The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-06-22
FURTHER oFTIIE GREAT EARTH
TJThEE-

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4FIRTHER OFTIIE. GREAT EARTH Il
= QUAKE
ss Capt, Nafina, of the Pandora, at Boston, re-
ports thatdii Earthquake took place on the 1th q OF
sMay, at Gonaives, at half past 3 oclock' +. M.
Itwas preceded by agfoanngoi oil tile earli'4 oy
which the inhabitants were warned IN time 10
;eecane thew rushed into the streets, and the loss
Z ofaife was small, two only being killed:
8 SsHe states further that there were four dis
sstinct Shocks in the course OF a minute, two OF
sthems horizontal and two of them perpendicular,
Il md at each he judges the earth moved about sX
feetMN early all the buildings were DESTROYED,
and the few left standing were of wood, and SO
rsiiattereda as to be useless.
apt. Varina also says that Port de Paix and)
ST Jauo at the north, met with the same fate as
S5af5e Haytien not stone being left standing on
;aanother, and two-thirds of the inhabitants de-
stroyed.
1t appears, too, o,thatat Porto Plata the shock
was terrific Capt Wilbur, of the schooner
Lawrence, furnishes the morning papers with
the following gcircumstantal account of the dread
full earthquake in the the Island of Hayt H.was
written for publication here, and will be read
with painful interest On the evening OF the 20
ult, while Capt. Wilburwas in the act ofheavmg
his anchor, there was anotherSe severe shock otan
earthqnake, which, however, did no further dam
age: ,1.u oo,h 1910
On the 7th day of May the Island of Haytl
was visited with an earthquake, which, in its
destructive effects, has proved itself to be the
seyerest which we have ever had on record
The weather has been for many days past eX-
ceedingly hot and sultry. The temperature va
rying from 92s to 95S in the shade, llOS when
exposed to the solar rays. The winds were hot,
parching and unfreshing, and the drought had
been for Some time past prevailing. In the at
ternoon of that day, at about haf-past D O'Clock,
i was standing on the square, which is situated
ain an elevated part of this town, the sky was un-
commonly sserene,;, and the descending sun
promised to be bright and glorious in its setting
Just then, casting my eyes towards Mount lsa-
bella, which overlooks the town. perceived a
dark vapor ascending and enveloping its base and
sides-a rolling runbling sound Immediately
succeeded, and instantaneously came shock
which nearly dashedme tothe ground.
= The level of the square appeared undulatlng
like the waves of the sea-a faint and sckly SEN
sation came over me, and dizziness and Difficult
ty in breathing. The houses rocked TO and fro
.@like vessels in a storm. The ground was rent
in various parts. Many persons were thrown
down by the force of the concussion, others were
sreeling as in state of drunkenness. Every
slnoment we expected the earth to open and en-
guiph US. second shock followed, yet strong
!, er than the former, accompanied by the same ap-
; &pearances, effects and terrors. The church
strong and massive building, seemed tottering to
its fal3Sthe bricks flew from the solid masonry
as iffrom projectiles; wide fssures appeared in
the walls and arches, and the whole would have
!. been leveled but for the uncommon strength of
the outside buttresses and the Iowness ofthe
building. It was affecting. to hear tine terrific
cries and lamentations ofthe women and chill
dren, and instructive to contemplate even then,
their lowly prostration to the Dvinity-implorlng
srocK ritt1sr nave lasted about GO
seconds Fortunately for US, our town is almost
entirely reconstructed of wood, which alone ac-
counts for its preservation. The stone" build :
ings suffered materially, and some of the finest
were entirely destroyed. From the 7th up to ,
the present date, We have been in continued1
state of alarni-upwards of forty shocks having
taken place during that interval, some more or
Sless severe. Professions and prayers, are con-
tnually onfoot, to avert, if possible, the Divine
&displeasure. The men wear serious and solemn
looks; the women when not in the professions,
are sitting at the doors of their houses, either in
tears or with books of prayer. Business IS not !
even thought Of, such is our state of agitation.
!. The fine town of Santiago about GO miles dis
tant in the interior, and the centre of our agri-
cultural commerce in this part, has beenentirely
destroyed. The population consisting of about
5000 souls, of wIichs500 are buriedein the ruins
further in the interior the towns Of Vega and
st. Osero have met with similar fates, The
Ecityo Cape Haytien, the deposita ofal the aegri
cultural products, of its fine painn Capitol of
the northern part of the island, the first city in
Hayti for the beauty and solidity of tsbuiidings,
and the second only in size and Importance, has
met with utter destruction. and is one immense
mass of crlmbling ruin. 1t is stated that the
number who have been crushed to death and who
have otherwise fallen victims there to this ca
lamity, amount to 1000 souls. A gentleman
swho left Immediately after the disaster inform
ed me thatso sudden hadbeen the catastrophe,
that hardlythree seconds were allowed to es-
cape from the houses. Thousands were buried
alive, and no relief at hand. Cries of agony and
:shrieks would now and then proceed from the
Buildings and break the solemn stiffness of the
snght. Many dead audputrifed bodies were ly-
ing in the streets, and nobody to remove them.
The air was tainted withthe infection, and pest
seemed quietly settling over the city. J
s 2lst May-Since writing the foregoing, fur
ther intelligence has reached us from the Cape,
(which. has materially added to the horrors of lis
former situation. The city being depot for all
the articles imported for the supplies of the inte
.rior, an immense quantity of merchandise was
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