MITCHILL ON THE EARTHQUAKES OF 1811, 1812, AND 1813. 293 



in such a manner as to induce a belief that she had grounded ; but 

 upon sounding, he could find no bottom. The current, at the place 

 where he was at the time of the occurrence, (eighty-seven miles below 

 the mouth of the Ohio,) acquired three times its former velocity, and 

 the river rose six feet upon its former level ; the trunks of trees, bedded 

 in the bottom, suddenly rose in great numbers to the surface ; the banks 

 tumbled down at an alarming rate ; and the land was rent by cracks and 

 fissures. 



Secondly; a writer from New-Madrid, in a communication to a friend 

 in Lexington, dated 16th December, describes a tremendous noise as 

 rousing the family from their sleep, rocking the house, throwing down 

 the chimney, and terrifying them so, that they passed the remainder of 

 the morning, from two o'clock, when the shock was felt, in the open air. 

 During the time of the shock, the heavens were very clear and serene ; 

 there being not a breath of air stirring; but in five minutes it became 

 very dark ; and a vapour which seemed to impregnate the atmosphere, 

 had a disagreeable smell, and produced a difficulty of breathing. This 

 darkness continued until nearly the break of day. During its continu- 

 ance there were six more shocks. About half after six it cleared up. 

 However, the danger was increased by another shock, which racked the 

 houses violently, and threw down the chimneys. The darkness re- 

 turned, and it was accompanied by loud noises, and a bounding motion 

 up and down. Many persons were so alarmed that they formed 

 encampments in the fields. The shocks were repeated from time to 

 time, until the 28th, and then amounted to sixty-seven. 



Accounts from Little Prairie stated that ponds had been converted 

 to upland, and dryland to lakes; that the banks of the river had sunk 

 and fallen in to a great extent; that cracks had been formed in the 

 earth; that water had gushed out; and that there was a strange and 



