Gov. Sargent’s account of an earthquake. 355 
the boat was cast off, and immediately experienced another shock, 
more violent than either of the former—the left bank of the river fell 
in—its agitation increased, rising up like water spouts to an alarming 
height—though there was great depth of water, the channel appear- 
ed to be changed, and the current very much increased—the heavens 
were obscured by dense black smoke, which ascended from the bed of 
the river, with roaring noises so powerful as to prevent the communica- 
tion of orders on board the boat. Ina short time followed nine feeble 
shocks with a continued agitation of the river and innumerable ex- 
plosions—in a few minutes there were light shocks—and the trees on 
both sides, principally on the right, were violently clashing together 
and falling in—*Sawyers and Planters multiplied in every direction, 
and to a great extent, and appeared to have been produced at the mo- 
ment from the bottom of the river—one island was entirely swallow- 
ed up, and another evidently doomed to the same fate—it was sun- 
dered in many parts and directions, and the whole appeared almost in 
a state of fusion. At 10/. 50’ there was another shock, greater than 
the last, and the river was again in violent. agitation—black and un- 
commonly turbid—11/. 25’ another shock, the river being disturbed 
as at the last—-11/. 50’ a shock, more violent than the two preceding, 
not agitating the river so much, but rendering it more turbid. The 
interior of the country opposite the Bayon river appeared to be sunk 
or settled to a great extent, and near to the mouth of this stream the 
banks had fallen in for a considerable distance—many hundred trees 
had slid into the Missisippi, standing upright and immersed in full 
thirty feet water—others with their roots in the air and branches in 
the bed of the river. In general the effects were more like those ofa 
tornado or whirlwind, than of an earthquake, | Trees to a great extent 
* See last note. <j 
