“Earthquake”
Date
3-15-1812
Newspaper
Western Intelligencer
Page and Column
Page 2, Column 3
Newspaper Location
Worthington, Ohio
Serial Number
1199
Abstract
Account of December 16, 1811 earthquake from Chickasaw Indians hunting on the White river in Arkansas. The Indians noticed sulfurous fumes before the earthquake and noted that mountains shook and rocks fell and sand blew from them. Unique account and only on that notices phenomena before the earthquake and relates it to the event. Information source was George Colbert a leader among the Chickasaws.
Transcript
Earthquake.--A gentleman on whose authority we can rely, has reached here from Orleans. He informs us that he was at that place on the 16th Dec. and felt no shock of the earthquake. He learnt from George Colbert, as he passed through the nation, that a party of the Chickasaws who had been hunting on Whit river, had returned, and had informed him (Colbert) that the day before the earthquake was felt where they were the air was so impregnated with sulphurious matter as almost to suffocate them; they were in sight of three large mountains, from the tops of which the adjacent country could have been overlooked as far as the eye could reach; that morning after the shock two of them had sunk; that from the remaining one they could see rocks thrown out as large as houses, and that large quantities of white sand appeared to issue from every part. Alarmed at these awful appearances the Indians hurried to their homes.
Recommended Citation
"“Earthquake”" (1812). New Madrid Compendium Far-Field Database. 1152.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/cas-ceri-new-madrid-compendium/1152