CHARLES WATERTON, ESQ. XXXVii 



swallowed up alive by the yawning earth, at a mo- 

 ment's notice, made you sick at heart, and rendered 

 you almost fearful of your own shadow. 



The first shock took place at six in the evening, 

 with a noise as though a thousand carriages had 

 dashed against each other. This terrified many 

 people to such a degree, that they paced all night 

 long up and down the Alameda, or public walk, 

 rather than retire to their homes. I went to bed a 

 little after midnight; but was roused by another 

 shock, about five o'clock in me morning. It gave 

 the bed a motion, which made me fancy that it 

 moved under me from side to side. I sprang up, 

 and, having put on my unmentionables (we wore no 

 trousers in those days), I ran out, in all haste, to 

 the Alameda. There the scene was most distress- 

 ing : multitudes of both sexes, some nearly in a 

 state of nudity, and others sick at stomach, were 

 huddled together, not knowing which way to turn, 

 or what to do. 



■ " Oranes eodem cogimur." 



However, it pleased Heaven, in its mercy, to spare 

 us. The succeeding shocks became weaker and 

 weaker, till at last we felt no more of them. 



I now began to think it high time to fly. I was 

 acquainted with a Swedish captain, by name Bolin ; a 

 most excellent man, and of surprising intrepidity and 

 coolness. His brig having been long laden with fruit 

 for London, he was anxious to depart; and he formed 

 a plan to escape* from the harbour. There was no 

 getting a regular clearance at the custom-house; 

 b 3 



