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Humboldt, in the 4th vol. of his Travelsgives an account of the Earthquake at Car-accas on the 26th of March, 1812. Thefirst shock was felt at seven minutes after 4P. M. It caused the bells of the churches totoll, and the earth to heave up like a boilingliquid—it lasted 5 or 6 seconds. When thedanger was thought to be passed, a tremen-dous subterraneous noise was heard—an un-dulatory motion of the earth followed, andthe town of Caraccas was entirely over-thrown. Between nine and ten thousand ofthe inhabitants were buried under the ruinsof the houses and churches. The Earth-quake happened on a Holy Thursday, whenthe churches were filled. Between 3 and5000 persons, hurrying out were killed bythe fall of their roofs. A regiment of troops,with the exception of a few men were buri-ed under the ruins of a large building, occu-pied as a barracks. Nine tenths of the townof Caraccas was destroyed. The night suc-ceeding the Earthquake, was perfectly calmand serene, and the aspect of the sky form-ed a perfect contrast to that of the earth, co-vered with the dead, and heaped with ruins.
Mothers were seen bearing in their armstheir children, whom they hoped to recallto life. Desolate families wandered throughthe city, seeking a brother, a husband, afriend, of whose fate they were ignorant, and|Spaltenumbruch|whom they believed to be lost in the crowd.The people pressed along the streets, whichcould no more be recognized but by longlines of ruins.
The Earthquake extended to the provin-ces of Venezuela, Verinas and Maracaybo,along the coast, and still more to the inlandmountains. Many places were entirely de-stroyed. The number of dead exceeded 4or 5000 at La Guayra, and at San Felipe.—It was felt 180 leagues from Carraccas. 15of 18 hours after the great catastrophe, theground remained tranquil. After the 27th,there were 15 oscillations of the earth inone day.
On the 5th of April there was almost asviolent an earthquake, as that which over-threw the capital. During several hours theground was in a state of perpetual undulation.Large masses of earth fell in the mountains;and enormous rocks were detached from theSilla of Carraccas.—Ib.