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From the Leisure Hour,

TERRIBLE PHENOMENA OF EARTHQUAKES.

To man, nature affords no symptoms of the approach of an earthquake, even of the most destructive description, in time to put him on his guard, and enable him beforehand to consult the means of safety. It is true that where there are active volcanoes, and they sulk for a season, or cease to smoke as usual, a convulsion in the vicinity may be predicted with tolerable certainty. But the day and hour of its occurrence is a profound secret; and the event is often warded off by the craters resuming their activity. Down to almost the latest moment prior to the dread event, which will slay its thousands, convert their houses into sepulchers, and demolish the marts of commerce, the halls of justice, and the temples of religion, both heaven and earth appear as on days destined to pass peacefully or gladsomely away. It was on Old Saints' Day, which broke with a serene sky and a fine easterly breeze in the early morning, when the churches were thronged with congregations, that Lisbon was smitten to the dust. On the afternoon of a similar festival, beneath a calm and cloudless sky, Caraccas perished, while the moon hung her brilliant lamp over the ruined city at eventide, and the night of the torrid zone set in with peculiar loveliness. If long calms, oppressive heats, and prevalent fogs have been the observed antecedents of many catastrophes, it is certain that the events are merely coïncident, and not physically connected, since such states of the atmosphere often occur without being followed by terrible phenomena, while earthquakes have as frequently transpired during gales of wind, under the brightest skies, and when heavy rains have been pouring down.

As the solemn crisis approaches, human intelligence seems inferior to brute sagacity. Men buy and sell, eat and drink, marry and are given in marriage, on the eve of a change which will nullify contracts, and terminate the engagements of life to the busiest plotters for the future;

while many of the lower animals renounce their customary habits, and display unmistakable apprehension of some alarming though unknown incident being at hand. Rats, mice, moles, snakes, and lizards abandon the holes and cavities in the ground in which they dwell, and run about with evident trepidation. Some of the higher species also, especially goats, hogs, cats, and dogs, with horses and cattle in a lesser degree, seem to scent the coming earthquake, and exhibit remarkable restlessness.

Various interesting facts have been noted in relation to the demeanor of animals prior to a great convulsion. It was towards noon, beneath a clear and almost cloudless sky, with the sea-breeze freshly blowing, that the cities of Conception and Talcahuana, on the coast of South-America, were desolated in the year 1835. At ten o'clock, two hours before their ruin, the inhabitants remarked with surprise, as altogether unusual, large flights of seafowl passing from the coast towards the interior; and the dogs at Talcahuana abandoned the town before the shock which leveled its buildings was felt. Not an animal, it is believed, was in the place when the destruction came. In 1805, previous to an earthquake experienced at Naples, which took place in the night, but was most severely felt in the provinces, the oxen and cows began to bellow; the sheep and goats bleated strangely; the dogs howled terribly; and the horses fastened in their stalls leaped up, endeavoring to break their halters which attached them to the mangers. Rabbits and moles were seen to leave their burrows; birds rose as if scared from the places on which they had alighted; and reptiles left in clear day-light their subterraneous retreats. Some faithful dogs, a few minutes before the first shock, awoke their sleeping masters by barking, and pulling them, as if anxious to warn them of impending danger; and several persons were thus enabled to save themselves. On the recent

occasion, all the dogs in the neighbor- ture and intensity indescribably terrifichood of Vallo howled before the people that of water, wind, thunder, discharge were sensible of their danger. To account of cannon, and the blasting of rocks, apfor these circumstances, it is conjectured peared combined. Giving a short warnthat, prior to actual disturbance, noxious ing by a distant murmur, it gradually gases and other exhalations are emitted increased in intensity for some seconds, from the interior of the earth through crannies and pores of the surface, invisible to the eye, which distress and alarm animals gifted with acute organs of smell. This seems to be the true explanation, for it is undoubted that gases of various descriptions are thus set free, both while earthquakes are in process and antecedently. In 1827, when the valley of Rio Magdalena was shaken, large quantities of carbonic acid gas escaped from some crevices, which killed a considerable number of burrowing animals as well as reptiles. It has likewise been frequently observed that the surface of the sea or of a river, has exhibited the appearance of ebullition, owing probably to the disengagement of gas or air from the bottom. In a report from the Syndic of Salandro, one of the communes which suffered severely from the recent scourge, it is stated that for nearly a month, about two miles from the town, a gas was observed to issue from a water-course, which ceased altogether about a week after the first shock of the earthquake.

when at length, becoming louder than thunder, and somewhat similar to the rush of the hurricane, it suddenly changed, and a noise, resembling that of a blasting rock thrice repeated, followed, which again died away like distant thunder." These notes of explosion have occasionally been heard over a vast extent of country, where no shock whatever has been perceived, and at the same instant as at the sites of catastrophe. In such cases, it is clear that the sound could not have been propagated by the air, since a proportionate time is required for its transmission by that medium to distant places. Neither could the sonorous waves have been conducted by the surface of the earth; for though solid bodies are much better conductors of sound than air, yet time is still demanded for the transport. It seems an inevitable conclusion, that the sounds must have originated at such an immense depth below the surface of the earth, as to be nearly equidistant from all the places where they were heard.

Earthquakes furnish the most striking Though subterranean sounds are not examples with which we are acquainted invariably heard in connection with earth- of the production of stupendous effects in quakes, they usually form part of the phe- very brief intervals. The most fatal nomena attending the crisis, and some- shocks are often the shortest, and are times antedating it by a few minutes or over almost in an instant. In less than six seconds. They vary greatly in tone, and seconds the thriving city of Conception are not always in accordance with the was in ruins, with the earth rapidly opencharacter of the event, for a slight tremor ing and shutting in all directions, and of the ground has sometimes been accom- smothering clouds of dust rising from the panied with a clamor far exceeding that prostrate buildings, which, when they of the disruptive death-dealing blow. The cleared away, revealed the survivors of sounds may be grouped in two general the calamity, pale and trembling, ghastly classes. The one is a rushing or whizzing and sepulchral in aspect, as if the graves noise, as if occasioned by a strong wind, had given up their dead. Caraccas was or the rapid flow of distant waters, or the leveled to the ground by three shocks, conflagration of a large extent of heather. each of which did not last for more than The other has an explosive note, and, ac- three or four seconds, and all of them occording to its intensity, is variously com- curred within less than a minute. The pared to the rumble and rattle of carriages, utmost duration popularly assigned to the the clank of iron chains violently shaken in earthquakes of Jamaica, 1692, and Calaunderground caverns, the blast of a quar- bria, 1783, amounted to three and two ry, the discharge of small arms and parks minutes. Yet in this space of time the of artillery, and the loudest thunder of surface of a large extent of country was tropical storms. The great shock at Com- so completely altered, that hardly a tract rie in Perthshire, on the night of the 23d could be found retaining its former apof October, 1841, was accompanied, says pearance entire. But the length of the the parish minister, " with a noise, in na-intervals in these cases has doubtless been

to

overrated, for moments appear as minutes | its surface tremble, totter, and fall. The when people are in an agony of terror and apprehension. The effects of these mighty operations of nature comprise the permanent displacement of land, either by elevation or subsidence; the dislodgment of masses of rock; the opening of extensive fissures in the ground, both horizontally disposed and radiating from a center, some of which close again, while others are stable; with the discharge of hot water, steam, mud, sand, flame, and columns of smoke from the surface. But the immediate destruction of human life is of course the most fearful item, and the distress of the survivors, owing to the desolation of their homes, the loss of kindred, the paralysis of daily labor, and their own wild panic. At Lisbon, in 1755, not less than 60,000 persons are supposed to have perished; in Calabria, in 1783, perhaps 100,000; and still more extensively fatal were the awful shocks which ravaged the crowded cities of Asia Minor and Syria, in the reigns of the emperors Justinian and Tiberius. It has, therefore, been justly remarked by Humboldt, that there is no force known to exist, not even the murderous inventions of our own race, contrived for each other's extirpation, by which, in the short period of a few seconds or minutes, such a number of persons can be killed as by an earthquake.

The impression made upon the mind by a violent shock is described by all who have experienced it as very peculiar, as well as inconceivably terrific. Accustomed from early life to contrast the mobility of water to the immobility of land, we regard these qualities as constant attributes, and grow up with the idea of having in the latter a firm foundation of a sure resting-place, whether going out or coming in, seated by the fireside, pacing the street, traveling on the road, or slumbering in the grave. All plans, engagements, journeys, and amusements are based upon the presumption of the soil keeping steadily in its place, whether piled in hills, scooped into valleys, or spread out in plains; and of the seas, the rivers, and the atmosphere being the only unstable elements around us. But these customary modes of thinking and acting are instantly shown to be delusive when the ground heaves, waves, and eddies, as if suddenly rendered fluid, and the earth reels "to and fro like a drunkard," while the most substantial works of man upon

senses are completely bewildered by the strange awfulness of the scene. The power of thinking and acting at all is almost paralyzed by its suddenness, as well as by the apparent hopelessness of escape. A South-American once observed Captain Basil Hall, that earthquakes must be felt to be understood, referring as much to their peculiarity as to their terribleness. "Before," said he, "we hear the sound, or, at least, are fully conscious of hearing it, we are made sensible, I do not know how, that something uncommon is going to happen; every thing seems to change color; our thoughts are chained immovably down; the whole world ap pears to be in disorder; all nature looks different to what it was wont to do: and we feel quite subdued and overwhelmed by some invisible power beyond human control or comprehension. Then comes the terrible sound distinctly heard; and immediately the solid earth is all in motion, waving to and fro like the surface of the sea. Depend upon it, a severe earthquake is enough to shake the firmest mind. Custom enables us to restrain the expression of alarm; but no custom can teach any one to witness such earthquakes without the deepest emotions of terror." It is generally practicable, in volcanic eruptions, to retreat to a safe distance from the stones and ashes hurled from the crater, and easy to avoid personal danger from the crawling current of burning lava. Even when cultivated fields, vineyards, and homesteads are threatened by the fiery flood, it is often possible by artificial means to divert it into waste places and barren grounds. Rarely also are the greatest water-floods so sudden in their rise as to involve loss of life upon an extensive scale. But the probability of escape is incomparably less when the ground we trample on is in commotion, the sites of cities give way, and the area of a kingdom is convulsed. In whatever direction flight is directed, the mind gathers no comforting hope of security, for the very earth may open and engulf those who escaped from the crash of their dwellings.

The night of the late earthquake was one of intense terror to the Neapolitans, and not unnaturally, for the action of the subterranean agency was felt to such a degree, as to justify the apprehension in the most sober minds of the city being doomed to destruction before the morning

dawned. Crowds rushed into all the open squares in every description of toilette, many in their night-dresses, others with a sheet over their shoulders, and some in gay attire, fresh from the concert or the ball. On one spot a mattress was seen with young children sleeping upon it. The wealthy had their carriages brought out, in which they found shelter. The middle classes walked up and down, or mingled with the lower orders around great fires of wood, which were kindled at intervals of fifty yards. Thousands signalized their superstition by loudly invoking the protection of the Madonna, and throngs followed the images of St. Ann and St. Antonio, singing litanies, as the priests carried them in procession. Strangers to the source of true peace, yet anxious to have their apprehensions calmed, an idle rumor that the blood of St. Januarius had boiled, was converted into an article of faith; and multitudes walked after the vial containing the cheat, trying to extract some comfort from the glass bottle, as it was paraded by knavish ecclesiastics. But in the midst of terror and ignorant devotion, the chances of this life were not neglected by the people, who flocked to the lottery-offices the next day, eager to secure favorable numbers; and audacious crime walked cheek by jowl with blind superstition through the streets of Naples, for bands of ruffians entered the abandoned homes of the rich to plunder them of property. The same contrasts were observed at the destruction of Lisbon and Carraccas. While many survivors assembled, and passed through the desolate streets singing funeral hymns, others took to robbing the persons of the dead, and stripping their habitations of the valuables in them. Alas! for human nature, apart

from enlightened and sacred influences, when revolution, pestilence, famine, the sword, or the earthquake is at work! Man, in such circumstances, exhibits himself either enslaved to false and absurd codes of thought, or thoroughly licentious with reference to all rule, and accordingly, acts the part of a dolt or of a fiend.

We have said nothing as yet respecting the physical cause of these dreadful visitations. It has given rise to much vague and opposite speculation; and a deep cloud of mystery still hangs over it. But no reasonable doubt can be entertained that earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hot springs, and the greater development of heat as we penetrate below the surface, are closely related phenomena. Though falling far short of being demonstrative, they strongly indicate the existence of an abyss of combustion in the interior of our planet, nearer to the exterior at some points than others, as the shell is probably not of uniform thickness. In connection with this central heat, the elastic vapors may be supposed to originate, which, under accumulation, find vent through the volcanic craters, or, where no such natural safety-valves are at hand, force a passage for themselves to the atmosphere, through the overlying crust of the globe, convulsing and rending asunder the roof of their prison-house. One thing is at least certain, that the force is prepared, is not far off, and is often in sensible action, adapted to accomplish the foretold doom of the material universe with which we are connected, or the earth and its atmosphere. "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

THE DIAMOND MOUNTAINS.-At fifteen | oxen, which they drive to the top, and, days' journey beyond Bizenegalia, to- having cut them into pieces, cast the wards the north, there is a mountain warm and bleeding fragments upon the called Albenigaras, surrounded by pools summit of the other mountain, by means of water which swarm with venomous of machines which they construct for that animals, and the mountain itself is infested purpose. The diamonds stick to these with serpents. This mountain produces pieces of flesh. Then come vultures and diamonds. The ingenuity of man, not eagles flying to the spot, which, seizing having been able to find any mode of the meat for their food, fly away with it approaching the mountain, has, however, to places where they may be safe from discovered a way of getting at the dia- the serpents. To these places the men monds produced on it. There is another afterwards come, and collect the diamountain near it, a little higher. Here, monds which have fallen from the flesh.— at a certain period of the year, men bring Travels in India.

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LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR COLIN CAMPBELL, G.C.B.

SIR COLIN CAMPBELL, whose name is so familiar to the ears of our readers as General in command of the British forces in India, is an officer of whose career the people of England have good reason to feel proud. He is not of aristocratic parentage; at least, it is generally believed that his father and mother, (though the former was doubtless a cadet of the Scottish clan of that name,) were living some half a century ago in narrow circumstances at Glasgow, where Sir Colin himself was born, in the year 1792. He entered the army in 1808, being gazetted on the 26th of May in that year to an Ensigney in the 9th Foot, with which regiment he served in the expedition to Portugal, and in the unfortunate descent upon Walcheren. Before the conclusion of the Peninsular campaigns, whilst serving in the 9th Foot, he had seen some hard fighting at VimieHe also took part in the advance and retreat of the army under Sir John Moore, and in the battle of Corunna, and also in the battle of Barrossa and the defense of Tarifa. In the latter end of 1812 he was attached to the army of Ballasteros, and was present at several affairs. Amongst others, he took part in the expedition for relieving Tarragona, and in the affair for relieving the posts in the valley of Malaga; was present at Osma and Vittoria; at the siege of San Sebastian, where he received two severe wounds whilst leading the column of attack; and at the passage of the Bidassoa, where he was again severely wounded by a musket-shot, which passed through his right thigh. It is not, however, in the Peninsula, or even in Europe alone, that Sir Colin Campbell has seen active service; on the contrary, there is not, perhaps, a single officer in the army whose gallantry has been more ubiquitously displayed, just as, from the first, there has been none whose reputation has stood higher as a soldier or as a disciplinarian.

In 1814-15 he saw some active service in America, whilst holding a commission

in the 60th Rifles; and in 1823 we find him acting as Brigade Major of the troops engaged in quelling the insurrection in Demerara. In the expedition to China, in 1842, Sir Colin Campbell commanded the 98th Regiment, and took an active part in the capture of Chin-kiang-fou, and the subsequent operations near Nankin. Nor is he without Indian experience. Throughout the Punjaub campaigns of 1848-49, he commanded the third division of the army under Lord Gough, and distinguished himself more particularly in the affair at Ramnuggur, the passage of the Chenab, the affair at Sadoolapore, and at the battle of Chillianwallah, (where he was wounded,) and at Goojerat, where the Sikhs were finally crushed. At Chillianwallah, his valor as a Brigadier-General was so conspicuous, that Lord Gough, in his dispatch, declares that "with his steady coolness and military precison, for which he is so remarkable, the Brigadier carried every thing before him." Nor is the commemoration of his services confined to Lord Gough's dispatch; it is placed on permanent record in the minutes sent home by the Governor-General, Lord Hardinge.

In 1851 and the following year, whilst Brigadier-General commanding the Peshawur districts, he was constantly engaged in operations against the hill tribes surrounding the valley, including the forcing of the Kohat Pass under the late Sir Charles J. Napier, and the repeated affairs with the Momunds, who finally made terms after their defeat at Punj Pao by a small detachment of cavalry and horse artillery under Sir Colin Campbell's immediate command, the combined tribes numbering upwards of 8000 men. In 1849 he was created a K.C.B., and received the thanks of Parliament and of the East-India Company for his conduct at Goojerat. In 1852 we find him engaged in the forcing of the Kohat Pass, under Sir Charles Napier, and also in command of 3000 men sent on an expedition against

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