The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-10
The Earthu uake in India

The Earthquake in India
The following account of the earthquake |
has just been received in England, says !
the London Times, from a lady living on
a tea garden in Assam. 1t draws a
graphic picture of the devastation caused
and of the sensation OF those who ex-
perienced shocks. The account is in q
series of letters:
Sunday. June 13.-It was a perfectly aw-
full ~arthQuake like one reads of in Japan.
l was ill in bed and was just getting to
the veranda, when G. rushed in and car
ried me out bodily clear from the bunga-
low. 1t was raining. and was between )
and s O'Clock p. m. The bungalow swayed
violently and forwards like a
loud rumbling like violent thunder break
ing under ones feet, cracking and split
ting of walls, crashing of furniture and
glass-an awful pandemonium. The
ground was going in huge waves. / do
not know how c.. manage to keep his
feet (but he did holding me. The bunga-
but the wreckage is dreadful, the walls
stripped, and debris everywhere. Mild
tremors are still going on, and We are
ready to rush out at any moment. 1t was
a CHASTITY night, but we lay in our beds
with shoes on ready to bolt out, and
started several times. I don't think it will
be as bad again, though it may take the
earth a day or two to settle down quietly.
There are rents in the road in several
places.
Monday, June III hope you will have
got my Sundays letter all right, but all
communications are much upset and tele-
graph cannot be used, so we are very cut
off. There has never been such an earth
quake in Assam before, but We are very
anxious to know what has happened in
other districts, whether Shillong is in
ruins and whether Calcutta has had it.
In this district nearly every building made
of brick is down fiat, and those that have
posts with grass. walls. OF course, these
have no lath and plaster left on, but the
main building exists.
1t came on so suddenly. I, Of course,
being i'll, was in bed, my slippers on the
floor beside me, as they are almost my
first thought in this country of insects
and snakes. G.. was in his office. / felt a
slight shock and rumble (such as one gets
a few Of every year,, and throwing off
my blanket proceeded to get into my Slip
| pers. l had got one on when the shaking
was so violent 1 dare not wait, and catch
ing up the other 1 started to the door,
down, or the earthquake shook me down
| I do not know which. probably both.
(Here is another shock. but it has passed
off again, and l only got one foot off the
bed, though things are still shaking.) 1
scrambled up again just as c. came rush.
ing in. He swooped me up in his arms
and dashed across the veranda with me
on to the lawn in front: only just in time,
as the plaster was falling in all direc-
tions. 1t was raining. I was in my night
gown, he in his shirt-sleeves, and there
we were watching the bungalow swinging
wildly from side to side, every moment
expecting to see it totally collapse. (Here
is another little shock.) 1t was an awful
sight, and the noise was terrific. like bat
terieS of artillery bursting under our feet
and all round us.
1t is quite impossible to adequately de-
scribe it. 1t seemed an immense time, but
actually. I believe, lasted anything from
two to five minutes-I mean while it was
| really awful. When it did stop Compare
lively ~speaking) G. carried me back to
the porch and covered me up with blank
cts. The servants behaved very we'll. and
while we were on the veranda and every
thing still shaking G%ncluding the earth)
they all set to work to clear my room Of
a dismal spectacle, and still does. The
furniture was lying about in all direc-
tons, as though pitch and toss had been
played with it: boxes had turned somer-
saults and knick-knacks were lying in all
directions mixed up with piles of plaster
from the walls. These are almost bare,
much sleep for any one that night, natur-
ally and all the coolies were so terrified
that they would neither eat nor sleep, but
sat in groups all night in the open. For
a fine, warm night. The shocks were
slighter yesterday morning, but worse
again at midday, SO that 1 was afraid to
stay in my room, and twice at breakfast
on the veranda we all started up to run
out, but it passed off again, and in the
evening I went back to my room.
The doctor came over to see us. walking
fourteen miles. The road was quite i'm
passable for any pony, the bridges in
some cases having collapsed, in others
having been left standing many feet above
the surface of the earth, this having SUBJ
sided in various parts, while gaps were
constant, sometimes large enough to
swallow up a cart and horse. and from
several of these wells of boiling water
were springing. The doctor says it was
quite impossible to count the number of
small volcanoes which had appeared all
over the surface of the country he came
through, that is to say, upon the rice
fields. These in some cases were throw
ing up dark red sand. in others white
ashes. He swan the rivers, waded
through fields of water, helping himself
along with bridgerails and any floating
substance he could get, fearing to go into
any Of these horrible gaps by a false step.
(Another smart shock: passed away He
had two men with him., and one fell into
one of these assures, but, fortunately, it
was a small one. and the doctor pulled
him out.
Our tea house and other buildings are a
good deal injured, but not enough to pre-
vent US going on working, so we are very
fortunate in that respect.
The bungalow looks most desolate. 1t is
useless to attempt to have the rooms put
in order, as the walls will take months to
do. The furniture, all dreadfuIly knocked
about, is piled on the veranda just now,
which looks like a third-hand shop.
Nearly all our beautiful china has gone.
but one favorite tea service has only one
ta cup smashed, though it was all living
in a heap in the corner of the room. but
the beautiful old set just out from home
is all gone. 1t is a most depressing spec
tacie whichever way one looks. We are
very anxious to get news.
I1inua SiUu