures were not taken TO ascertain cor.
rectly the depression, but it was supposed TO be
to q inches below the index scale IF this
be true, i, does not appear, as will be seen by
the table, to be corroborated by the Barometer
during The earthquake Of this month, and i, is
here particularly stated, from The circumstance
Of its being casually observed few months be-
fore, and intentionally minute afterwards, and
was found to be as stationary as the six pre-
c. ding obser' atoms
.AprR s, 1923, J. A. BRERETON.
From the Baltimore Chronicle
FORTUNATE ESCAPE.