EARTHQUAKE.

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dition, were smitten by the hand of death; more of the richeasy classes suffered than of the poorer, as more of the latterwere found in the open air.

The geological nature of this valley La Piana, is graniticon its Appennine margins, and alluvial over its centralextent. The granite is occasionally at the surface but isgenerally superposed by basaltic lava, and even lumacularlimestone. There are many traces of extinct volcanos, andhigh rocks and peaks of basaltic lava. The actual effects ofthe shock upon the surface of the soil, were most various,and perhaps indicative of the loose way in which thecomponent parts of that portion of this earth’s surface werehanging together. Some tracks sunk many fathoms, otherswere left as much elevated above the surrounding portions.Mountains split in twain, distributed their ruins around.Tracks of many acres with the trees and houses upon them,slid down considerable distances, thus covering the landsand tenements of other proprietors. Several houses were sotransported, without much injury or even shock to theinhabitants. Brooks and rivers entirely changed theircourses; some quite stopped from any further progress,formed lakes or swamps, where villages or fertile fields hadpreviously existed. Others, or rather all, were forced tomake new channels for themselves, and now are flowingwhere high hills previously existed. Some streams sunkinto an abyss beneath, and then returned to light at themost unexpected places. Nothing remained of the ancientforms, limits, roads, or any other features of the country.

La Piana then, was the centre of the first shock, but manyplaces at some distance from this focus, suffered more thanon the immediate site, according to the configuration of thelocality. The motion on a hill, as on the topmast of aship, must of course be greater than below.

About midnight of this same sad day, another shock

VOL. i.

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