The Baltimore County union., 1866-08-04
miscellaneous.
From the ". Y. LedE
THE BLACK DEATH.

Frightful as have been the ravages OF
cholera, they are but insignificant when
compared with the devastation caused by
the dreadful plague that overran almost the
whole world in the fourteenth century, and
to which, from its malignity, was given the
terrible name of the Black Death"
This destructive pestilence, like the chol-
era made its first appearance in the East.
1t rose in China, Tartary India and Egypt,
about the year 1345. It is ascribed by the
contemporary writer's, Mezeray and Giovan-
nj VILLAIN, to general corruption of the
atmosphere, accompanied by the appear
ance Of millions of small serpents and 9TH
er venomous insects, and, in other places,
quantities of huge vermin, with numerous
legs and Off hideous aspect, which filled
the air with putrid exhalations.
Some Jealous Christian writer's ofthe time
derived its origin from the arch-imposter,
Mahomet; for they say that at Mecca, in
Arabia Felix, it rained snakes and blood
from heaven for three days and nights to-
gether that the temple of Mahomet was
beaten down by terrible tempest, and his
sepulchre torn up and broken in pieces ;
and that the sulphurous vapors, and the
stencil of the snakes and blood, so corrupt
ed the middle region of the air, that the in
fictitious matter spread itself over rthe world
in all directions.
Making every allowance for the ignorance
and credulity Of the age, it appears evident
that some natural causes had contributed
to corrupt the air and load it with pestifer-
Gus vapors. And it is remarkable, that be-
fore the disease appeared in Europe, singu-
lar meteorological phenomena, of similar
nature, took place. Thus it appeared in
England in the latter part of the year 1348 /;
and it had rained from the previous Christ
mas almost to midsummer without ceasing.
Great inundations followed, and accumula-
tions of stagnant water, by which the whole
atmosphere was poisoned. In France sew
eral strange meteoric appearances are de-
scribed by writer's of credit. VILLAIN says
that on the 10th of December, 1348, in the
morning, after sunrise, there appeared at
Aviguon-then the papal seat,-over the
popes palace, pillar of fire, which tarrled
there for the space of an hour, producing
general terror and amazement. s.
During the same period there were many
dreadful earthquakes, some OF them IN plac-
es where such phenomena have since been
unheard Of AT Rome, an earthquake threw
down great number of houses, steeples
and churches. At Naples there was an
earthquake, accompanied by tremendous
hurricane, which destroyed large portion
Of the city, On this occasion, it is related
that while friar was preachingt to crowd
ed congregation, he and his auditory were
swallowed up in an instant-all but one In
dividual, who observed the trembling OF the
earth in time to save himself by fight. A
great multitude of the inhabitants were
buried in the ruins of their habitations; and
the people durst not venture into their
houses, but remand terrified in the market
places or fields, till the earthquake--whlch
continued at intervals for eight days-had
spent it's fury. In Greece, particularly in
the Morea and the Island of Cyprus, whole
villages were overwhelmed. Even in Ger
many, q country not liable to this calamity,
there was an earthquake which extended
over great part of Austria and Styria, and
destroyed many towns and villages In
those districts. Many other provinces al-
so suffered from the fury of these strong
commissions of nature. These earthquakes
were generally attended with storms OF
thunder and Tightening, wind and hail .
In the year l348, according to an old
chronicler, it rained blood in Germany, and
meteors and other coruscations appeared in
the air. Mock suns were seen, and the
heavens sometimes seemed on fire.
There was, probably, great deal of ex-
aggeration in many of these accounts but
the testimonies are too numerous and re-
spectacle to leave any doubt that, before
and during the pestilence, the elements
were in state of general convulsion which
seems unparalleled in history.
The plague extended its ravages from
India into the more western parts of Asia,
into Egypt, Abyssinia, and thence into the
northern parts of Africa. 1t proceeded
over Asia Minor, Greece, and the island
in the Archipelago, almost depopulating
the regions over which it stalked. 1t may be
literally said to have decimated the world,
though the term was understood to imply
that the destruction was nine, in place OF
one, out of every ten. According to sever.
al writer's where it was most favorable II
left one out of three, or one out of five;
but where it ragged most violently, it scarce
left fifteenth or twentieth person alive
Some countries, partly by the plague and
partly by earthquakes, were left quite desc
late. Villani says, that in part of Meso
potamia only some women survived, who