Not Being
Able From The Motion Of The Ground To Stand, He Crawled Up
On His Hands And Knees; And No Sooner Had He Ascended This
Little Eminence, Than The Other Side Of The House Fell In, The
Great Beams Sweeping Close In Front Of His Head.
With his
eyes blinded, and his mouth choked with the cloud of dust
which darkened the sky, at last he gained the street.
As
shock succeeded shock, at the interval of a few minutes, no
one dared approach the shattered ruins, and no one knew
whether his dearest friends and relations were not perishing
from the want of help. Those who had saved any property
were obliged to keep a constant watch, for thieves
prowled about, and at each little trembling of the ground,
with one hand they beat their breasts and cried "Misericordia!"
and then with the other filched what they could
from the ruins. The thatched roofs fell over the fires, and
flames burst forth in all parts. Hundreds knew themselves
ruined, and few had the means of providing food for the day.
Earthquakes alone are sufficient to destroy the prosperity
of any country. If beneath England the now inert subterranean
forces should exert those powers, which most assuredly
in former geological ages they have exerted, how completely
would the entire condition of the country be changed!
What would become of the lofty houses, thickly packed cities,
great manufactories, the beautiful public and private edifices?
If the new period of disturbance were first to commence
by some great earthquake in the dead of the night,
how terrific would be the carnage!
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 471 of 776
Words from 126023 to 126292
of 208183