The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-11-12

gle. ~ v
Earthquake IN Bmmah.-A London paper
contains the following extract from IA private
letter dated Amerapoora, April 8:
"You will have learned the awful devastation
OF an earthquake we have had at this city, on the
23d uIt., and ofthe disastrous results which have
attended it. We continue TO experience shocks
ever since, up to the present moment, occurring
az intervals OF an hour. nay even ottener, along
with rumblidg sound like distant thunder. We
have as yet only been able to receive intelligence
from Toung -gnoo and Prone to the southwark,
and Bombo to the northward, ut which place it
would appear that the earthquake was felt with
equal force; we consequently ieel no little alarm
and anxiety as regards the fate of Rangoon and
Mounein. AT between two and three A. Nj. on
me day III question we we've all Ola sudden
shaken off our beds from the rocking of the
house In the most violent and fIIghtlu manner
with the doors and windows Tapping about with
some force, ana noise not unlike the discharge
of distant artillery. AT This time every light and
movable article In the house was being thrown
IN every direction, and 1t was not without some
difficulty we kept ourselves on our legs. In
short, the MOTION of the house could only be
compared 10 the tossing of boat on the pillows
OF the ocean in tempest. The vibrations were
from north 10 south, or vice versa; for the faces
OF those buildings pointing to those quarters
suffered more than the rest, and | should think
that it lasted two or three minutes. When the
shocks with the noise ceased, torrents of water
were heard IN every direction, which with the
darkened appearance of the sky from the clouds
the noise of birds, and the dismal howling OF the
parish dogs, tended greatly to increase the awful
ness of the event. But at day break, what scene
Of horror and desoation presented itself 10
view! Every brick building in the city and sur
rounding hills without single exception, whe:h
er a pngoda monastery, dwelling house, &c.
cit n or ShiypTpI
pieces, burying in their ruins, mon, women, and
children. Thus hurting into eternity hundreds
Of our fellow creatures, aud at one blow, fell the
labor of centuries. IL was, indeed, most tortu-
nate circumstance for the people, that tie pro.
portion of the brick houses with those OF the
bamboo, was very inconsiderable, else the des-
truction of lives would have been amentably
great. The earth rent in several places into
wide clIasuis aud assures, from 10 To 20 feet
wide, from which deluges Of water had gushed,
and large quantity Of gray earth thrown UP,
covering the place around several feet deep, and
emitted a suIphurous smell. The rapid current
of the lrrawaddi was even reversed at the time
OF the shock and assembled up its bed for while.
The old cities of Ava aud Tsngain, with their
numerous pngodas, and other editices, have al.
So been reduced to heaps of ruins, and their
walls shattered and thrown down. The towns
ard villages, above and below ,he capital, have
likewise suffered, and it Is reported that some
have even been swallowed up, aud others deS'
troyed by nundalion. The number of persons
that persisted here, 81 the surrounding towns g.
villages, amounted to between TWO and three
hundred, which number will of course, be eX-
peced TO swell as reports arrive from more
distant places Amongst those who died are
Mr. Ilarupen, the wealthy Armenian merchant
and three children OF Mr. Avanes.-These were
the survivors of family of six children, and he
has now been deprived of them too. We have
indeed 10 be grateful to Providence, that though
~ have n mid n 81
and where so many pershed, none of us have
suffered either in person or properly. We owe
certainly our csc ape to the houses being built
Of the same light materials as the generality of
the buildings here; but we had nigh been swa'
lowed up by some of the openings and gaps in
the earth for some of them were not many yards
from residence. An occurrence like this is
not in the recollection of the oldest inhabitants
of this country, nor is there any mention in one
of their historical records