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country-houfe, where we do not know yet, as every 
body elfe, friends of their friends, fathers of their 
children, hufbands of their wives; becaufe every 
one fled away from their habitations, full of terror, 
confufion, and diflradtion. 
This year has been with us very rainy and wet j 
the three preceding ones exceflively dry, infomuch 
that fome fprings, formerly very plentiful of water, 
were dried, and totally loft ; at the fame time the 
predominant winds were eaft and north-eaft, accom- 
panied with various, though very fmall, motions or 
tremblings of the earth, and, in the year lyyo, we, 
had a very fenfible one. 
The day before the fatal earthquake the atmo- 
fphere, and light of the fun, had the appearance of 
clouds and notable offufcation, and more ftrong and 
vifible at the adtual time of the great fhock, which 
was by undulation, and lafted from flx to eight mi- 
nutes. The weather was rather warmer than com- 
monly we have it at this time of the year, and had 
continued fo for feveral days before. In all this time 
were predominant the eaft and north-eaft winds. 
It ruined not only this populous city, but all the 
fouthern part of the county of Eftremadura, and a 
great one of the kingdom of Algarve. 
I am almoft pofitive, that the earthquake was pro- 
greflive, and that this place was the center of it. Its 
direction, according to my own obfervations, from 
north- weft to fouth-weft. 
The earth opened in fiffures in feveral parts, 
but neither fire or vifible fmoke came out of it. 
The water in the fea rofe feveral times, and in 
a few minutes made three fluxes and refluxes, rifing 
above 
