i'liulo b.. Uu., i;. -MiichcU 

 RIvMAINS OF A DRY-LAND HARDWOOD FOREST, REELFOOT LAKE, TENNESSEE, CAUSED 



BY SINKING OF THE LAND 



One of the greatest earthquakes of which the modern world has knowledge took place 

 within our own country. It occurred in the year 1811 in the West Tennessee-East Arkansas 

 region, and the remains of the sunken forests, upheaved swamps, and uprooted trees tell an 

 eloquent story of the devastating character of the quakes. The few inhabitants of that 

 region were kept in terror for days. Such a quake in the same region today might destroy 

 tens of thousands of people and do millions of dollars' damage (see page 67). 



solid mass of sand and water. For a 

 breathless eternity we were submerged ; 

 then, groaning in every timber, the 

 staunch old "Wateree" struggled again to 

 the surface, with her gasping crew still 

 clinging to the life-lines — some few seri- 

 ously wounded, bruised, and battered ; 

 none killed ; not one even missing. A 

 miracle it seemed to us then, and as I 

 look back through the years it seems 

 doubly miraculous now. 



Undoubtedly our safety was due to 

 the design of the ship. Part of our bat- 

 tery was two 200-pound rifles ; one for- 

 Avard the other aft ; both mounted so they 

 could be pivoted on either side. When 

 not in battery, they were secured amid- 

 ships. 



The bulwarks, or pivot ports, in the 

 side of the ship were arranged as a series 

 of heavy ringed panels, which, when the 

 guns were in use, could be lowered out- 



ward, leaving an opening of about one- 

 third of the side of the ship practically 

 level with the deck. Expecting the tidal 

 wave, they had been lowered early in the 

 afternoon. This permitted the water to 

 run off the deck — about as it would from 

 a raft or floating plank. 



The ship was swept on rapidly for a 

 time, but after a while the motion ceased, 

 and, lowering a lantern over the side, we 

 found ourselves on shore, but where, we 

 knew not. Smaller waves washed about 

 us for a time, but presently they ceased. 

 For some time we remained at quarters ; 

 but as the ship remained stationary, and 

 nothing new occurring, the order was 

 given to "Pipe down," followed by the 

 welcome order, "All hands stand by your 

 hammocks," and such of the crew as 

 were not on watch quietly made their 

 way through the reopened hatches to the 

 sodden berth deck — to sleep. I know not 



67 



