The New Hampshire Gazette

LONDON. November 24.

The last Letters from Lisbon bring the following Account of the great and dreadful Earthquake that happened last Summer in the Azores, or Western Islands.

The 9th of July, forty five Minutes past Eleven at Night, a dreadful Shock, which lasted about two Minutes, was felt in most of the Azores. All the Houses in the Island of Angra, or Tercero, were violently shaken. The Impulse of the Earthquake which at first was vertical, quickly became horizontal, the Direction being from West to East. During these two Minutes the Earth was moved with such force, that had the Shock lasted a few Seconds longer, all the tottering Buildings must have been swallowed up.

The 10th, about Ten o'Clock in the Morning, there was another Shock; and a 3d at Four in the Afternoon, as violent as that of the preceding Day, but its Duration shorter. In St. George's Island, 21 Leagues from Angra, the Earth quaked the same Day, and at the same Hours; but the Shocks were so violent, that 1053 Persons were crushed to death under the Ruins of the Houses. The Consternation of the Inhabitants redoubled the 10th in the Morning, at the Sight of 18 new Islands, which arose at the Distance of 100 Fathoms on the North Side of the Island. At the Fayal des Vimes the same Shock threw down all the Buildings: No more Houses, Temples, nor Streets, are to be found there, but only Heaps of Rubbish and Stones. In some Places whole Fields and Gardens were rolled down into the Sea. There are still Slips of Land to be seen at some Distance from the Shore, and surrounded with Water, which retain their Form and all their Contents: Upon one of these floating Islands there is a House standing, planted round with Trees, which has been no Way damaged. Monte Formoso, lying S. S. E. of this Island, was split in two; one Part tumbled into the Sea, the other stands within 200 Yards of it. From the East Point of Topo Island, as far as the Town of Calheta, there is yet nothing to be seen but Ruins; no House could stand the Shock: Nay, the Ground opened in several Places, and a Piece of Land, about a Quarter of a League square, was carried into the Sea. Some Mountains moved out of their Places: others have entirely disappeared; so that the Communication between some of those Islands, which was formerly practicable, on account of the Steepness of the Rocks, is now open and easy; where the Mountains stood there is now a plain. Part of the Village of Norte Grande broke loose from the rest, and forms a new Island 300 Yards distant from it. All the terrified Inhabitants of those Islands live in the Woods, expecting every Day will be their last, the quaking Ground shewing them Graves on every Side. Enormous Masses of Stone continually break off from the Rocks, and fall into deep Pits formed by the Earthquakes: In some Places whole Rocks have sunk into the Ground. In Pico Island these Shocks have been but slightly felt, except on that Side of it which is opposite to St. George's; that Part of it has been roughly handled, and eleven Souls perished there. On the Day of the first Shock the Sea broke into St. George's Island, the Waves running from W. to E.: In Pico Island their Direction was from East to West, and from S. to N. in Graciosa. Fayal had but a slight Shock, and the Motion of the Sea was scarce perceivable. In St. Michael's and St. Mary's Islands they felt nothing but the Effects of an ordinary Shock. The Isles of Flores and Corvo have been entirely free from this Calamity.

Azores, are certain Islands in the Atlantic Ocean viz. 9 in Number. St. Michael St. Mary's, which lies next Spain, Tercera on the N. W. St. Graciosa, St. George's, Fayal, and Pico, in the middle, Corvo and Flores nearest America, St. Michael is the largest, Tercera the strongest, 25 miles from E to W. a Bishoprick, which has in it the Town of Angra, the Metropolis, an Archishoprick. They are subject to the King of Portugal.