The Virginia Gazette

QUEBEC, October 10.

On Thursday, the 26th of September last, between the Hours of four and five in the Evening, happened the following extraordinary Accident, namely: Upon the Arrival of a young Man, in a Calash, at one Joseph Renaud's Door, in the Parish of St. Peter's, South River, the Earth opened, swallowed up, and buried him under its Mass, together with the Carriage and two Horses. There were in the House a Woman, two Girls, and a young Lad. The latter perceiving this extraordinary Accident, cried out, let us save ourselves, at the same Time going out of the House to make his Escape, when he saw the Earth again opening about eighteen Feet wide, which obliged him to retire; but the Woman, who likewise endeavoured to save herself, was swallowed up. The Lad was returning into the House where the Girls had remained, in the greatest Consternation and Fright, when all of a sudden it fell down, was carried about the Distance of an Acre and a Half from where it stood, and buried in the River, under an enormous Mass of Land, which prevents any Part of it being seen except the End of one of the Rafters. Notwithstanding the Lad was only found up to the Shoulders in the Earth, whose doleful Cries had brought some People to his Assistance, and who had almost dug him out, the Barn, which was at a greater Distance than the House, fell, and was likewise swallowed up in the Abyss. This obliged the People to leave the Lad, who continued to call for their Assistance; but a little Time after, notwithstanding the Danger, they returned, and saved him.

The Immersion has formed a Bank at least three Acres broad, the Height of which exceeds the Shore by about fifteen Feet. It has shut up the Channel of the River in such a Manner that the Waters had not ceased to reflow the 29th, and left it quite dry below the Bank.

It is a difficult Matter to discover the Cause of so extraordinary a Falling, as there was not the least Sign of an Earthquake, and as it was a Hill, the Declivity of which to the River was very gentle; yet as the Land formed a small Creek, against which the Waters struck, and had cut a very deep Channel therein, it is to be presumed that, having, by Degrees, washed away the Earth, which is of a very soft Clay, it had, in Course of Time, made a subterraneous Passage. This appears the more probable, as in the Place where the Land sunk there appeared a deep Pit, about sixty Feet perpendicular.

It is to be observed, that some Days before this Accident the Chimney seemed to the Master of the House to have sunk, and a few Stones had fallen down.

On the Whole, we leave it to the Consideration of Persons of better Judgment to give some more natural Reasons for the above fatal Event.