PREDICTION OF EARTHQUAKES. 303 



supposed to be endowed with seismic foresight, whose 

 verdicts are much relied upon. 



In Caraccas it is said that nearly every street in the 

 river suburb has an earthquake Cassandra or two. Some 

 of these go so far not only as to predict the coming 

 seisms, but also the vicissitudes of particular streets.* 

 Earthquake prophets are, however, by no means confined 

 to the new w^orld, and many examples of them may be 

 found in the histories of countries where earthquakes have 

 been felt. 



The story of the crazy lifeguardsman who prophesied 

 an earthquake to take place in London on April 4, 1691, 

 is an example. The Kev. Sig. Pasquel K. Perdini, 

 writing on the earthquakes at Leghorn in 1742, says 

 that 'a Milanese astrologer predicted this earthquake 

 for January 27, by which " misfortune " the faith and 

 credit given to the astrologer gained him more rever- 

 ence and honour than the prophets and holy gospel.' 

 Before the time at which he predicted a second shock, 

 people removed away from Leghorn. 



Warnings furnished by animals, — A study of the 

 warnings furnished by animals is also interesting. Several 

 of the natives in Caraccas possess oracular quadrupeds, 

 such as dogs, cats, and jerboas, which anticipate coming 

 dangers by their restlessness. 



Before the catastrophe of 1812, at Caraccas, a Spanish 

 stallion broke out from its stable and escaped to the high- 

 lands, which was regarded as the result of the prescience 

 of a coming calamity. Before the disturbances of 1822 

 and 1835, which shook Chili, immense flocks of sea birds 

 flew inland, as if they had been alarmed by the com- 

 mencement of some suboceanic disturbance. Before this 



> H. D. Warner, *The City of Earthquakes,' Atlantic Monthly, 

 March 1833. 



