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 the 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. 
— " Omnes 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 
