The Virginia Gazette

LONDON, March 4. An authentic Account of the Earthquakes that happened last Year in the Island of St. Domingo, translated from the French Relation printed on the Spot.

The Island of St. Domingo has this in common with the Antilles, to be very subject to Hurricanes, which on the 20th of September, this very Year, made great Devastation, by blowing down the Sugar Canes, and driving many Ships on the Coasts. The Privilege of having been hitherto exempt from Earthquakes, had caused it to be distinguished of old from other Islands by the Name of Fortunata. But now it has no Right to that Title; for on the 21st of May last it felt a slight Shock, which, however, was not minded by any Body, as there is no Island in the West-Indies where such Shocks are not sometimes felt, without being attended with any bad Consequences: But the 18th of October, about Two o'Clock in the Afternoon, in the clearest Sunshine and the calmest Weather, the Earth shook violently, lasting for a considerable Time, as if it had nothing to rest upon.

The oldest Colonists assure that such a Motion was never felt here before; but this was only the Prelude of our Calamities: A Steeple thrown down, and a few Houses demolished, were all the Consequences of it in the French Part of the Island: in the Spanish Part, and at the Head of the Island, the Damage was greater. It is from this Part, from East to West, that the Shocks always come. Several Convents and Churches have been overthrown, and the City of St. Domingo, which is 18 Leagues distant from Prince's Port, the new Capital of the French Part, from whence I write. A Spanish Village, called Baniquo, was entirely swallowed up, and a Sort of Glacis Lake appeared in its Place; a Volcano opened within 20 Leagues of St. Domingo ejecting Abundance of Fire and Smoke.

The Spaniards endeavoured to appease the Wrath of Heaven by public Prayers, Processions and Fasts; but the Time is not yet come; God seems to have more Vengeance still in Store for us.

The 21st of November, about Eight in the Morning, and during a profound Calm, we felt a slight Shock, followed by several others, which gradually became so violent, that almost all the Stone Houses at Prince's Port, which seemed to be the strongest built, were thrown down; the Timber Houses stood a little longer, and then yielded to the Violence of the Shocks; and soon the Governor's House we descried a Cloud of Dust rising from Prince's Port, which announced, without the Help of any other Messenger, the Disaster that had happened. Carenages lately built, and a superb Edifice that had cost considerable Sums, were totally overthrown.

In the Plain, called Cul de Sac, the principal Houses, the Sugar-Mills, Refining Houses, &c. were thrown down in several Places: In some Habitations Apertures were made in the Ground, from whence Abundance of sordid Springs issue. At the upper End of the great River, which runs through Cul-de-Sac Plain, the Tops of three Mountains crumbled away, and choaked up the River, which has since taken its Course another Way.

The Plain of Anibouitte has also extremely suffered, several Dwelling Houses, Sugar Works, &c. having been destroyed. The River of the same Name rose seven Feet above the usual Mark.

The Town of St. Mark, though well rocked, had only a few Walls demolished.

We are informed from the Cape, by credible Witnesses, that the Plain has been severely handled; that upwards of twenty thousand Pots, &c. full of Sugar, have been broken and buried under the Ruins of the Houses: That in the District of Fort Dauphin many Dwelling Houses and Sugar Works have been destroyed; and in the Road of the Cape the Sea was in such a Ferment, that Abundance of uncommon Shells were thrown upon the Shore.

We justly fear that the Wrath of God is not yet appeased, because in the Evening and Morning we hear a rumbling Noise, like the Firing of Cannon, under Ground; which Noise is echoed back from the Mountains. From the fatal Hour the Earth has not been still one Instant; the 22d at three in the Afternoon the Quaking was very violent; and the 23d, fifty Minutes after three in the Morning, we had two dreadful Shocks.

The Imagination is too weak to conceive what may be the Force or Power that shakes so violently an immense Mass of 300 Leagues in Circuit, laden with so many Mountains of prodigious Height and Rocks innumerable, and this too at the very same Instant. We seem to be in a Boat, or a floating Island; every one looks round him, expecting the Earth to open, and swallow him up.

It is as hard to come to a Description of the general Consternation occasioned by this Event: The Value of Plantations is falling. every Body talks of returning to France, and Trade will soon feel this terrible Blow. Most of the Inhabitants of Towns rest at Night in the Fields under Tents; even the Intendant does the Same. May God hear the Prayers that are made to him all over the Island, and put an End to our Fears and Terror!

The Earthquake began the 18th of October at two o'Clock in the Afternoon, by two violent Shocks, which lasted about three Minutes.

The same Day, five in the Evening, we had Several other Shocks, but not so violent as the first; and for eight Days after they continued, but gradually lighter.

The 21st at ten in the Morning: at five and eight in the Evening.

The 29th at eight in the Morning, and twenty Minutes after three in the Afternoon.

The 30th of November, at eight in the Morning, a Shock much more violent than that of the 18th of October: Repeated at ten, and at five in the Evening with a continual Rocking.

The 22d at four in the Morning, two Shocks, and another at six: At three in the Afternoon a Shock as violent as that of the 18th of October; and at eleven in the Evening another with great Heaving and Shocking.

The 23d at half an Hour past one in the Morning, and at five; at Forty-five Minutes past one, and twenty Minutes after three in the Afternoon.

The 24th at thirty Minutes past six, thirty Minutes after seven, at eight, and half an Hour after eleven in the Forenoon.

The 25th at Forty-five Minutes past seven in the Morning; thirty Minutes after four, and thirty Minutes past six in the Afternoon.

The 26th at half an Hour after six, and a Quarter after Seven in the Morning at two and three o'Clock in the Afternoon.

The 28th at Forty-five Minutes past three in the Morning two Shocks, the last which was as violent as that of the 18th of October.

The 30th at three in the Morning, a very rude Shock

The 1st of December, at three in the Evening.

The 2d at half an Hour after Four in the Afternoon, and at Midnight.

The 5th a violent Shock.