Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-03-25
THE EARruauAKE AT eAUDALoUPE.

A slip from the NOrioIR beacon stateS thht
the brig Sarah Jane, Capt. Gill, at that port,
from st. Johns, P. r. brings adviccs to the 22d
ult Capt. G. reports that nearly 1000 bodies
had been dug from the ruins at Point Petre,
Guadalupe, and were lightercd off and thrown
into the sea.
Vessels had arrived at st. Thomas from the
windward islands, imploring supplies for the in
habitants who escaped destruction-they are
without provisions ofany kind.
Capt G., further reports that Bassaterre,
(Guad.) Nevis, St Picrres, and Port Royal,
(Mart) were nearly all destroyed.
The T. s. brig Bainbridge, Lieut. Com. JonN-
SON, from New York via ST. Jago dc Cuba, ar
rived at st. Johns about the 10Th or 10th ult !;
officers and crew well. Lieut. j. informed
Capt. Gill that he distinctly felt the shock
the noise resembling the rolling ofshot fore and
aft the deck
ADDITIONAL Particulars Knowls,
of schr Ellen, at New York, from st. Thomas,
states that before he left, news had been recei-
we'd from Point Petre, Guadaloupe, that by the
great earthquake OF the Sth of February, every
building was thrown down, and from ten to ff
teen thousand persons killed. The American
Consul was killed at Point Petre. ....-.
The scene was terrific. 1t was breakfast
hour with the inhabitants. Capt. Fisher, OF
an Am. vessel, when the shock commenced,
was sitting in the lower story of store fronting
the water, and sprang for his boat at the end of
the wharf. In an instant he was al the end of
the wharf, but the wharf and the boat both rock
ed so furously that he hesitatcd. Just then the
ground opened beneath his feet and with leap
he reached the boat and was saved. Several
other Captains were with Captain Fisher at
the time, and all saved. Vessels were so much
shaken as to be in great danger.
Mr.. Rdgey, comedian from Philadelphia
was on the lower floor OF hotel, and sprang
into the street. On all sides he saw men throw.
ing themselves upon their faces on the ground
In another instant the stone walls fell and bu.
ried all beneath them, except few who were
so fortunate as to find themselves above it.
When Mr. r. recovered himself he was un.
harmed though all the persons he had just seer
were hopelessly buried. His little son, Lad
of seven years of age, was the first object he
saw, springing to embrace his father.
How they came so near together Mr.. Ridg
ley could not understand, as the lad was, at The
commencement of the shock, in the third story
of house four squares off. The boy says tina
all he remembers is that when he heard tn,
cry-Earthquake he jumped out of the win
dow. The boy was sitting at breakfast will
the family, and all the family pershed. excep
q small girl who, after the shock, was standing
by the side of young Ridgley.
The earth rocked so that a man could no
keep his feet. II opened in several places an
closed again, swallowed up people and build
ings, and in some instances the wafer flew u
sixty and seventy feet.-Many large opening
remained. About two thirds the inhabitant
persisted. OF the garrison ofeight hundred mer
, only seventy survived.
r A furious fire boke out Immediately after tn
earthquake, which ragged for some days, addin,
! greatly to the horror of the scene.
: Four thousand bodies had been dug out of tn
ruins of Point Petre by the sailors in the harbo
and taken out to sea in boats, in order TO pre-
f vent pesllence.
, Among the killed is the American Consu
lie was taken from under the ruins with bot
5 legs broken and put on board an American ve'
sci in the harbor, but died the next day.
The massive Notifications were a heap
7 ruins, and the mouth of the harbor was con
d pletely choaked up by rocks forced from tn
bottom of the sea. 1t was feared that the ve
n sells in port would never get out.
At St Barts, the church and severel otht
buildings were thrown down, and the earth
pened in the centre of street to the width of
foot, the fissure extending 600 yards in lengt
. Only 10 lives were lost at Antigua, althoue
almost every building in ST. Johns was throw
down. ..-... .....
/ At ST. Eustatia the damage was confnC
o mainly to buildings, some being very badly il
Y jurcd. ..... ..-. .... ..
o At St. Chrstopher's several Of the publ
T. buildings were utterly destroyed. Only OF
= person lost her life, but some others were ba
? ly hurt. .. ...
At Nevis and st. Bartholomews the cart
opened and water with suphurous smell
sued from the crevices.
< Nothing farther had been heard from Nor
| serrat-When last seen tho island was eny,