The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

QUEBEC, October 10.

On Thursday the 26th September last, between the Hours, of 4 and 5 in the Evening happened the following extraordinary Accident, viz.

Upon the arrival of a young Man, in a Caleche at one Joseph Renaud's Door in the Parish of St. Peters, 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 opening about 18 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 on a sudden it fell down, was carried to about the Distance of an Acre and Half from where it stood, and buried in the River, under an enormous Mass of Land, which prevents any Part of its being seen except the End of one of the Rafters; notwithstanding the Lad was only found up to the shoulders in the Earth, and whose doleful Cries brought some People to him who had almost dug him out, when the Barn, which was at a greater Distance than the House, fell and was likewise swallowed up in the Abys, this obliged the People to leave the Lad, who continued calling for their Assistance; but a little Time after, notwithstanding the Danger, they returned and saved him.

This Immersion has formed a Bank at least three Acres broad, the Height of which exceeds the Shore, by about 15 Feet: it has shut up the Channel of the River in such a Manner, that the Waters had not ceased to re-flow the 29th, & 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 very subterraneous passage; This appears the more probable, as in the place where the land sunk there appeared a deep Pit about 60 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, to the Consideration of Persons of better Judgment. to give some more natural Reasons for the above fatal Event.