Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-12-15
CIrY or MExIco. Oct 3,


severest of three several shocks that were felt
within two or three days of thattime
CRY OF MEXICO, Oct. 3. Is47.
An earthquake we have had an earthnuakel
Between the hours of seven and eight yesterday
morning, and when all Nature was hushed in
stiffness profound, suddenly the earth began to
rock with a strange and most fearful motion.
| am living at the bonse of Pena Pena, the
headquarters of Gen. Worth, Immediately in
front of the beautiful alameda, and the first in
trnation we had of the dread CONFUSION was
the violent sammng of the doors, accompanied
by furious jingllng of the glass pendants at
tached to a chandelier banging and swinging
from the ceiling of the room. Soon our beds
commenced rocking, something after the man.
ner of ship becalmed at the close of storm,
and then came the shrieks of innumerable wo-,
men and children, driven half dressed, alright
ted into the streets. The dreaded temblor, as
the MeXicans call il, was upon US. Most
| strange and impressive was the scene disclosed
from the from windows, as reeling and star
gering we approached and opened them. To
walk steady was impossible, so violent were
unheavDgs and oscillations of the mig hty earth.
The tops of the large trees in the alameda were
swaying, the water in the reservoirs was bill
lowing to and fro, the walls around US were
cracking and gaping assunder, the wide street
in front was crowded with women and children
as well as men. screaming and praying and
crossing themselves in the extremity of their
fright, while our own soldiers were Keeling un-
steadily in their midst, astonished and awe
stricken at the strange commotion. The SEN
tinels hailed upon their rounds, uncertain and
not knowing what to do: the caHeions. or mar
row lanes, continued to pour forth their hun
dreds of affrigh inhabitants, all seeking the
refuge of the wider streets aud open squares.
lest their own houses mig'.t tottor and tumble
upon their heads, while on Bonded knees they
confessed their sin aloud, and earnestly peti-
toned forgiveness ere it was yet too late-l
A wounded officer in our house, bed-ridden and
apparently unable to move since the harj-foneht
battle of Ell Moline, came hobbIing huriiedlv
from his room, driven thence by the cracking
of the walls and the strange tumult from with
out. The-stiIlness Of the morning, so profound
had been the repose of Nature, but added to the
genral feeling of wonder and of awe-of con-
sternatidn, perhaps | should term it feal
caught from actions and countenances of those
I" native here and to the manner born," those
Graded end rocked amid connexions Of kin
bred nature. The dOmes and steeples of the
lnnumerahle churches and converts reeled like
drunken men the lakes hard by rolled their
sluggish waters rs though moved by an elemen
tai strife from above instead of the earth in
which they are nestled IN her sore travl. An
oI4ccr in the stleet, about TO mount S horse
at the commencement of the commotion, sud-
denly found the animal receding from him.
| Astonished, he inquired of soldier close by
| the cause; but the man was as ignorant as him
| self. The puddles in the streets-for there had
been a severe shower the night before-sprpad
themselves and disappeared upon the pavement
fno tlot
alameda continued to lash their huge tops as if
swaved by unseen yet all-p)werfu hands. The
shocks, for the osciiatory motion of the earth al
short intervals became calm-while the whole
scene impress sed every one anew with the might.
the majesty, and the manifold power of the Most
| High.
But, if the streets and open WAYS presented
a spectacle most impressive, doubly awful was
| the effect produced among the wounded men in
| the different hospitals. Unconscious of the
cause of the strange commOtion. filled with ap-
Drehensions which ever attack with ten-fold
force the disabled and the infrm, and dreading
| results from a phenomenon they must have
deemed akin to the supernatural, the poor fell
| lows rose and hobbled from their cots-trem-
bling and stricken by deep awe, yet not knowing
wh Their to ay. The arless hurried hither and
thther, the legless hobbled about in all drec-
tons, while the bed ridden, the postrate, and
the utterly helpless, panic-stricken and despon-
ding, earnestly prayed and petltioned not TO be
left unprotected-not to be deserted In an ex
tremty which their ignorance made painfully
terrifying. But by and by the earth became re-
lieved of her mighty throes, the staggering
steepes resumed their quiet, the afrghted in
habitants rose thankful from their knees, the
sentinels recommended their rounds-the fury
of the dreaded temblor was spent.
For one, | have always desired to see, or
rather to .feet the effects of an earthquake. A
single convusion has sufficed to cure all curl
osity-I never wish to be present at a repeti
ton.
tits common observation that any fool can