Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-10-10

saw groups of people living in huts outside the
towns. Still more destructive was the effect
of the earthquake at Bovine and Azceli, where
many houses are in dangerous state, and must
be pulled down. Here also | found the people
greatly excited. The whole of the district OF
Bari has suffered four miles round scarcely
house III any Of the villages III that direction
may be said not to be injured The terror and
misery are beyond my powers OF description &C.,
Bascilicata has suffered throughout the whole
district. The town Of Nenosa is nearly dcs-
troyed; the market place is one heap OF ruins,
und you see houses here and there threatening
10 fall. In more than one place observed the
earth torn up and showing ragged iissures
In this district the earthquake assumed It's
most terrible phenomena, viz: first perpen-
dcuar action, and then an Csc lllatory. Rapo-
In is in ruins: the cathedral no longer exists
An lnhabtant Of this town told me that the
falling Of the buildings produced such con-
sternatlon, that for more than half an hour al
ter the event he could find no one who could
give a coherent answer to question. Day
and night, women, men, and children were tear
mo away the ruins to find their friends and
relatives. At Rioreno the inhabitants were
employed when arrived in digging at the ru-
ms. Half this town is destroyed saw sew
eral of the wounded, not less than 100; they
were wanting surgical aid very much, but |
feard TO discover my protcsslon as | could not
remain. being, as YOU know, sent to McIti. |
think never could behold q more painful pc
turc, and need not remind YOU have attend
cd the wounded after more than one battle
and that is bad enough; but here, with the
horrors of the very worst of wounds, the crush
YOU see a mother latnenting child under Il
mass of fallen rubbish; father wildly asking
"Whcrc Ii my family: my wife :"-chdrer
without parents some lamentng over the IL
ing, some weeping over the dead.
The village Of Bavile has actually dsap
reared. found all about this district large
assures, partly filled up with houses maj
who escaped told me it appeared to him that
for minute he was being tossed about in thu
air; the earth appeared, as it were, with
breathing power; and then came u rOck'n
movement, shaking to and fro. Here som
military had arrived to excavate. There wa
strong stencil of decomposng bodies TIL
place was really deserted by the inhabitants
at least | saw very few. How shall | Civ
YOU an idea of what was once the town q
Melf? The cathedral is down, as are tn
college, the churches, the military depot, an
163 houses; 9S are in a falling state, and Is
are pronounced as dangerous. The mtar
have arrived, and are working away. OF
medical staff is by no means strong enough
More than thousand bodies have alrcad
been dug up, need not add, all dead. Th
wounded are over 600 and present every V;
ricty of flesh wounds and fractures. I'll
town offers strange and awful appearance.
Many have tied-otbers linger about the ruin
as fond friends about all they love best in I'll
world.
have no time 10 give you any notice of tt
various phenomena. Indeed | have learne
little as yet. 1t appears, however, ccrtal
that the convulsng current was strongest
Melf and took direction in the center Of Il
peninsula toward Sicily. The water is sti
warm, and repeated slight shocks have bee
felt in several places. Some suppose volc
no will break out, as there is evidently son
subterranean action going on. The whole dl
trict, observe, presents many traces Of vC
canlc action in past times Etna and Yes
vlus have been quiet for some time past, ia
worth remembering when specializing on eau
es. The Earthquake was followed by hur
canes, which have also done much injury. ]
tell you the truth, | am by no means quiet
my mind while living here; the elements
destruction are below us. | will let you knc
more as soon as possible.
The village of Ascot has also suffered il
mensely; 81 houses have fallen in. do II
know how many lives we've lost; | should il
aglne all together the loss of life cannot
less than three thousand, including all the 81
ferers in all the towns. Sxty-fve boys of t
college of Mef are supposed to have periShc
The calamity took place when most of the pc
ulution were sleeping, as IL the custom in lila
after dinner. have heard that in one place
lake has appeared. Mclf is the site of an {
volcano.
In 1888 an equally terrible earthquake c
Cured in Calabrla. and from that period up
the present Indeed almost annually slig
shocks have been felt, but happily withC
much damage or loss of life Sicily has e'
suffered more than the continent; the city
Catanla has more than once been entirely d
troyed. Yesterday 9th Ncsuvlus threw
boiling water. This morning at day hrc
observed a little smoke was issuing from
crater.