( 239 ) 



THE EARTHQUAKE. 



Travelling through the Barrens of Kentucky (of which I shall give 

 you an account elsewhere) in the month of November, I was jogging on 

 one afternoon, when I remarked a sudden and strange darkness rising 

 from the western horizon. Accustomed to our heavy storms of thunder, 

 and rain, I took no more notice of it, as I thought the speed of my horse 

 might enable me to get under shelter of the roof of an acquaintance, 

 who lived not far distant, before it should come up. I had proceeded 

 about a mile, when I heard what I imagined to be the distant rumbling 

 of a violent tornado, on which I spurred my steed, with a wish to gallop 

 as fast as possible to the place of shelter ; but it would not do, the ani- 

 mal knew better than I what was forthcoming, and, instead of going fas- 

 ter, so nearly stopped, that I remarked he placed one foot after another 

 on the ground with as much precaution as if walking on a smooth sheet 

 of ice. I thought he had suddenly foundered, and, speaking to him, 

 was on the point of dismounting and leading him, when he all of a sud- 

 den fell a-groaning piteously, hung his head, spread out his four legs, as 

 if to save himself from falling, and stood stock still, continuing to groan. 

 I thought my horse was about to die, and would have sprung from his 

 back had a minute more elapsed, but at that instant all the shrubs and 

 trees began to move from their very roots, the ground rose and fell in 

 successive furrows, like the ruflBed waters of a lake, and I became be- 

 wildered in my ideas, as I too plaiidy discovered that all this awful com- 

 motion in nature was the result of an earthquake. 



I had never witnessed any thing of the kind before, although, like 

 every other person, I knew of earthquakes by description. But what is 

 description compared with the reality .'* Who can tell of the sensations 

 which I experienced when I found myself rocking as it were on my 

 horse, and with him moved to and fro like a child in a cradle, with the 

 most imminent danger around, and expecting the ground every moment 

 to open, and present to my eye such an abyss as might engulf myself 

 and all around me ? The fearful convulsion, however, lasted only a few 

 minutes, and the heavens again brightened as quickly as they had be- 

 come obscured ; my horse brought his feet to the natural position, raised 

 his head, and galloped off as if loose and frolicking without a rider. 



