504? Mr Tartt on the Earthquakes it), South Carolina, 
mation was issued by the governor, appointing the 11th of 
March as a day of humiliation, religious reflection, and prayer ; 
and a tone of seriousness and pious feeling was for a long time 
perceptible, where it had previously seldom existed. 
The earthquakes in Venezuela have now become matter of 
history, and have lately been ably detailed in the Philosophical 
Journal ; but as the accounts of eye witnesses to such calamities 
are always possessed of interest, I may be allowed to conclude 
the present paper by the following extracts from letters written 
from Laguira at the time : 
On the 25th of March, at 4 oVlock P. M. there was a very 
severe shock of an earthquake, which destroyed nearly the 
whole of the city of Caraccas, and all the town of Laguira, 
with the neighbouring villages. About 10,000 people were 
buried in the ruins ; 2500 in Laguira. Four shocks were 
heard and felt on the night following, but not heavy enough to 
do any damage. On the 27th ult. the people that were living 
were employed in digging the dead from under the ruins, put- 
ting them in lighters, carrying them outside the shipping, and 
burying them in the sea. On the 28th the sea was so rough 
as to prevent their taking them off. They then built a large 
fire near the wharf, and commenced burning them, and burnt 
about forty at a time. On the 29th the stench had become so 
bad, they left off digging any more dead from under the ruins, 
and all the surviving inhabitants pitched their tents on the 
plains. On the 4th of April there was a very heavy shock, that 
made the vessels tremble as if they had been on a reef of rocks ; 
and from the Independence we could see the mountains move 
like a ship in a heavy sea, and large pieces rolling off them. 
Not a house is left standing that any one would venture to 
remain in for a single hour, and nine-tenths of the town are level 
with the ground. It is shocking to see, at the close of the day, 
heads, arms and legs that have remained unburnt, as the fire dies 
away, and the stench is intolerable ; and as no day has passed 
without a shock, we are waiting in fear and trembling to know 
when it will be entirely over, or what the effect of the next will be.’’ 
This scene of misery commenced on the 25th of March; and 
on the 26th of the following month, the eruption of the Soufrier(? 
took place. 
Liverpool, January 51. 1820. 
