Gov. Sargent’s account of an earthquake. 353 
sometimes strong—and distant thunder. Sun appeared once or twice 
dimly through the day, but was generally obscured by clouds with 
rain before noon—light N W wind—at 10/. 6’ P. M. another shock, 
not equal to that in the morning, but giving some motion to our beds 
and furniture, and continuing one. minute—the stars shone uncom- 
monly bright, and the atmosphere was remarkably serene at this time, 
and continued so during the night—moon rose clear, but was succeed- 
ed by a dense vapour rising to the tops of the trees which was dissipat- 
ed half an hour after sun rising—the day fair and wind S W and light. 
The three last shocks only have been felt at New Orleans, nor can I learn 
that any other earthquakes have ever been experienced there, or any 
where upon the river, except a small shock between Kaskaskias and 
the Missouri, upon the 8th of January, 1795, 3 o’clock in the morn- 
ing, and two others upon the 11th and 12th of February, 1804. 
Of the earthquakes noticed in the annals of New England, July 
9d, 1638, Oct. 29th, 1653, 1658, 1660, Jan, 26th, 1663, 1665, 1668, 
1669, 1670.—1705, 1720, Oct. 29th, 1727, Sept. 5th, 1732, Feb. 6th, 
1737, Dec. 7th, 1737, June 3, 1744, Nov. 18th, 1755, Nov. 22, 
Dec. 19th, same year; July 8th, 1757, March 12th, 1761, Nov. Ist, 
same year; 1766, Oct. 18th, 19th, 1769, 1771; Nov. 29th, 1783, and 
May 8th, 1804; it seems the centre, or place of greatest violence 
has been in latitude about 43°, where the Merrimack enters into the 
Atlantic, and their central course from the N W to the SE through 
this point. Their effects upon the Atlantic coast have been limited 
by Noya Scotia upon the N E, and Maryland on the SW. Of those 
very awful concussions, which commenced in Jan. 1663, and contin- 
ued to the July following, the date of our settlements would not ad- 
mit of any record, but if they had extended to the Missisippi, we 
should most probably have had some account of them by tradition. 
Marquette, a Jesuit from Quebec, with an inhabitant of the name of 
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