3 66 Great Earthquake [Book VI, 



cram, as if every edifice in the city had tumbled down 

 at once. The houfe I was in (hook with iuch violence, 

 that the upper ftories immediately fell, and though my 

 apartment (which was the firft floor) did not then 

 lhare the fame fate, yet every thing was thrown out of 

 its place in fuch a manner, that it was with no fmall 

 difficulty I kept my feet, and expected nothing lefs 

 than to be foon crufhed to death, as the walls conti- 

 nued rocking to and fro in the frightfulleft manner, 

 opening in feveral places, large ftones falling down on 

 every fide from the cracks, and the ends of moft of 

 the rafters darting out from the roof. To add to this 

 terrify ing fcene, the fky in a moment became fo gloomy, 

 that I could now diftinguifh no particular object; 

 it was an Egyptian darknefs indeed, fuch as might be 

 felt; owing, no doubt, to the prodigious clouds of 

 duft and lime, raifed from fo violent a concufiion, 

 and as fome reported, to fulphureous exhalations, but 

 this I cannot affirm; however, it is certain I found 

 myfelf almoft choaked for near ten minutes. 



' As foon as the gloom began to difperfe, and the 

 violence of the fhock feemed pretty much abated, the 

 firft object I perceived in the room was a woman fit- 

 ting on the floor, with an infant in her arms, all co- 

 vered with duft, pale and trembling; I afked her hoxv 

 fhe got hither : but her condensation v/as fo great that 

 me could give me no account of her efcape; I fup- 

 pofe, that when the tremor firft began, fhe ran out of 

 her own houfe, and finding herfelf in fuch imminent 

 danger from the falling of ftones, retired into the door 

 of mine, which was almoft contiguous to her's, for 

 Ihelter, and when the mock increafcd, which filled the 

 door with duft and rubbifh, ran up ftairs into my 

 apartment, which was then open : be it as it might, 

 this was no time for curiofity. I remember the poor 



creature 



