“Dreadful earthquake..”
Date
5-1-1812
Newspaper
Raleigh Register
Page and Column
Page 2, Column 2.
Newspaper Location
Raleigh, North Carolina
Serial Number
663
Abstract
Report of earthquake in Caribbean.
Transcript
Dreadful Earthquake. Baltimore, April 21. By captain Betts, from Laguira, we learn, that on the 26th of March, at 4 o'clock, P.M. there was a very severe shock of an EARTHQUAKE, which destroyed nearly the whole of the city of Caraccas, & all the town of Laguira, with all the neighbouring villages-ten thousand people were buried in the ruins-two thousand five hundred in Laguira-one American only perished. viz. Mr. CROWELL, of New York. Four shocks were heard and felt on the night following, not heavy enough to do any damage. On the 27th, the survivors were employed in digging the dead from under the ruins, putting them in large fighters, carrying them outside of the shipping, and burying them in the sea. On the 28th the sea was so rough as to prevent them taking the dead off-then they built a large fire near the wharf, and commenced burning them, and burned about forty at a time in one fire. On the 29th, the stench had become so bad that they quit digging the dead from under the ruins. All the survivors pitched tents on the plains of Mageterre.-On the 4th of April there was a very hard shock, which made the vessels tremble as if on a reef of rocks in a heavy sea; and from on board the Independence, we could see the mountains move like a ship in a heavy sea, and large pieces scaling off them. At half past 5, the Independence sailed, so that we could not tell what damage had been done. Mr. LOWRY, our commercial agent at Laguyra, intended to leave that place, in consequence of the earthquake, for Porto Cavello.
Recommended Citation
"“Dreadful earthquake..”" (1812). New Madrid Compendium. 650.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/cas-ceri-new-madrid-compendium/650
