The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-08-08
Our OIo.
The Destruction of Lisbon.

The morning of November /, 1865,
dawned serene, but the heavens were
hazy. Since midnight the Thermometer
had risen one degree, and stood at 0
o'clock, at fourteen above freezing, Reau
mur. As it was the feast Of All Saints,
the churches were thronged from an early
hour, and all their altars brilliantly ilumi-
mated with thousands of tapers and de-
corated with garlands Of various-tinted
muslns and thin silks. At quarter of
10 clock, the first shock. was felt. 1t was
so slight that many persons attributed it to
the passage Of heavy wagons in the street,
and even to mere fancy. Three minutes
afterward second shock occurred, so
violent that il seemed as if the heavens
and earth were passing away.
The agitation lasted fully ten minutes,
and ere it diminished the creator portion
of the city was in ruins. The dust raised
obscured the sun an Egyptian darkness
prevailed, and to add to the universal
horror, the fearful screams of the living
and the groans of the dying rose through
the air. In twenty minutes all became
calm again, and people began to look
around them and consider the best means
Of escape. Some were for going to the
hills, but were soon discouraged from SO
doing by the rumors that those who had
already gone thither were suffocating
from the effects of the dense fog Of dust
which still rose from the falling buildings.
Then they rushed toward the quays which
line part of the Tagus, but only to learn
the horrible news that these had sunk into
the earth with all the people and edi6ces
upon them. Those who thought to put
out to sea were told to look at the river,
and 10 in its centre they beheld whirl-
pool which was sucking in all the vessels
and boats in its vicinity, not fragment
of any Of them being ever seen again.
The royal palace had been entirely swal-
lowed up, and over its site is now the vast
square of the Paco, or Black Horse, one
of the largest public places in Europe.
The great library Of the Holy Ghost was
in flames, and its priceless Moorish and
Hebrew manuscripts were fast becoming
ashes. The opera house had fallen in, the
Inquisition was no more, and the great
Church of San Domingo was but heap
of stone, beneath which lay crushed to
atoms the entire congregation.
The Irish Church Of St. Paul was the
deatbplace of one thousand persons, and
the palace of Bemposta, where Catharine
of Braganza, widow of Charles III. lived
and died, had fallen over from the heights
on which it was built, and utterly de-
stroyed the poor but populous part of the
town which lay beneath it. In word,
where but an hour since was Lisbon was
now nothing but desolation. As to the
people, who can describe their condition ?
At least seventy thousand persons had
perished, and the majority Of the survivors
were cruelty wounded, and in agony Of
mind and body. Some went mad with
fright. some lost forever the power Of
speech, sinners went about confcssing their
secret crimes, and fanatics, believing the
last day had come, cried out to the horror
stricken multitude "to repent, for Christ
was coming to judge the quick and the
dead.
As the day waxed on the wretchcd
Lisbonese grew calmer, and it was uniyer-
sally declared that the safest places, now
that the dust was diminishing, we're the
heights overlooking the city, and thither
the majority Aei. Here they found their
court assembled, for the royal family was
foftnnatelysat Belem, where, strange to
say, the earthquake was scarcely felt at
all, aud had hastencd at once to tho hills.
The cardinal patriarch was here also, and
50 was Pomba; and these two men, with
surprising presence Of mind, by their
admirable courage, were enabled before
night to inspire some feeling of order in
the excited throng. The King and Queen
behaved nobly, and the young Duke of
Lafoens deserved to be immortalized for
his splendid conduct He organised a
band Of noblemen, who went about aiding
the wounded, rescuing the children, and
even burying the dead
1t was strange and awful sight to see
this multitude gather together on the
summit Of the hills which once overlooked
their magnificent capital, and which now
looked down upon mere mass Of shoulder
ing ruins. As day declined and night
came on the cardinal issued a proclamation
ordering all to kneel in prayer and entreat
tho mercy Of God upon them, and then
rose on the air the wailing tones Of that
saddest Of psalms, the Miserere. When
the shades Of night had fully fallen a
frightfal discovery was made--ihe city was
in flames IN hundred places. The con
aagration was greatly increased by strong
wind blowino In from the ~.