Page images
PDF
EPUB

heaviest sunk first, and the lighter afterwards. Thus were the strata formed of which the earth consists; which, gradually attaining their solidity and hardness, have ever since continued distinct. The Doctor farther observes, that these sediments were at first all parallel and concentrical; and the surface of the earth formed of them perfectly smooth and regular; but that, in course of time, divers changes happening, from earthquakes, volcanoes, &c., the order and regularity of the strata were disturbed and broken, and thus was the surface of the earth brought to the irregular form in which it is now beheld.

The notion of the magnetism of the earth was started by Gilbert; and Boyle supposes magnetic effluvia moved from one pole to the other. Vol. I. p. 285, 290. Dr. Knight also thinks that the earth may be considered as a great loadstone, whose magnetical parts are disposed in a very strong irregular manner; and that the south pole of the earth is analogous to the north pole in magnets, that is, the pole by which the magnetical stream enters. See MAGNET. He observes that all the phenomena attending the direction of the needle, in different parts of the earth, in a great measure correspond with what happens to the needle, when placed upon a large terrella; if we make allowances for the different dispositions of the magnetical parts, with respect to each other, and consider the south pole of the earth as a north pole with regard to magnetism. The earth might become magnetical by the iron ores it contains, for all iron ores are capable of magnetism. The globe might, notwithstanding, have remained unmagnetical, unless some cause had existed capable of making that repellent matter producing magnetism move in a stream through the earth. Now, the doctor thinks that such a cause does exist; for, if the earth revolves round the sun in an ellipsis, and the south pole of the earth is directed towards the sun, at the time of its descent towards it, a stream of repellent matter will thence be made to enter at the south pole, and issue out at the north. And he suggests, that the earth's being in its perihelion in winter may be one reason why magnetism is stronger in this season than in summer. This cause for the earth's magnetism must continue, and perhaps improve it from year to year. Hence, the doctor thinks it probable, that the earth's magnetism has been improving ever since the creation, and that this may be one reason why the use of the compass was not discovered sooner. See Dr. Knight's Attempt to Demonstrate, that all the phenomena in nature may be explained by Attraction and Repulsion, prop. 87.

The magnitude of the earth has been variously determined by different authors, both ancient and modern. The usual way has been to measure the length of one degree of the meridian, and multiply it by 360 for the whole circumference. See DEGREE. Diogenes Laertius informs us that Anaximander, who lived about A.A. C. 550, was the first who gave an account of the circumference of the sea and land; and it seems his measure was used by the succeeding mathematicians till the time of Eratosthenes. Aristotle (lib. 2. De Cœlo) says, the mathematicians who have attempted to measure the circuit of the

earth make it 40,000 stadia: which it is thought is the number determined by Anaximander. Eratosthenes, who lived about A. A. C. 200, was the next who undertook this business: which, as Cleomedes relates, he performed by taking the sun's zenith distances, and measuring the distance between two places under the same meridian; by which he deduced for the whole circuit about 250,000 stadia, which Pliny states at 31,500 Roman miles, reckoning each at 1000 paces. But this measure was accounted false by many of the ancient mathematicians, and particularly by Hipparchus, who lived 100 years afterwards, and who added 25,000 stadia to the circuit of Eratosthenes. Possidonius, in the time of Cicero, next measured the earth, viz. by the altitudes of a star, and measuring a part of a meridian; and he concluded the circumference at 240,000 stadia, according to Cleomedes, but only at 180,000 according to Strabo. Ptolemy, in his Geography, says that Marinus, a celebrated geographer, attempted something of the same kind; and, in lib. i. cap. 3, he mentions, that he himself had tried to perform the business in a way different from any other before him, which was by means of places under different meridians; but he does not say how much he made the number, for he still made use of the 180,000 which had been found out before him. Snell, professor of mathematics at Leyden, relates, from the Arabian geographer Abulfeda, who lived about A. D. 1300, that about A. D. 800 Al Maimon, an Arabian king, having collected together some skilful mathematicians, commanded them to find out the circumference of the earth. Accordingly they chose the fields of Mesopotamia, where they measured under the same meridian from north to south, till the pole was depressed one degree lower; which measure they found equal to fifty-six miles, or fifty-six and a half; so that, according to them, the circuit of the earth is 20,160 or 20,340 miles. It was long after this before any more attempts were made. At length, however, the same professor Snell, about A. D. 1620, with great skill and labor, by measuring large distances between two parallels, found one degree equal to 28,500 perches, each of which is twelve Rhinland feet, amounting to nineteen Dutch miles, and so the whole periphery 6840 miles; a mile being, according to him, 1500 perches, or 18,000 Rhinland feet. See his Eratosthenes Batavus. The next who undertook this measurement was Norwood, who, in 1635, by measuring the distance from London to York with a chain, and taking the sun's meridian altitude, June 11th, O.S., with a sextan of about five feet radius, found a degree contained 367,200 feet, or sixty-nine miles and a half and fourteen poles; and thence the circumference of a great circle of the earth is a little more than 25,036 miles, and the diameter a little more than 7966 miles. See the particulars in his Seaman's Practice. Professor Snell's measurement, though very ingenious, and much more accurate than any of the ancients, being still thought liable to small errors, the business was renewed, after Snell's manner, by Picard and other French mathematicians, by the king's com mand, using a quadrant of 3 French feet re

dius; by which they found a degree contained 342,360 French feet. See Mesure de la Terre, par Picard. M. Cassini, jun. in 1700, renewed the business with a quadrant of ten feet radius for taking the latitude, and another of 34 feet for taking the angles of the triangles; and found a degree, from his calculation, containing 57,292 toises, or almost sixty-nine and a half English miles. The results of many other measurements are upon record; from the mean of all which, the following dimensions are stated by Dr. Hutton as near the truth. The circumference 25,000 miles; the diameter 7957 miles; the superficies 198,944,206 square miles; the solidity 263,930,000,000 cubic miles. The seas and unknown parts of the earth, by a measurement of the best maps, contain 160,522,026 square miles; the inhabited parts 38,922,180; of which Europe contains 4,456,065; Asia, 10,768,823; Africa, 9,654,807; and America, 14,110,874.

Tacquet draws some curious inferences, in the form of paradoxes, from the round figure of the earth as, 1. That if any part of the surface of the earth were quite plane, a man could no more walk upright upon it, than on the side of a mountain. 2. That the traveller's head goes a greater space than his feet; and a horseman than a footman, as moving in a greater circle. 3. That a vessel, full of water, being raised perpendicularly, some of the water will be continually flowing out, yet the vessel still remain full; and, on the contrary, if a vessel of water be let perpendicularly down, though nothing flow out, yet it will cease to be full: consequently, there is more water contained in the same vessel at the foot of a mountain than on the top; because the surface of the water is compressed into a segment of a smaller sphere below than above. Tacquet's Astronomie, lib. i. cap. 2.

EARTHS, in chemistry, are such bodies as possess the following properties: insoluble in water or nearly so; at least becoming insoluble when combined with carbonic acid: little or no taste or smell; at least, when combined with carbonic acid: fixed, incombustible, and incapable, while pure, of being altered by the fire; not altered when heated by combustibles: not convertible into metals by all the ordinary methods of reduction, or, when reduced by scientific refinements, possessing but an evanescent metallic existence.

Bodies possessing these qualities were ranked, till lately, among the unreducible elements, and the following nine were classified under this belief. 1. Barytes. 2. Strontites. 3. Lime. 4. Magnesia. 5. Alumina, or clay. 6. Silica. Glucina. 8. Zirconia. 9. Yttria. To the above nine earthy substances, Berzelius has added a tenth, which he calls thorina.

7.

But the brilliant discovery by Sir H. Davy, in 1808, of the metallic bases of potassa, soda, barytes, strontites, and lime, subverted the ancient ideas regarding the earths, and taught us to regard them as all belonging, by most probable analogies, to the metallic class. See CHEMISTRY and METALS.

CARTH FLAX. See AMIANTHUS.

EARTH-HOUSE. See ARCHITECTURE, Index.

EARTH NUTS, or GROUND NUTS. See ARACHIS and GROUND NUTS.

EARTH NUTS, or PIG NUTS. See BUNIUM.
EARTH PUCERONS. See PUCERON.

An EARTHQUAKE is a sudden and violent concussion of the earth, generally accompanied with strange noises under ground, or in the air; often destroying whole cities at once, throwing down rocks, altering the course of rivers, and producing the most terrible devastations. Though there is hardly any country known, in which shocks of an earthquake have not at some time or other been felt, yet there are some much more subject to them than others. Northern countries, in general, are less subject to earthquakes than those situated near the equator, or in the southern latitudes; but this does not hold universally. The islands of Japan, which are situated pretty far north, are nevertheless, exceedingly liable to these dreadful convulsions. Islands, in general, are also more subject to them than continents; but neither does this' hold without exceptions. Particular parts of continents, and particular islands, are more subject to them than others lying in the neighbourhood, and differing little from them in external appearance. Portugal is more subject to earthquakes than Spain, and the latter much more than France; Mexico and Peru more than the other countries of America, and Jamaica more than the other Caribbee islands. Earthquakes are frequent, though not often violent, in Italy; but in Sicily they are often terribly destructive. Asia Minor has been remarkably subject to them from the remotest antiquity; and the city of Antioch in particular has suffered more from earthquakes than any other in that country. The same phenomena are said also to occur very frequently in the extremities of Asia, even in very high latitudes.

Although no natural phenomenon is more calculated to impress the human mind with terror, and consequently to be well remembered and taken notice of, than an earthquake, yet the philosophy of them is but lately arrived at any degree of perfection; and, even at this day, the history of earthquakes is incomplete. The destruction occasioned by them engrosses the mind too much to admit of philosophical speculations at the time they happen; the same thing prevents the attentive consideration of the alterations that take place in the atmosphere after the earthquake is over, and which might probably throw some light on the causes which produced it; and the suddenness of its coming on prevents an exact attention to those slight appearances in the earth or air which, if carefully observed, might serve as warnings to avoid the destruction. From the observations that have been made, however, the following phenomena may be deduced, and reckoned pretty certain. 1. Where there are any volcanoes or burning mountains, an earthquake may reasonably be expected more frequently than in other countries. 2. If the volcano has been long quiet, a violent earthquake is to be feared, and vice versa. But to this there are many exceptions. 3. Earthquakes are generally preceded by long droughts, but they do not always come on as soon as the drought ceases. 4. They are also preceded by electrical

appearances in the air; such are the aurora borealis, falling stars, &c.; but this does not hold universally. 5. A short time before the shock, the sea swells up and makes a great noise; fountains are troubled, and send forth muddy water; and the beasts seem frighted, as if sensible of an approaching calamity. 6. The air at the time of the shock is generally calm and serene; but afterwards commonly becomes obscure and cloudy. 7. The shock comes on with a rumbling noise, sometimes like that of carriages; sometimes a rushing noise like wind, and sometimes explosions, like the firing of cannon, are heard. Sometimes the ground heaves perpendicularly upwards, and sometimes rolls from side to side. Sometimes the shock begins with a perpendicular heave, after which the other kind of motion commences. A single shock is but of very short duration, the longest scarcely lasting a minute; but they frequently succeed each other at short intervals for a considerable length of time. 8. During the shock, chasms are made in the earth; from which sometimes flames, but oftener great quantities of water, are discharged. Flame and smoke are also emitted from places of the earth where no chasms can be perceived. Sometimes these chasms are but small; but, in violent earthquakes, they are often so large, that whole cities sink down into them at once. 9. The water of the ocean is affected even more than the dry land. The sea swells up to a prodigious height; much more than we could suppose it raised by the mere elevation of its bottom by the shock. Sometimes it is divided to a considerable depth, and great quantities of air, flames, and smoke, are discharged from it. The same irregular agitations happen to the waters of ponds, lakes, and even rivers. 10. The shock is felt at sea as well as on land. Ships are affected by a sudden stroke, as if they had run aground or struck upon a rock. 11. The effects of earthquakes are not confined to one particular district or country, but often extend to very distant regions; though no earthquake has yet been known extensive enough to affect the whole globe at one time. In those places also where the shock is not felt on dry land, the irregular agitation of the waters above mentioned, is perceived very remarkably. All these positions are verified by the account of those earthquakes which have been particularly described by witnesses of the best character.

A terrible earthquake happened at Calabria in 1638, which affords an exception to the second general position above laid down. In Italy there had been an eruption of Mount Vesuvius five years before; and in Sicily there had been an eruption of Etna only two years before this earthquake The event, however, plainly showed that the cause of the earthquake, whatever it was, had a connexion not only with Mount Etna, which lies in the neighbourhood, but also with the volcano of Stromboli, which is sixty miles distant. On the 24th of March,' says Kircher, we launched, in a small boat, from the harbour of Messina, in Sicily, and arrived the same day at the promontory of Pelorus. Our destination was for the city of Euphemia, in Calabria; but, on account of the weather, we were

obliged to continue three days at Pelorus. At length, wearied with the delay, we resolved to prosecute our voyage; and, although the sea seemed more than usually agitated, yet we ventured forward. The gulf of Charybdis, which we approached, seemed whirled round in such a manner as to form a vast hollow, verging to a point in the centre. Proceeding onward, and turning my eyes to Mount Etna, I saw it cast forth large volumes of smoke, of mountainous size, which entirely covered the island, and lotted out even the shores from my view. This, together with the dreadful noise, and the sulphurous stench, which was strongly perceived, filled me with apprehensions that some more dreadful calamity was impending. The sea itself seemed to wear a very unusual appearance; those who have seen a lake in a violent shower of rain, all covered over with bubbles, will have some idea of its agitations. My surprise was still increased by the calmness and serenity of the weather; not a breeze, not a cloud, which might be supposed to put all nature thus into motion. I therefore warned my companion that an earthquake was approaching; and, after some time, making for the shore with all possible diligence, we landed at Tropea. But we had scarcely arrived at the Jesuits' college in that city, when our ears were stunned with a horrid sound, resembling that of an infinite number of chariots driven fiercely forward, the wheels rattling, and the thongs cracking. Soon after this, a most dreadful earthquake ensued, so that the whole tract upon which we stood seemed to vibrate, as if we were in the scale of a balance that continued waving. This motion, however, soon grew more violent; and, being no longer able to keep my legs, I was thrown prostrate upon the ground. After some time, finding that I remained unhurt amidst the general concussion, I resolved to venture for safety, and running as fast as I could, reached the shore. I did not search long here, till I found the boat in which I had landed, and my companions also. Leaving this seat of desolation, we prosecuted our voyage along the coast; and the next day came to Rochetta, where we landed, although the earth still continued in violent agitations. But we were scarcely arrived at our inn, when we were once more obliged to return to our boat; and in about half an hour we saw the greatest part of the town, and the inn in which we had set up, dashed to the ground, and burying all its inhabitants beneath its ruins. Proceeding onward in our little vessel, we at length landed at Lopizium, a castle midway between Tropea and Euphemia, the city to which we were bound. Here, wherever I turned my eyes, nothing but scenes of ruin and horror appeared; towns and castles levelled to the ground; Stromboli, though at sixty miles distance, belching forth flames in an unusual manner, and with a noise which I could distinctly hear. But my attention was quickly turned from more remote to contiguous danger. The rumbling sound o. an approaching earthquake, which by this time we were grown acquainted with, alarmed us for the consequences. It every moment seemed to grow louder, and to approach more near. The place on which we stood began to shake most

dreadfully; so that, being unable to stand, my companions and I caught hold of whatever shrub grew next us, and supported ourselves in that manner. After some time, the violent paroxysm ceasing, we again stood up, in order to prosecute our voyage to Euphemia, which lay within sight. In the mean time, while we were preparing for this purpose, I turned my eyes to wards the city, but could see only a frightfully dark cloud, that seemed to rest upon the place. This the more surprised us, as the weather was so very serene. We waited, therefore, till the cloud was passed: then turning to look for the city, it was totally sunk, and nothing but a dismal and putrid lake was to be seen where it stood.'

In the year 1692 an earthquake happened in Jamaica, attended with almost all the terrible phenomena above stated. In two minutes it destroyed the town of Port Royal, and sunk the houses in a gulf of forty fathoms deep. It was attended with a hollow rumbling noise, like that of thunder: the streets rose like the waves of the sea, first lifting up the houses, and then immediately throwing them down into deep pits. All the wells discharged their waters with the most violent agitation. The sea burst over its bounds, and deluged all that stood in its way. The fissures of the earth were in some places so great, that one of the streets appeared twice as broad as formerly. In many places it opened and closed again, and continued this agitation for some time. Of these openings great numbers might be seen at one time. In some the people were swallowed up at once; in others, the earth caught them by the middle, and crushed them to death, while others, more fortunate, were swallowed up in one chasm, and thrown out alive from another. Other chasms were large enough to swallow up whole streets; and others, still more formidable, spouted up immense quantities of water, drowning such as the earthquake had spared. The whole was attended with stenches and offensive smells, the noise of falling mountains at a distance, &c.; and the sky suddenly turned dull and reddish, like a glowing oven. Yet, greatly as Port Royal suffered, more houses were left standing in it, than on the whole island besides. Scarcely a planting-house, or sugar-house, was left standing in all Jamaica. A great part of them were swallowed up, houses, people, trees, and all in one gap: in lieu of which, afterwards appeared great pools of water; which, when dried up, left nothing but sand, without any mark that ever tree or plant had grown thereon. Although the shock was so violent, that several houses were thrown some yards out of their places, yet they continued standing. A Mr. Hopkins had his plantation removed half a mile from the place where it stood, without any considerable alteration. All the wells in the island, as well as those of Port Royal, from one fathom to six or seven deep, threw their water out at the top with great violence. Above twelve miles from the sea the earth gaped and spouted out, with a prodigious force, vast quantities of water into the air: yet the greatest violences were among the mountains and rocks; and it is a general opinion, that the nearer the mountains VOL. VII.

the greater the shock; and that the cause thereof lay among them. Most of the rivers were stopped up for twenty-four hours, by the falling of the mountains; till, swelling up, they formed new channels, tearing up, in their passage, trees, &c. After the great shock, those people who escaped got on board ships in the harbour, where many continued above two months: the shocks all that time being so violent, and coming so thick, sometimes two or three in an hour, accompanied with frighful noises, like a rushing wind, or a hollow rumbling thunder, with brimstone blasts, that they durst not come ashore. The consequence of the earthquake was a general sickness, from the noisome vapors belched forth, which swept away above 3000 people.

In 1693 an earthquake happened in Sicily, which may justly be accounted one of the most terrible of which we have any account. It shook the whole island, and even Naples and Malta shared in the shock. It was impossible for any body in this country to keep on their legs on the dancing earth; nay, those that lay on the ground were tossed from side to side, as on a rolling billow: high walls leaped from their foundations several paces, &c. The mischief it did is amazing; almost all the buildings in the countries were thrown down; fifty-four cities and towns, besides an incredible number of villages, were either destroyed or greatly damaged. Catania, one of the most famous, ancient, and flourishing cities in the kingdom, had the greatest share in the tragedy. Anthony Serrovita, being on his way thither, at the distance of a few miles, observed a black cloud, like night, hovering over the city, when there arose from the mouth of Mont Gibello great spires of flame, which spread all around. The sea all of a sudden began to roar and rise in billows; and there was a blow as if all the artillery in the world had been at once discharged. The birds flew about, the 'cattle ran crying, and the horses stopped short, trembling; so that he and his companions were forced to alight. They were no sooner off, but they were lifted from the ground above two palms; when looking towards Catania, he with amazement saw nothing but a thick cloud of dust in the air. Of that magnificent city, there was not the least footstep to be seen. S. Bonajutus assures us, that of 18,900 inhabitants, 18,000 perished therein.

The great earthquake, however, which happened on the 1st of November, 1755, at Lisbon, affords the clearest example of all the phenomena above mentioned, having been felt violently in many places both on land and at sea, and extended its effects to the waters in many other places where the shocks were not perceived. At Lisbon, in Portugal, its effects were most severe. In 1750 there had been a sensible trembling of the earth felt in this city: for four years afterwards there had been an excessive drought: insomuch that some springs, formerly very plentiful of water, were dried, and totally lost. The predominant winds were north and north-east, accompanied with various, though very small, tremors of the earth. The year 1755 proved very wet and rainy; the summer cooler than usual; and for forty days before the earthquake

2 T

[ocr errors]

the weather was clear, but not remarkably so. The 31st of October the sun was obscured, with a remarkable gloominess in the atmosphere. On the 1st of November, early in the morning, a thick fog arose, which was soon dissipated by the heat of the sun: no wind was stirring, the sea was calm, and the weather was as warm as in June or July in Britain. And thirty-five minutes after nine, without the least warning, except a rumbling noise, like the artificial thunder in our theatres, a most dreadful earthquake shook, by quick but short vibrations, the foundations of all the city, so that many buildings instantly fell. Then, with a pause scarcely perceptible, the nature of the motions was changed, and the houses were tossed from side to side, with a motion like that of a waggon violently driven over rough stones. This second shock laid almost the whole city in ruins, with a prodigious slaughter of the people. The earthquake lasted in all about six minutes. At the moment of its beginning, some persons on the river, nearly a mile from the city, heard their boat make a noise as if it had run aground, though they were then in deep water; and at the same time they saw the houses falling on both sides of the river. The bed of the river Tagus was in many places raised to its surface. Ships were driven from their anchors, and jostled together with great violence; nor did their masters know whether they were afloat or aground. A large new quay sunk to an unfathomable depth, with several hundreds of people upon it; nor was one of the dead bodies ever found. The bar was at first seen dry from shore to shore; but suddenly the sea came rolling in like a mountain; and about Belem Castle the water rose fifty feet almost in an instant. About noon there was another shock, when the walls of several houses that yet remained opened from top to bottom more than a quarter of a yard, and afterwards closed again so exactly, that scarce any mark of the injury was left.

At Colares, about twenty-nine miles from Lisbon, and two miles from the sea, on the 31st October the weather was clear, and uncommonly warm for the season. About four o'clock P.M. there arose a fog from the sea, which overspread the valleys, a thing very unusual at that season. Soon after, the wind changing to the east, the fog returned to the sea, collecting itself, and becoming exceedingly thick. As the fog retired, the sea rose with a prodigious roaring. On the 1st November the day broke with a serene sky, the wind continuing at east; but about nine o'clock the sun began to grow dim; and about half an hour after was heard a rumbling noise like that of chariots, which increased to such a degree, that it became equal to the explosions of the largest cannon. Immediately a shock of an earthquake was felt, which was quickly succeeded by a second and third; and at the same time several light flames of fire issued from the mountains, resembling the kindling of charcoal. In these three shocks the walls of the buildings moved from east to west. In another situation, from whence the sea coast could be discovered, there issued from one of the hills called Fojo, a great quantity of smoke, very thick, but not very black. This increased with the fourth shock,

and afterwards continued to issue in a greater or less degree. Just as the subterraneous rumblings were heard, the smoke burst forth at the Fojo; and the quantity of smoke was always proportioned to the noise. On visiting the place from whence the smoke was seen to arise, no signs of fire could be perceived near it. At Oporto, near the mouth of the river Douro, the earthquake began about forty minutes past nine. The sky was very serene, when a dreadful hollow noise, like thunder, or the rattling of coaches at a distance, was heard; and almost at the same instant the earth began to shake. In the space of a minute or two the river rose and fell five or six feet, and continned to do so for four hours. It ran up at first with so much violence, that it broke a ship's hawser. In some parts the river opened, and seemed to discharge vast quantities of air: and the agitation in the sea was so great about a league beyond the bar, that air was supposed to have been discharged there also. St. Ube's, a sea-port town about twenty miles south of Lisbon, was entirely swallowed up by the repeated shocks and the vast surf of the sea. Huge pieces of rock were detached at the same time from the promontory at the west end of the town, which consists of a chain of mountains, containing fine jasper of different colors. The same earthquake was felt over all Spain, except in Catalonia, Arragon, and Valencia. At Ayamonte (near where the Guadiana falls into the Bay of Cadiz), a little before ten o'clock, on the 1st November, the earthquake was felt; having been immediately preceded by a hollow rushing noise. Here the shocks continued for fourteen or fifteen minutes, damaged almost all the buildings, throwing down some, and leaving others irreparably shattered. In little more than half an hour after, the sea and river, with all the canals, overflowed their banks with great violence, laying under water all the coasts of the islands adjacent to the city, and flowing into the streets. The water came on in vast black mountains, white with foam at the top, and demolished more than one-half of a tower at the bar, named De Canala. In the adjacent strands every thing was irrecoverably lost; for all that was overflowed sunk, and the beach became a sea, without the least resemblance of what it was before. Many persons perished, for, though they went aboard some vessels, yet part of these foundered; and others being forced out to sea, the unhappy passengers were so terrified, that they threw themselves overboard. The day was serene, and not a breath of wind stirring. At Cadiz, some minutes after 9A.M. the earthquake began, and lasted about five minutes. The water of the cisterns under ground rushed backwards and forwards, so that a great froth arose. At ten minutes after eleven, a wave was seen coming from the sea, at eight miles distance, at least sixty feet higher than usual. It dashed against the west part of the town, which is very rocky. Though these rocks broke a good deal of its force, it at last came upon the city walls, beat in the breast work, and carried pieces of the building, of eight or ten tons weight, to the distance of forty or fifty yards. When the wave was gone, some parts that are deep at low water were left quite dry, for the water returned

« PreviousContinue »