Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1840-02-24
DOMESTIC uNTEs.l.GasGNuE.
GREAT EARTHQUAKES IN BURMAH.


The following account 4 the earthquake in Bur
nah in March last, Is from the pen OF Rev. Eugene
kinexid. Baptist Missionary Who has resdet
several years in that country. II is from l.tte
addressed to d., Pane, OF Albion. n. Y.
Oa the 23i OF March. between three and four in
the morning, Ava was v.ilcd with OF the most
terrible earthquakes ever known In this pau Of the
world. A loud rambling noise. Ike the roar Of dis
tant thunder heard, aud IN instant the earth
hssan TO reel from east TO wrst with motions so
rapid and viUient. that people we're thrown out of
beds. and obliged To support themselves by laying
hold Of posts. Boxes aud furniture were thrown
from side to side, with a violence sinsr 10 What
takes place board ship ina severe storm ~ sea.
The waters of the river rose, and rolled back fof
acme TINE with great impetuosrty strewing The
shores with The wrecks Of boats and buildings The
plains between Cmefapora and The river nefe rent
into vast yawnine carerns. running from north To
snu,h. and from ten 10 twenty feet 10 width. Vast
quantities oi water aud black sand we're thrown M
"n the surface emitting al The same time a sculpture
Gus smei. As yan viii suppose. the ihire cities Of
Ava, Umerapora snd Sagaiug are vast piles OF ruins.
burning m their fall great numbers Of unfortunate
p-"ple ~ho we're asleep NJ the awful moment. The
destruction OF life. however is moi so great as might
have be-n expected from the eutire overthrow Of z
large populous cities. The reason the rteat mns,
of the people live III wood and bamboo houses Had
the houses IN these cities been built OF bricks and
atone. as etics 10 America, the entire ponnlation
must have persisted. Every Thing bnili OF bricks
--hous~s. tbohastrries, temples. pagodss aud ih.
eay walls are all orumbed down. OF all the inn
r'ense numbers of pagodas in Ava, Unerapota and
Sag Aing, and on the Sagaing hills opposite To Ava
Ne, one is Standing. The labor and wealth OF ages.
the pride aud glory Of Bpodhism has been laid 10
10 the dSs in ono awful moment. To me this i,
deeply affecting thought; Tor IN great numbers of
p'.ud temples OF h's'ahy, have preached the & 9
pei; aud ~h,ie hundreds were bowing down bolorc
huge idols, have proclaimed The power majesty
and glory OF ih,, almighty Being who siis enthroned
IN the highest heavens ;ihat the day was a, hand
-hen God would ,,ndcale the honour OF his name
'ha, all these proud monuments of healhcn,.m
woud TALL into hopeless ruin, aud be- forgotten by
succeeding generations. Some were convinced
ssms had their confidence in dois shaken bnt The
great multtade were quite lndIiirrcut.-Some few
would xesiously defend their religion. Lulc did
then think that that hour OF Gods ven.enee wa. at
The door. aud that 50 soon those enormous IDOLS
and lefty temples. the labor OF thirty generations
wsssto Become ftightfui mass Of ruins.
Lettsrs from Ava UP to the llih of April, inform
ss that the rumbling noise. like distant thunder.
had not yet ceased; aud shocks, often considerably
violent, we're fell day aud uighl, with seldom n.
much ~ one hours iniermisson. The extent of
the great shock. or rather the succession al great
siock-, on the morning OF the 23d Of March, il not
yet fully asceitained. Ii was felt so severely at
Mailman, that many sp,ang out of bed, surprising
gang oi thieves had broke into the house; yet II
was not violent enough To do any damage As IA,
~ - now asceriained, Prone 10 the South and
Bounce 10 the north OF Ava. were entirely oyrrbrown
ny the earthquake so that from Prone TO The bo,
dess Of China more Than SIX bundled NJ, les month
and south. embracing the most papnlous part Of the
empire. not single pagoda, tenn lie, or brick build.
INF. Is left Standing. The earthquake wss severe in
Auacan, aud an old volcano on The island Of Brom.
rec. was reopencd, and il,r long concealed fires
mingled with smoke and aches, rose 10 a fearful
hsighf. II remains 10 be ascerlained VET how far
ahis great earthquake extended into China but a,
there are several volcanoes among the mountains
heaween Burmah and China, IL is more than pro.
bzbIe 10 me that there snbtefranean communi-
cations between these volcanoes Of the norh as a.
m"ng the mountains between Arracan and Burmah
IN the Island oil broniee, and also on the Andeman
'slands IN the Marliban gulf. The TAO extremes
are more ihan one thousand miles apart in n direct
Iine north and south. Buithe fact that the whole
nefmeuiaie country was SHAKEN al the same mo.
'pent. and prodigou subcrranean oise was he,,d
ies'mtiinR lie rolling of thunder. is. thine sat.
issaetoiy evidence that there are subIetranean com
'n"oiea.ions heiwcen these widely separated volca-
mes. How else can we account FOR SO terrible an
ss'"qa"ae over so vast an extent Of country The
Coincidence OF volcanic eruptons and earihouake
70 not remarkable, but that several hundred mis-
81 territory. With all IT'S mountains and rivers should
he thrust up. and thrown into uudulanc ,no,;o,s =,
the same moment of time, aceounani,d ~, sn,,J
"m the centre OF the EARTH like the rolling of tbun
der are phenomena which cannot be ,ceonn,ca a.,
nm any other snpposliion than that Of vast subfe,
iaDean lines OF eomn,unc aiion between yolca,o,i,
mouniaIns.-Bapdst Register