Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-01-05

(ffem the National Iat.iirenesr.)
AWFUL CALAMITY.
We have been obgingly furnished with the anne,
account, translated from the Rerisa of Lisbon Of
oyerwhe lining calamity which has beiaen the be
iui island of Madeira:
"A most awful calamity has fallen upon the hereto
fore prosperous, and STILL beautiful Island Of ";
deira.
"Ihrougbou, Europe generally, the present White
was nshered in by frequent gales and heavy rams an
the inhabitants of MADEIRA usually in TIE enjoy me nj
the most equabe and delicious climate, mao wItnesse
with surprise, continuance Of heavy showers from III
commencement of October when, the oath, th
Heavens assumed an appearance still dismal; III
rain fell copiousy all the forenoon; between 3 and
o'clock the light Of day became Suddenly otscurpd
heavy black clouds hanging compact mass alloy
aud around the whole island, Involving in the darkne
of night both the land and the ocean, hile The glar
from repeated flashes al Lightning with the heavy roll
ing OF thunder, aud its re- echoed peals among tn
mountains rendered the scene ,rrrifcaliy grand,
seemed In threaten 10 submerge the DEVOTED slant
down TO the very cayrrns Of the seq, which, foarng
had fer days already been beating lis shores Ike IL,
proud and roaring liun around unguardaG shee pud
With the repeated and awful claps OF thunder SO hea
mass of waters poured down The gloomy firnans nj
above, that force industry hope, could resist
it. 1t # were oupouring itself into
the SEA, and upon the land.
! :" For more Than three hnurs without Stacking, did
this stormy wonder continue The springs became
hronks-these as sreams-and they os large rivers,
while the valleys turned into muddy lakes Cries OF
Distress shire king in vain for help from opposite points
ard various distances, pierced the ear overlop
ping the noise, like rumbIng thunder, Of rolling rocks
dashing against each other IN their course along the
torrcus. An unusual tremor OF the earth felt un.
der the feet Even the of smelling here c"nri.
buted nlso 10 pain the nation for the papor arising
from the troubled waters end torn and fetted earth
pre- mated The air with a cedaverous fe,dness, winch
increased the terrier OF man and beast. THIS awu! dis.
pensatlon, if not Equal i'll oss Of lives to that which
occurred IN the island the distressing 9th of
October, lc63 e plainly greater in loss OF property
which is valued at 81 100000, including IRE.
parable losses; and the destruction Of life by lasl dates
was ascertained 10 exceed fifty sou!s
1.-THE water fall of ST. Luza, though not overflow.
ing its banks below, rushing with such fury as
to carry off immense logs capped with ma sonry VIII oh
placed ra.~"e uis,a noes 10 stay its force Thu
Of Ci--" rushed firth, carrying away the bridges
'osfiao"ng Inc neIghoorns lands and ,undry streets
carried en- acadrmc sS8ge oor Of the houses and
par ,, To complete the calamity OF my Mar bet,
IN. civ or r.ncha the Nora brock which at oil fea
sons IL nearly dry, uroarie swollen, oVenoweo' oahas
ing all that INSTRUCTED lis course; many houses were
sven, away from This quarter, others were ruined
much stored wine lost; horticultural gardens aud
others laid waste, without tree left, wall standing;
and lieu OF SOIL the earth covered with stone and
pebbles The inhabitants were in Imminent danger,
ga yng themselves in boats where before they walked
and had the inundalion continued honr longer, few
persons could have escaped, and no Eoases been left
standing.
In the Western part Of the city, The small stream
Eeibeirinho broke forth into three swollen branches
invading the quarter Porlas novas the streets OF Rei
beirinho Bairo, Laruneira, the lane Malta down to
Poournho square. Here, also The damage was great
and the scenes which occurred IN the Eastern Par'
would ha We in this heen enacted had not been thai M
outlet found 10 the waters By the walls OF tort 81
Pnllip giving way Notwithstanding which, Inc wafer
\ ,ntlp fhp nj
administration of the d'strc. were snved The cause
way of 81 Clara " hch from lis elevation, was thought
10 be Of the secn.est points, and when lie oruSs
of 1903 had respected,) from the fallen and swollen
waters above, precptating themselves from oonK &c
bank this time with its pavement torn up became Inc
he'd of furious stream excavaug along its course the
foundations of oil buildings 10 its way-even tnat
the church Of st. Peter. This was not all streams
from other quarters increased this already swollen one
and with i, the devastation down TO the new street o
St. Peter breaking in doors, an! os'io@'ng stores
wine and Other merchandise, finding an outlet near u
the Franciscan garden, weeping away the sheds over
tnrning walls around down tn ST. Johns 'na!ket mum
| dating the houses on the South side.
"Althourh the waters from ST. Luzia and st. Johr
did little damage in the city, they swept Oh INTO lht
ocean wndm!ls, has sacks, whole plantations OF canes
vans and other rural wrecks. Indeed, It was IN Ink
country the interior villages, aud other parts OF TIM
island at distance fnm the city, where the create
force Of the devastating Anod was mostly ielt II II
vet too early TO learn the whole extent of the disasters
but what is known Of them is most horr'hc Inc skt
Of the city Of Funcha the parishes OF Camacha an'
Canjco have undergone mstortunes never before II
oer, need In the towns and districts Of ST. Cruz, Ma
chico as far as St Antonio da Sierra, the calamity wa
not confined vney ards lands, houses, and roads,
many lives we're lost. From then, come repeated call
for provisions 10 the extreme misery OF hundred
of inhabitants whose very last root OF vans had Dee
torn up by the wind, and swept of by the hooa; In
Porto du Cruz, which, from the sesshore to the YER
pinnacle TO the mnun,sns, was as garden LOST "
wealth in few brief hours the extensive parish al
| val fsr,zed by beautiful streams remains desert
numberpss cultivated fields and vineyards are lai
wns,e. From thu Parishes of ST. George, ARGOS, ST
Vincent, Pon,a Delgada Porto Moniz, and others
down to that of Calheta, certain account had ye
been received Of the rumored loss OF puohc ano pr
vate property. The town OF Calheia had mostly o.
appeared and great was the devastation 10 the paris
Of the same name In that of Magdaena the destrue
linn was eompete and great the loss Of lives In Car
has the trees we're uproo,ed-swept eft; even the ai
famed chestnut, visited by travellers, an
which had OF its vast branches supported many JOY
aus party around the banqnetng table Inc towns
Tabor, Ribpra Brava, and Strfa de Aqua have TO de
oore immense havoc; from thence 10 Camara de L1oo
!, Increased in extent and lcss the other parishes
around and down 10 Funchs!, have not suffered less
In word from all directions. and at every hour, mo
,i,udes of terrified country people, with their ~'ve
and children, hocking into the c,tJ Tor succof en-
protection Inc surface OF Tue is'a"o " J s
nisabe; the bridges have disappeared; the roads al
ruined orchards vineyards, devastated; country dive
Iings laid low bonses swept away, others IN RUNS, Al
many damaged. II is reckoned that more than t~
hundred are in this condition.
Such is the description ne take from the L sbo
Revsa Universal If ihs most awful catastrophe, car
armed by private letters. And yet This is not all
the 26th days afterwards furious storm asssaile
the shipping the roads, OF which, os yet we have
, particular account. The Resista says: The shiF
wrecks will, which the The Goth endeavored
vie with the disasters on shore, after the description
these, would nsufFeraaiy increase the anguish OF u
narrator and his reators.
TIL. sboye distressing accaun: 81 the gJea; GOOD