The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1840-03-07
EARrRonAKE IN buRMaH.

Ergene Kincard, Baptist, Missionary !
who has resided several years in that coun- |
try. II is from letter addressed 10 Dr.
Paine, Of Albion, n. York.
On tue 23d of March, last, between three
and four in the morning, Ava was visited
! with one Of the most terrible earthquakes
ever known in this part Of the world. A
loud rumbling noise, like the roar of dis
tant thunder, was head, and in an instant
the earth began 10 reel from east to ives,
with motions so rapid and violent, that peo.
! pie were thrown ont of their beds, and o.
Sliged 10 support themselves by laying hold
Of posts, Boxes and furniture were thrown
from side to side, with a violence sinrlar
10 what takes place on board a ship in Sc
we're storm at sea. The waters Of the river
rose, and rolled back for some tioie with
great inpeluosily, sirewing the shores with
lne wrecks Of boats aud buildings. The
plains between Umerapora and the river
were rent inio vast yawnipg caverns, run-
ming from north to south, and from len 70
twenty feet in width. Vast qnnlaiits Of
water and black sand were thrown upOn
The surface, emitting at the same time a
stroog sui phurous smell. As sou will sup
pose, the three cities Of Ava, Umerapcra,
and Sagsirg, are vast piles Of ruins ,burying
in their fall great numbers OF unfortunate
people who were asleep al the awful mo-
ment. The destruction Of life, however,
is not so great as might have been expected
from the entire overthrow of three large and
populous cities. The reason is tie great
, mass of the people live in wood and BAN
, boo houses Had the houses in tAese
cities been bnit Of bricks and slone as
! clues are built in America, the e.tire popu-
} atlon must have persisted. Every thing
, built Of bricAs--huuses, monaslerIes, tenn
/ pies, pagodas, and the city walls arc all
! crum5led down OF all the immenss num-
f bers of pagodas in Ava, merapora, and
, Sagaing, aud on the Sagaing hills opposite
, 10 Ava, not one is standing. The labor and
0 wealth of ages, the pride and glory Of Bood-
: his.n, has been laid low in the dust, in one
c aw(a moment.
10 me this is deeply affecting thought.
: for in great numbers Of those proud tenn.
a pies of idolatry, / have preached the gospel
ard while hundreds were 5owing down 0e-
y fore huge idols, have proclaimed the pow
/. er, majesty, and glory OF tha! Almghty
Being who sits enihroned in tho hlghes
4 heavens: that the day was at hand wher
Is God would vindIcsls the honor Of his namt
and thai all these proud monuments OI heath
2. eaisIs would fall into hopeless ruin, and bC
- iorgollen 6y succeeding generations. Some
e were convinced, some had Iheir confidence
'. in Idols shaken. bit the great muiilud'
we're quite different. Some few would zeal
N ously defend their religion. Lite did theI
,e think that the hour of Gods vengeance wa
N at the door, and that soon those ennrmou,
>. idols, and lofty temples, the labor Of lhir.y
70 generations were to become mas oi fright
&c iul ruins
IL Letters from Ava up to the l lth Of April
inform US that the rWnbling noise, like iha
Of distant thunder had not yet ceased; am
shocks, ollen considerably violent, wer
al fell day and night, with seldom as much a
IN Que hours iniermission. The eXten; G
he the great shock, Of rather the succession q
ed great shocks, Oh the morning Of lie % {
90 March, is no! yel fully sscerlained. u wa
a. SO severely ieH al Maulman, that man
d. spFang ous OF bed, supposing a gang o
ld thieves had broAen IA The house yet IL wa
y. not violen. enough to do any damage. A
r., lar as Is now ssceTialned, Prom 10 the SOut
-. and Bomee 10 the nUr.h of Ava, were Ell
mr. tirely overlhrown by the earthquake 5
thai from Prone to lhe borders of Chini
ne more Than six hundred miles norh an
,;s souih, embracing the most populous parI {
In the empire, not single Pagola, temple, {
i brick building rs lett standing. Tue eartl
~, quake was severe IN Arracau, and an Ol
vs. volcano on the island OF BTomree, was re,
"a pened, and the long concealed fires, ming
' ed with smoke and ashes, rose TO "A iearf,
hsighi. Il remains 10 be ascoraned ye
how iSr this great earthquake extended m
China, hut as there are several volcanoes
an mOng the mountains between Burmah al
,s, China, il is morsi lIan probable 10 me Ia
,,, lhete are subterranean communications 3
M. tween ihe vo.c anUes Of Tie north and II
Ian yoicanoes OF the soaih, as among the rnou
an taius between Arrpesu and Burlnah, and
IN lne island of Br0mIee, and also on Il
,be Audsman Island in The Manban gulf
he lne two extremes are more Than q
,ns thousand miles apart, in a direct line nor
a, and south. But me fact that the whole
iermedalo county was shaken at the sal
ST moment, and prodigious subierrans
arm noise vas heard. resembling the rolling
we'd thuudFr is | thiuk satlsfacloty eviden