Recent Earthquakes in Xn-muxjua. — Crawford. 85 
disastrous condition of the premises. They were counting 1 toads 
on rosaries and saying prayers most of the time, yet there were 
no fissures, not even a superficial one, in or near that yard. The 
next morning they declared to us that they had witnessed "the 
ground open in several places in the yard during the severe earth- 
quake on Monday of 1st instant, and supposed the openings had 
closed,' - and that "the boys hail covered the tracks over with dirt, 
when sweeping the yard." They honestly believed that they had seen 
the ground open during an earthquake. There is a popular belief 
afloat in countries where earthquakes are felt, that during a severe 
earthquake, the earth is seen at various places to open into numer- 
ous fissures then dose again, without leaving any other evidence of 
a rupture than the false and frightened relator. While at the 
Hacienda Fuentas, about 7 o'clock p. m.. there arrived during the 
rain, nearly exhausted and much frightened, a man. woman and 
two children, and stated that about one-half hour previous, and 
about one mile distant, they were under a tree near their house, 
near the foot and north of Monticlue Pilon, when they felt a 
severe earthquake, and witnessed a fissure open in the earth over 
three feet wide and extending many feet into the woods. We hail 
felt that shock ; it was not remarkably severe, but the tissiuvs 
were not found, although the man and woman faithfully assisted 
us the next day in our attempt to find them. That part, of their 
story was false, although they lingered the beads on their rosaries 
as they persisted next day in declaring that they had witnessed 
" the ground near them open during the earthquake" and they 
marked out for me the exact place, and they believed that they 
were telling the truth. None of these relators were stupid: on 
the contrary they were intelligent, enough to make money and live 
with the comforts usual to that locality. These are fair examples 
from a mass of statements made to us by different persons, and they 
correspond with tales told me during the examination of earth 
quake phenomena in other countries, rnquestionably there is much 
difficulty during and immediately succeeding severe earthquakes, 
in commanding the mental faculties so as to keep them in a con- 
dition suitable for cool, critical observations. I have had volun- 
tary experience several times in severe earthquakes, and in long 
contested battles where several thousands of men were engage" I 
in deadly contest. In battle there is to sustain one. a conscious- 
