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Was perceived in the river, among the fliipping, by a 
hidden flux and reflux of the tide, but no damage. 
Pray God defend us, on our guard, in all his judV 
ments, and avert them from us. 
The earthquake, violent as it was, I don’t hear 
has done any very great damage : four or five boats 
were c/eriet by it on the bar, but no one drowned ; 
fome veflels were drove from the moorings, but re- 
ceived no hurt : feveral large hones were thrown 
from the tops of buildings, but without touching any- 
body j but fome, through mere fear, have died • 
amongfl; thefe is N. Webber, who was let blood 
about five, and went off in the night : others too 
received hurt by crouding out of churches, which 
were much thronged, it being a mafs-day. Had it 
happened in the night, inftead of nine in the morn- 
fl^ort as the duration was, I fear the confequence 
would have been very fatal ; for even as it was, feve- 
rai people were for throwing themfelves from their 
windows, to get into the ftreets, which they would un- 
doubtedly have done, if in the night j and in the hurry, 
even down flairs, many would have broke their 
limbs, and perhaps loft their lives. So flrongly has 
the fliock affedled the minds of fome, that they 
imagine fix or feven more have been felt fince ; but 
ior my own part, 1 know of one only, and trufl in 
Godifliall never experience the lik^ for It was 
really very terrible. 
I forgot to obferve to you, that, during the time 
of the earthquake, and indeed preceding it, was 
heard a hollow dreadful noife, but I did not obferve 
any dilagreeable fmell, of alteration in the air, the 
fky being as ferene as ufual, and the after-part of the 
day without a breath of air. Extract 
