OCR Text |
Show AWFUL EARTIiaCAlvE. Minister Low furnishes the State Department at Washington with a brief account of a series of earthquakes which prevailed for several days at Bathang, in the province of Sezheun, China. About the first of April there was a sudden and unaccountabio rise of waters in the district of Bathang, which continued until the 11th, when the country for nearly one hundred miles was convulsed by earthquakes. Tho shocks wero very sovore,aud continued, with intermissions, for ten days, when they became less frequent, aud finally ceased. The scenes which ensued were horrible beyond description. During this time the earth rocked and reeled like a ship at sea in a violent storm. Eight temples were thrown down, 2, 421 dwellings were destroyed, 2.2'J3 persons crushed by the falling walls. To add to these accumulated horrors the flames broke out among the ruins in Balhang in four places, and raged with uncontrollable uncon-trollable fury during live days, consuming consum-ing every thing within their reach, and destroying the lives of hundreds who were lying wounded and helpless among the ruins of their homes. The grain collector at Bathang says that for several days before the earthquake the water had, overflowed the dyke,but after it the earth cracked in many places, and black, fetid water spurted out in a furious manner. If one poked it the spurting instanlly followed, just as is the case wilh salt wells (in the eastern part of tho provincc;)and this explains how it happened that fire followed the earthquake. Steep hills sunk out of sight, and in their place naught is seen but yawning gulfs,while in other places the earlh upheaved leaving hills many feet in height. Many singular phenomena attended this earthquake, the full particulars of which will be anxiously watched for. |