Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-12-26
THE rAnrnauAKE AT ST. cRoIx
The Loss Of the MononE ahc1a-stste
ef an aye witness N 4

50 many persons have indicated desire 10 sce
Ia print !. concise but comprehensive statement
of tho terrible earthquake in the West Indies that
we have obtained the following from an cyc-wisr
ness. "A s F-
On the 18th Of November the Inhabitants OF the
island of ST. Croix were aroused from security |
which had within the memory of tho oldest resi-
dents known no similar interruption. The day
was Of the mild, delightful type which brings SO
great sense Of physical pleasure and mental con
tent. Tho soft trade breeze and clear sky gaycno
note of The terrible scene about to onsuc
The West side Of the Island forms shore line
which runs nearly North and South, about the
centre of which line the town of Frederickstcadt
or West End stands, or rather stood on the morn
ing of tho 18th ultimo. In front Of the town.
quarter Of mile tiom shore, the U. 3. Steam
Sloop Monongahela" and two merchant brigs
were anchored. To the minds OF tho watchful
and experienced officers Of these vessels, the
character of the weather brought much satisfac-
ton and security.
At SIP. m, violent earthquake occurred, with
out any premonition, and continued over min
ute. On board ship the shock resemblcd Ia Its
effects that of the ship plungiug into heavy head
sen, shaking everything fore and aft. The officers
of the " Monongahela," however, felt no appre-
hensons Of disaster, though the steeple OF the
English church was seen to fall and the people,
running and shouting, evidenced much excite
ment. At three minutes past three O'Clock, the |
ocean reeeded from the shore with great rapidity,
dragging the anchors of the vessels and carrying
them fast to seward. The velocity of the waters
was, however, great that the vessels were soon
left dry upon the bottom ofthe ocean, the Mon
ongahela" being about three-elghths Of mile
from the beach. Receding the eighth OF mile
further, the waters piled themselves up in one
: eat wall, from thirty to forty feet high,
VIII ich In moment rushed back upon the
shore, impelled rs it seemed by the whole
vast ocean beyond Between the shore and
this acknowledgement lay the stranded and help
lees ships; but the very height of this awful wall
proved their salvation. II pushed before II
smaller wave. ten or twelve feet HIGH which lift
ed the ships aud prepared them for the shock Of
the great "bore." Had the larger wave struck the
ships while yet stranded they must have been
thrown upon their beam ends and swamped. II ca
lamity which would have ended in the loss Of of
fcers aud Men and the total wreck Of the vessel.
Lifting these ships upon Its crest and carrying
them with II In rush Of frighttul velocity, this
wave broke upon and half submerged the town.
The :. Monongalela," thrown u half mile with
speed like that Of locomotive, was dashed upon
row Of warehouses filled with lumber. Six Of
them went down. crushed to pieces, the lumber
clashing all over the sea aud bringing quick death
to any living object afloat. The waters, return
Ing into the sea, carried the (" Monongahcla" back
some distance, and for momcn; all hoped that
she would gain deep water. The hope vanished
with glance seaward where the ''bUre" was seen
forming In the same huge and awful proportions
of the first wave; aud In moment ''chaos had
come again" The ship was dashed with great
force into the first street of the town, where her
course was at length arrested by n large tamarind
tree. The succeeding refux of waters to the
, ocean carried the ship down to the bench, where
. she now lies awaiting second launching
.. Meanwhile the small and light biigs had Jared
much better. The Narraguagus OF Greenfield
Maine, was lifted by the first wave and deposited
without injuries about three quarters Of mil,
: from her place of anchorage high up in the town
The remaining brig which was anchored half wa,
between the " Narraguagus" and the "Mononga
hcla'' remained quietly at anchor uninjurcd Ii
any respect just where she lay the wave parted
MS the Red Sea must have done for the children o
Israel, and the brig passed through unhurt. Ia
stead of advancing or retiring with the wave, thi
brig to the surprise of a)l whirled round ut he
: anchor, making tM complete circles In Two min
utes, the length Of her cable being the radius 0
= The circle 1t was naturally supposed that som
, freak of the earthquake had made I'M opening o
" the earth here which formed the whirlpool b,
| t,,t f,l In
discovered no change in the sOundings or tn
character of the bottom.
This terrific scene, which takes 30 long tim
in narration, occupied only two minutes. Tn
water receding, the ships and the Island SCENE
to be approaching each other with terrible speed
Two minutes later nothing but the crashin
:, of lumber which covered the sea indicated n
ID unusual disturbance of old oceans gray an
Il melancholy waste"
Amidst this appalling rush Of ruin, the otlicel
- and crew Of ihe "Aonongahea" behaved as onl
Z. ae Yankees eau IN great trials. Approaching IL
u necessity for instant work, each man sprng
~ his duty with GOODNESS and determined clio
u never exeelled. To the officers of the ''Monol
" gahcla' II indeed safety can be ascribed in sue
= an hour to the WORK Of hands not divine, Il
G. aa,a a,. ~. s,,,,.,, ~ IL. .,,n sa,, ,he f,r
ct -, 49,. ~. IA, ~, ,,.n III,
X. 80 80, Ill. IT, ,a,, Nd ,'.aa o,,,
o. -, ,r,a 49,, an, ,,,o ,no,,or ~, al,
to IT. 49,, III, ~, .ooa,.r,a haah,n !,
~ sustained no injuries which may not be repair,
-. In few months, and 1t Is to be hoped that Il
mo- measures already put in operation by the Ma,
I'd Department will soon give us again the fine o
So w. ~ Pm, ,ra,,,Jod a, MANI. pa,
lily $50 -
in .he 'oMh c.c,yMinH WIS sSu'us"
1t pcopic ran ioi 'hei. i'cs " '.o h.'., inni
ely women aha NIUE eniiuicn ~ahsupo.i 'hei' US
ew s'esta W yam s'iusse "'h Inc P,'''o'' WHY
lit. Vi waters. ihe whoic iioh' ~" VI hous's'"ne
lis must %. o' 'ne puo' 'Ne'' "ae o"ep' a"ay "
m roi'ihs sea, IN. poope' III 'no n'oss 'e'i'o,.
for c.eniehl Oh hiiho' everywhere Frustrated tue'
re- seises III p''y'a, t'ono 'noushs u ,''''n'"E
tile tnclr hOinef. ieuts were erecteu, thc saiiS ~