The Hillsborough Recorder

EARTHQUAKES.

Humboldt, in the 4th volume of his Travels, gives an account of the earthquake at Caracas on the 26th of March, 1812. The first shock was felt at seven minutes past four, P. M. It caused the bells of the churches to toll, and the earth to heave up like a boiling liquid—it lasted five or six seconds. When the danger was thought to be passed, a tremendous subterranean noise was heard—an undulatory motion of the earth followed, and the town of Caracas was entirely overthrown. Between nine and ten thousand of the inhabitants were buried under the ruins of the houses and churches. The earthquake happened on a Holy Thursday, when the churches were filled. Between 3 and 5,000 persons, hurrying out, were killed by the fall of the roofs. A regiment of troops, with the exception of a few men, were buried under the ruins of a large building, occupied as barracks. Nine tenths of the town of Caracas was destroyed. The night succeeding the earthquake, was perfectly calm and serene, and the aspect of the sky formed a perfect contrast to that of the earth, covered with the dead, and heaped with ruins.

Mothers were seen bearing in their arms their children, whom they hoped to recall to life. Desolate families wandered through the city, seeking a brother, a husband, a friend, of whose fate they were ignorant, and whom they believed to be lost in the crowd. The people pressed along the streets, which could no more be recognized but by long lines of ruins. The earthquake extended to the provinces of Venezuela, Varinas and Maracaybo, along the coast, and still more to the inland mountains. Many places were entirely destroyed. The number of dead exceeded 4 or 5,000 at La Guayra and at San Felipe. It was felt 150 leagues from Caracas. Fifteen or eighteen hours after the great catastrophe, the ground remained tranquil. After the earth there were fifteen oscillations of the earth in one day.

On the 5th of April, there was almost as violent an earthquake as that which overthrew the capital.—During several hours the ground was in a state of perpetual undulation.—Large masses of earth fell in the mountains: and enormous rocks were detached from the Scilla of Caracas.

Humboldt's Travels.