The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-04-06
FLom the Vincent Chronicle, Of Feb. IL.
EARTHQUAKE AT MARTINIQE

EARTHQUAKE AT MARTINIQE.
"Anxious Of judging from personal OBJ
servaton the extent Of damage committed at
Martinique aud St Lucie, a party of friends
embarked from Kingstown on the 2Sth ult.
and after an agreeable but prOIracted voyage
bore up for Port Tor as il is, eroneously, |
suspect, written Fort Royal, at 10 o'clock
at night on Wednesday, the 30th.
No living being opposed our progress; no
one greeted our approach. A solitary SEN
tinel on the Savanne merely challenged, as
we made our way through toItering streets
and encumbered thorough fares silent as the
grave. Any language of mine is incapable
Of doing justice 10 such scene of absolute
desolation; of PROSTATE porticos, dilspidated
mansions, and piles Of stone and mortar, el-
oquent in ruin.
The next morning and forenoon we re-
peated our visit, and yet more in detail went
over the spots so remarkably striking the
previous night; but first impressions retain
ed their force. All the public buildings are
either totally destroyed, or so rent or thrown
down as TO be useless. Of 1900 houses
which composed the city, only Is are saved
and singular TO say, these are wooden edifi-
cos. Whole lines of streets in the meaner
suburbs were entomed with the inmates,
by the falling in of the loftier stone dwell
ings in their vicinity. But Of all the re-
markablc spectacles in this accumulation of
horrors, none can vie with that presented
by the arched fragments of the convent
the tattered shreds Of the old, and the site
of what tC0S the new hospital
This splendid building, but recently com
pleted, which cost 100000, is entirely
RACED 10 the earth. Not slone remains
upon another, and the soil OF the open
space or yard, in front, is white from the
dust into which it crumbled with lis i'm
prisoned patients, 46 in number, Of whom
"a were military. An idea NAV be formed
Of the impetus of the earthquake in this
quarter, when mention that between ten
and twelve feet in front Of the base line the
iron ratings which ran along il.--Adioined
these masses Of shattered planks and slrewn
fragments, is the cemelry or burving ground.
Hiher all the killed, after being gathered TO-
gether from different points, and deposited
in dead carts on Ia Place d'Armes, and that
OF des Quatre NOirs, were huddled into
Two enormous bitches. dug for the occasion,
which were Instantly filled up with quick
lime. Some without arms or legs others
wanting an eye or nose, women whose
breasts had been torn of, were plunged in
without distinction of age, rank or sex; and
(says French writer as these has!y Sc
pulchres could not contain the masS of bod
les which cIogged them up the assistants
were compelled to sqeeEe, crowd, and stamp
them, as one packs herring into abarrel -
Well might he doubt the evidence of his
senses
We found it dificuItto ascertain the ex-
act mortality. II would appear that about
900 sufferers we're dug out of the ruins,
and in 500 Of these life was extinct. The
others were carried 10 Ihe artillery barracks,
fitted up as temporary hospital, and moth
ing can be better than the arrangements
there perfected. Amputalion was resnrted
10 IN Pumerous instances, but none survived
The operalion.-Goyernment tries 10 con-
ceal the extent Of The calamity, in order TO
relnspire confidence in the colonies-but il
admits loss Of 260 dead and about an equal
number wounded. Having been courteous
ly received by his excellency the Governor,
Adml. de Moges and conversed with his
alds-de-camp and various respectable indi-
viduals, shall now detail such farther Incl.
dents as may probably crafty the curiosity
OF our fellow citizens.
All was agreed that this awful visitation
OF Providence was tempered with mercy.
IT instead Of happening at 6 o'clock in the
morning, it had taken place few hours
sooner, not a soul could have escaped, as
the town was buried in sIeep-but occurring
when the labouring population had for the
most part repaired to their wonted occupa-
lion, they whose houses first fell, owing
to the superintendent weight of larger man.
slons, avoided the fate which enrulphed
their residences. The greatest fatality oc-
CURED IN the streets, which, being narrow.
and built with great strength, were choked
up by the falling of missiles &c. Gases
OF individual calamity were related to us
pluable in the extreme. One gentleman
said that having gone early to the public
promenade, he behed the earth vawn he
fore him and shut again, while the trees at
his side nodded like the waving of soldiers
plumes.