Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-11-27
From the Missionary Herald for November
THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE IN
SYRIA.
JOURNAL. OF MR.. W, NJ. THOMPSON ON A
VISIT TO sAFET AND liberals.
From Beuroot TO Tdre.

Jan. 10, 1887. The first day ofthis year |
will he long remembered as the anniversary |
OF one OF the most violent and destructive |
earthquakes which this country has ever
experienced. The shock occurred at hall
past tour O'Clock, p. NJ, and was neither
preceded or followed by auy remarkable
phenomena. A pale smoky haze obscurcd
the sun and gave touch Of sadness 10 the
scene, and lileless and almost oppressive
calm settled down upon the lace Of nature
but these appearances are not uncommon IN
this country.
In Beyroot itself but little injury was
sustained, although very many OF the houses
we're badly cracked, but on the river fiat,
east of the town, the houses were greatly
| injured, some thrown down, and few per-
sons wounded. For several days succeed
| ing the shock, flying reports from various
/ quarters gave irighlIul accounts OF towns
and villages overlhrown and lives lost bur
So slow does authentic information travel in
this country, that it was not until eight
days had elapsed, that any reports which
could be relied on were received. Letters
arrived on that day from Saet, stating lha;
the place was utterly destroyed not house
remaining OF any description and that
liberals and many other places had shared
the same dcplOrable fate. Some of the lei
ters stated that not more Than enc out Of
a hundred of the Inhabitants had escaped,
while others more correctly declared that
out of population Of 10, 900 al least 5000
had persisted.
As soon as these awful facts were sufEi-
GENTLY ascerlained 10 justify it, collections
were taken up al Beyroot TO relieve the sur
vivors, and persons appointed 10 proceed to
the scene OF distress, and superinend the
distribution Of the articles and assist in Ia
king care Of the wounded. To aid in this
work, and also to obtain accurate !nlorma-
ton, so that further measures and more ell
ectual might he adopted to relieve Ihier
distress, Mr.. Calman and myself left our
f homes this morning Tor Saiet.
Ruins of Safet.
Up to this moment had refused 10 cred
il the account, but one lrighdul glance con-
WINGED Inc that il was not in the power OF
language to overstate such ruin. Suffice
it to say that this great town, which seemed
10 me like beehive four years ago, and
was still mole so only eighteen days ago,
; is no more. Safely was, but is not. The
Jewish portion, containing population OF
five or six thousand, was built around and
upon very steep mountain; so steep, IN
deed, is the hill, and so compacty built
vas the town, that the ROOT OF the largest
: houses formed the street of the one above,
thus rising like, a stairway, one above an
$ other. And thYs, when the tremendous
shock dashed every house to the ground in
a moment, the first fell upon the second,
and the second upon the third, that on the
next, and so on 10 the end. And This is
: The true cause Of the almost Unprecedented
destruction of life. Some OF the lowe
. houses are covered up to a great depii
with the ruins of many others which were
above them. From this cause also it &c
i Cured that vast number, who were no
e instan,aneously killed, persisted before they
: could be dug out and some were taken
out five, six, and one was told seven days
= alter the shock, still alive. One solitary
II man, who had been husband and father
IS told me he found his wife with one chlI'
d under her ara, and the babe with lh
breast still in It's mouth. He supposed
the babe had not been killed by the lalIin!
'' ruins, but had died Of hunger, endcavorin!
e to draw nourishment from the breaS; OF II
II leless mother! Parents frequently toll
at me than they heard their little ones cryia
papa, papa, mamma, mamma, fainter an
Al ia inter, until hushed in death, While the
n were either struggling in despair, TO Ire
themselves, or laburing TO remove The iallln
limbs, and rocks from their children.
God OF mercy what scene OF horro
must have been that long black nigh
II which closed upon them in hall an hour z
a. ter the overthrow ! without light, or pos
a. sbillty OF getting one, four tiihs OF tn
- whole population under the ruins, dead G
ce dying with irightful groans, AMI The cart
Il still trembling and shaking as il terrific
he with the desoaion she had wrought!
J. What dismal spectacle As Tar as III
In eye can reach, nothing is seen but one vas
rs chaos OF stone earth, timber and board'
y tables, chairs. beds, and clothing, mngIe
u in horrid confusion. Men every where /
T., work, worn out and wo-begone, uncove
Il. ing their house in search OF the mangle
and purified bodies Of departed friends
~ while here and there noticed companies
a two or three each clambering over The RI
ms, bearing dread full load oi corruption
vet the narrow house appointed for all lIvln!
as covered my face and passed on over II
al half living, wreiched remnants of Sale
Some were weeping in despair, some laug
SIS inc in caousness still more disresSn
ne Here an old man sat SOLITARY on the wret
IT,, OF his once crowded house, there CHI
~ was a play too young 10 realize That II Ia
nc neither father or mother, brother nor rel
lie ton in the wide world. They ilocked
lid round us-hushands that had lost the
c., wives, wives their husbands, parents wit
IN oui children, children without parents, al
of not lew left the solitary remnants OF iara
he connexions. The people were scatler'
OF abroad above aud below in tents OF o
boards. old carpets, mats, canvass, bru'
he and earth, and not a few dwelling in 4
zee open air: while some poor wrecheS, wou