chap, xvn.] AN EARTHQUAKE. 393 



and children running in and out of their houses, on what 

 each time proved a very unnecessary alarm, as each shock 

 ceased just as it became strong enough to frighten us. It 

 seemed really very much like " playing at earthquakes," 

 and made many of the people join me in a hearty laugh, 

 even while reminding each other that it really might be no 

 laughing matter. 



At length the evening got very cold, and I became very 

 sleepy, and determined to turn in ; leaving orders to my 

 boys, who slept nearer the door, to wake me in case the 

 house was in danger of falling. But I miscalculated 

 my apathy, for I could not sleep much. The shocks 

 continued at intervals of half an hour or an hour all 

 night, just strong enough to wake me thoroughly each 

 time and keep me on the alert ready to jump up in case 

 of danger. I was therefore very glad when morning came. 

 Most of the inhabitants had not been to bed at all, and 

 some had stayed out of doors all night. For the next 

 two days and nights shocks still continued at short in- 

 tervals, and several times a day for a week, showing that 

 there was some very extensive disturbance beneath our 

 portion of the earth's crust. How vast the forces at work 

 really are can only be properly appreciated when, after 

 feeling their effects, we look abroad over the wide expanse 

 of hill and valley, plain and mountain, and thus realize in 

 a slight decree the immense mass of matter heaved and 



