“A gentleman on whose authority we can rely...”
Date
3-3-1812
Newspaper
Louisville American Statesman
Page and Column
Page 3, Column 2
Newspaper Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Serial Number
205
Abstract
Short article from the Georgetown Telegraph that relates a travelers account of not feeling the December 16, 1811 earthquake at New Orleans. Passing through Chickasaw country, he talked to George Colbert who relate that a Chickasaw hunting party on the White River had smelled a sulfurous smell the day before the earthquake. The location where they were was near three large mountains where the surrounding country could be seen. The day of the earthquake tow of the monitions had sunk and the third had rocks as big as houses thrown from it. In addition there were large quantities of dirt thrown out from the mountain.
Transcript
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 December, 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 White 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 over-looked far as the eye would read - the 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
"“A gentleman on whose authority we can rely...”" (1812). New Madrid Compendium Far-Field Database. 198.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/cas-ceri-new-madrid-compendium/198
