Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-11-11

vivid interest to the history of similar phenome
non, which in more striking proportions occurred
there two centuries ago; we therefore reproduce
and translate from the Courier deS Eats Unis its
cta from the Year Book Of the Jesuts for the year
1868, where it may be found on the Sd and subse-
quent pages: rsse 50
OF THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE IN CANADA AND IT'S FEAR
FUL EFFECTS.
On the 9TH of February 1868 about half past five
in tine evening. great rumbling was heard through
out Canada. The noise was like the roar OF
fire among the houses, that every one rushed into
the open air TO escape it. but instead of the expected
smoke and flames, they were surprised TO see the
walls shaking, and the stones composing them threat
ening to fall asunder every roof appeared to bend
first one and the opposite way the bells rung of
themselves the door posts jOists and floors cracked
and the earth heaved so that the stakes of the pa
sades danced in manner that would appear incred-
ible, if we had not ourselves beheld it in many
places.
Every one sought the open air the cattle fed.
children wept in the streets, while men and women
overcome with fear. knew not where to escape, ex-
pecting every moment 10 be buried under the fall
ing houses, or be engulphed in some yawning abyss
which seemed about to open beneath their feet
Some upon their knees upon the snow begged aloud
for mercy others passed the rest of the night in
prayer, tor the motion of the earth still continued
so like was it to that of ship at sea that the same
sickness of the stomach assaulted many.
The disorder was far greater the woods 1t
seemed to be q day of battle there-nOt only were
branches detached, but even huge trunks were hurl
ed together, and that with such noise and uproar
that our savages said the forest had gone mad. In
the mountains the tumult yet greater.
were rooted up and cast upon others, leaving enor
nous hOows IN the places whence they had been
torn. and sometimes the trees that clothed them
were buried to their cress, and sometimes reversed
that the roots uppermOst while the branches
took their places amid thus general wreck The ice
five or six feet thick. ruptured and heaped in
vast piles. From the opening Jets of smoke,
mud or sand. far into the air. Our springs ceased
to flow, their waters were tainted with sulphur.
The rivers in which they were lost, were either
longer drinkable turned, some yellow, some red.
Our great river the ST. Lawrence, became white
TadOusac, an astonishing prodigy, greatly surpris-
ing all acquainted with the immense amount of wa
ter borne by it below the Island of Orleans and the
necessary amount OF matter required to whlten It.
The very air was not exempt from those changes
which affected the land and water, for beside the
rubbing which preceded and accompanied those of
the other elements, specters and phantOms of fire
were seen bearing torches. Streams and lances of
fire were seen to glide and leap around houses
without however other injury than that fear which
followed their appearance At the same time plain
tive voices were heard lamenting in the silence of
the night, and stranger till the screams Of white
porpOises opposite Tros Riyleres, to which the
reached, either these cries were those of porposes
or of cows, thing strange it could net have
arisen from any common cause.
Three circumstances have rendered this earth
quake remarKaDe: nrst, Tor the time II lasted nav
ing contnuedtO the month of August that is to say,
more than six months. 1t is true the shocks were
not equally in all places in the hill coun-
try behind US; there the rumbling and trembling
was almost incessant for a long time. In other
places as toward Tadousac, the severe shocks were
about two or three during the day, and we remark
ed that they were less among the hills than in the
fiat country. The second circumstance was touch
ing the extent of the earthquake, which was believ
ed to have been universal throughout New France
for we learn it felt from SIse Percee and Gaspe
at the mouth of our river to Montreal as also in
New England and Acadia and other distant places
that of our own knowledge the shocks extended
ever length of two hundred leagues, by breadth
of one hundred or over an area of twenty thousand
superficial leagues which trembled at once. on the
same day and at the same moment. The third cir
cumstance regards the peculiar protection by Provi
dence extended to our habitatiOns; for though we
found ourselves vast openings made IN the
earth, and nigh large extent of ruined country
not a child has been lost not hair of our heads
has fallen. Surrounded by ruin and destruction,
still but few chimneys of ours have fallen, while
nlOuntains hphnd n hay hnou ShpT nd hu riad