The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-03-04
Correspondence ofhe Boston Trupcicr.
LETTER FROM THE EAST.
THE LATE EARTHQUAKE-ITs EXTENT, DAMAGE,
ETC.

Editor Of the Taueler When informed
you o.! The earthquake which shook Lebanon
October l2lh, intimated the probability lha
more would be heard of its desolating power
That expectation has been fulfilled, and
will now proceed 10 complete the record o
that unseen bat almost omnipotent energy,
which underlying earth and ocean, heaves
up both as in sport and in cruel dersion oil
the puny beings who sail over the one and
build their palaces aud stron9holds on the
other. These terrible phenomena have a
peculiar exciiation TO Americans happening
10 be in The East, who have never heard auy.
thing o. the kind beyond the rumbl;rg of the
farmers peaceful and benefcenl car wheels
though the "oldest inhabitants" here say there
is no such thing as becoming accustomed to
them: every one turns and trembles, for the
next moment he may sink irto the gaping
earth or be crushed 10 death by the falling OF
his stone dwelling.
According 10 intelligence since received,
The earthquake which described occurring
about midnight in Mount Lebanon, where
was then residing, was fell along the entire
seacoast OF Syria and Palestine, in some pIa
ces breaking The walls of houses, as in Tri.
poll and Beirut, which have repeatedly been
destroyed by such occurrences, while the city
OF Jafla, the ancient JaPpa, still the por, of
jerusalem, and several times levelled by
earthquakes, was violently shaken but no,
essentially injured. 1t was felt IN Egyri, bu,
without disaster, and also as far west in Africa
as Algiers. To The norlh ii WAS perceptible
over nearly the whole OF Asia Minor and
Brooza, situated near the sea of Marmora,
which was ruined by successive shocks con.
tinuing from Feb. 1855 10 June of the pres
ent year, and again tumted, and its popula.
! ton with it, Westward all the islands of the
| Archipelago felt it, and Greece and all the
lonan islands on its western coast. The isl
and of Malta was violently shaken, and Val.
eta, It's capital, seriously injured in its church
es, walls, and dwellings, the people being
awoke from their slumbers and flying into
the streets in frantic desperation twas also
felt with disastrous results in Sicily and Gala
bria in Italy. The field of the earthquake
was, therefore, fully 5000 miles in all direc-
lons, and at all points il was felt as reported,
| between miduiSht aud = O'Clock in the morn.
ing.
Vesuvius had, for some days, given signs
OF approaching troubles, vivid flames risins
above the crater, and coloring tho almos
phere oil around When the shock came in
Naples and along The coast, il was so violent
that in some houses the bells rang, the clocks
were stopped, and the doors opened and shut
continually; crockery was dashed together
ard broken, or rolled of lhe tables, while the
iron bedsleads rauied and shook as though a
strong man had hold of them, The terrified
occupants springng 10 their feet on the floor.
A Kissing noise was heard al the same time,
like the sound Of steam escaping from an
engine, while rumbling noise was heard
like that OF train of railroad cars The ad-
jacent sea was violently agitaled, as though
tossed by a storm, and mariner, unable 10
decide whittier he was going backwards or
forwards, concluded he was drunk In fact,
he was very dizzy from the commotion, and
glad 10 gain the land and sit down 10 recover
himself. Along the coast solid rocks were
rent asunder, and thousands of thousands Of
ions, in huge blocks, lay scattered around.-
Superstition naturally came in TO give pic
iuresqueness 10 the scene of terror. Madon.
mas, bones and reliques were paraded through
The streets in long professions, as though the
exhibition of colossal doll with fiaxen
wig, as in the representation of ST. Ursula,
was 10 suspend the activity of the mighty
energy blazing out in Fesuvius, upheavino
The earth and dasbing The waves OF the sea.
But my special design was 10 relate the
catastrophe at Rhodes, on island celebrated
IN early history, and equally SO in the history
| oil lhe Crusades. There was an undying 30.
/ etry about it; had seen il two years since,
and gazed with admiration upon lis tall and
graceful palms, the first l had seen--upon
the harbor, which was once overreached by
the gigantic brazen Colossus-upon The walls
OF the city and the towers, still bearing the
marks of the Crusaders--and, most of all,
upon the famous church of St. John, built by
The knights, and standing upon a graceful
rise in the city, presenting its noble propor-
lions and iall steeple, converted into Mos
lem minaret. as the church into a mosque,
fully TO view, both as you ascend the wide
street on which 1t stands and as viewed from
the port. More than any other island Of sea
or ocean, ] had cherished lis name from the
day of my boyhood dreamings; had at last
seen it, only more TO admire it; and now
had the purpose andlh prospec, of spending
week or a fortnight in 1t, 10 study its mon
uments and recall its history. Bu, Rhodes is
heap Of ruins The same shock under
which Lebanon irembled, demolished its
walls, toppled its renowned church, and
spread desolalion over the entire island. 1t
is curious coincidence that Slanlovia, in
whose bay is the new island OF which Iwrote
was raised by an earthquake some two hun.
dred yards of it may be said 10 be almost IN
the very. neighborhood of Rhodes. The state.
ments sh all now give came from resident
4 IL IL r ,kA. L