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



night of the 20th instant. Three large extraordinary fires, in the air, one- 

 appeared in an easterly direction, one in the north, and one in the south* 

 Their continuance was several hours ; their size as large as a house on 

 fire ; the motion of the blaze was quite visible, but no sparks appeared. 



" Another phenomenon appeared on the 22d of November, of which 

 I was a spectator. About 2 o'clock p. m. a meteor took fire in the air, 

 attended with a fulminating noise, and bore a southeast direction ; and 

 however unaccountable, it is a fact, that about the same instant, a 

 whitish substance, resembling a duck in size and shape, detached itself, 

 and descended with a swift motion, from the cloud of smoke that was 

 formed, and was beheld at my house, and fifteen miles due north of it, 

 and twenty-three miles west of it, at the same instant. 



" Whether these things are ominous or not, one thing is certain, this 

 is a time of extraordinaries." 



To these curious notices, I add the communication from New-Orleans, 

 of William Shaler, Esq. dated March 23d, 1812. 



w Dear Sir, 

 " Knowing the interest you take in all natural events, I do myself 

 the pleasure to communicate to you the following simple account of 

 the late earthquake, as I received it from the patron of a Kentucky 

 boat lately arrived here. On the 7th of last February, at 3 a. m., be- 

 ing moored to the bank of the Mississippi, about thirteen miles above 

 New-Madrid, he was awakened by a tremendous roaring noise, felt his 

 vessel violently shaken, and observed the trees over the bank falling in 

 every direction, and agitated like reeds on a windy day, and many sparks 

 of fire emitted from the earth. He immediately cut his cable and put 

 off into the middle of the river, where he soon found the current 

 changed, and the boat hurried up, for about the space of a minute, 

 with the velocity of the swiftest horse ; he was obliged to hold his hand 



