Waterbury Democrat., 1901-07-16
A VILLAGE WHICH MOVES.

yiella, in the upper Pyrenees, has for some time enjoyed the unenyiable notoriety,, for it has eyinced regret table determination to leave it's moun-r tain faStness and to migrate, ebag and baggage into the valley below.
 For some months now this handful of modest homes, whose life formerly passed so uneventfully, has been i'll most critical position, for the entire plain on which it is situated has De- gun to move downward to the valley of Bastian, taking everything with it in it's descent.
 The mountains which form this val ley are for the most part of fissile and easily disintegrated shale, that is chan neled and scored by streams which streak the surface. These. are locally known as sgayes.v In tiAle of flood the crumbling debris from the hills IS, of course washed down in great quantities and cholSes these torrents. They overflow and terrible inunda- tions often occur, with great destruc- tion to life and property. The"gaye" of Bastan. which lies to the north or Viella, is very scourge i'll this way, and in 1897 it caused great damage. Esterre, which is one of the first yil- Iages passed on the way from Luz, narrowly escaped complete destruc- ton, while the high road was com pletely swept away. The waters greatly disturbed the soil and it was some months before anything abnor- mal was observed at Niella. About 300 feet to the south of the village stands mountain known as Le Pene de Viella.
 On tue nights of the 11th and 18th of April. 1898, the villagers were aroused from their slumbers by a ter rifle noise. There were rumblings that suggested earthquake and dreadful tearing and rending noise. Frightened almost to death at the aw- ful sounds so close at hand, the viii lagers waited for dawn, expecting ey- cry minute to be their last. Daylight revealed that great portion Of the mountain to the south had slipped away from the main part and had fallen i'll the direction of the village. Broken into fragments with the shock of falling. this mass of debris formed q vast triangular rocky pyramid, GOV ering two hectares of ground. It's peak was turned toward the mountain and 1t stood over hundred feet high. Nothing further happening, the viii lage settled down once more to it's ac- customed rural quiet.
 
 always an anxious time for places sub ject to hood-it was observed that the ground in several parts was gradually sinking. A spring of some volume appeared close to the landslip. With the thaw the mass of stone was found to be in motion and soon the alarmed inhabitants discovered that 1t was advancing at the rate of over q yard q week, q rate of progress that was sufficient to create consternation.
 During the following summer all movement again ceased, only however, to be continued in the same manner last winter. Since then the moving mountain has remained stationary, oc- cupying actually more than twice the space it did when it first started on it's downward career. The inhabitants look forward to the coming winter with feelings of such dread as may be imagined.
 The whole village has already moved more than three feet from it's original position. Indeed, it is believed to have advanced further than this, but the whole surface of the ground for the space of nearly a mile being in move ment. it is difficult to say exactly. Certain parts of the village have suf fered more than others. Quite half the little homes are ruined.-Pearson's Magazine.