8o The American Geologist. August, 1002. 
hour intervals light shocks were felt until 7 A. M., when a rumbling 
liKe distant thunder was heard and in about an instant the earth began 
to totter and shake so that persons could neither stand nor walk. 
Then the earth was observed to roll in waves a few feet high with 
visible depressions between. By and by tliese swells burst, throwing 
up large volumes of water, sand and coal. Some was partly coated 
with what seemed to be sulphur. When the swells burst, fissures were 
left running in a northern and southern direction and parallel for 
miles. Le Sieur has seen them five miles long, four and a half feet 
deep and ten feet wide. The rumbling appeared to come from the 
west and travel east. Similar shocks were heard at intervals until 
Januarj' 7, 181 2, when another shock came as severe as the first. Then 
all except two families left, leaving behind them JU their property, 
which proved to be a total loss as adventurers came and carried off 
their goods on flat boats to Natchez and New Orleans, as well as all 
their stock which they could not slaughter. On Feb. 17 there occurred 
another severe shock, having the same effect as the others and forming 
fissures and lakes. As the fissures varied in size, the water, coal and 
sand were thrown out to different bights of from 5 to 10 feet. Besides 
long and narrow fissures, there were others of an oval or circular form 
making long and deep basins some 100 yards wide and deep enough to 
retain water in dry seasons. The damaged and uytorn country em- 
braced an area of 150 miles in circumference including the old town 
of Little Prairie now called Caruthersville, as the center. A large ex- 
tent on each side of Whitewater, called Little River, also both sides 
of the St. Francis in Missouri and Arkansas. Reelfoot lake in Tennes- 
see, sank 10 feet. In the morning at the time of the second earthquake 
when water, sand, etc.. were being thrown up Le Sieur suggested to his 
young brother and another young man that they cross the water and. 
if possible, reach a large Indian mound three miles distant. The}' went 
Le Sieur leading, sometimes swimming, sometimes wading, and throw- 
ing logs or bush to make temporary bridges across the deep fissures. 
After going a mile, a woman was seen calling for h»lp. It was Mrs. 
Cooper and four children endeavoring to reach the house of Le Sieur's 
father. They were then seated upon a large fallen sycamore. Le 
Sieur was unable to reach her. but kept on forward, swimming and 
wading until they reached higher ground on Red Bank bayou. The 
water kept rising and they climbed up a grape vine and perched upon 
a croch of it. After remaining a half hour the water receded. They 
then returned home where they found Mrs. Cooper safe. They had 
gone in all directions. The water thrown up during the eruption was 
luke warm. 
]\Tr. Culberson and family lived U])on a farm on the bank 
of the Pemiscot river where the stream made a sharp 
bend like the letter A". His house stood opposite the point of 
the river with about an acre of ground between it and the 
river. On this gTOund was a well and his smoke house. On 
the morning of Dec. 16. 181 1, and I'ust after the second hard 
