EPISODES 235 



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 

 sudden 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 ruffled 

 waters of a lake, and I became bewildered in my ideas, as 

 I too plainly discovered that all this awful commotion in 

 nature was the result of an earthquake. 



I had never witnessed anything 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 expe- 

 rienced 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 ex- 

 pecting 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 become obscured ; my horse brought his feet 

 to their natural position, raised his head, and galloped 

 off as if loose and frolicking without a rider. 



I was not, however, without great apprehension respect- 

 ing my family, from which I was yet many miles distant, 

 fearful that where they were the shock might have caused 

 greater havoc than I had witnessed. I gave the bridle to 

 my steed, and was glad to see him appear as anxious to 

 get home as myself. The pace at which he galloped 

 accomplished this sooner than I had expected, and I found 

 with much pleasure that hardly any greater harm had taken 

 place than the apprehension excited for my own safety. 



