EARTHQUAKE IN CALABRIA, IN THE YEAR 1638.

AN account of this dreadful earthquake is given by the celebrated Father Kircher, who is considered by scholars as one of the greatest prodigies of learning. "Having hired," says he, "a boat in company with four more, (two friars of the order of St. Francis, and two seculars,) we launched from the harbour of Messina, in Sicily, and arrived the same day at the promontory of Pelorus. Our destination was for the city of Euphemia in Calabria, where we had some business to transact, and where we designed to tarry for some time. However, Providence seemed willing to cross our design, for we were obliged to continue three days at Pelorus, on account of the weather, and though we often put out to sea, yet we were as often driven back. At length, wearied with the delay, we resolved to prosecute our voyage; and although the sea seemed more than usually agitated, we ventured forward. The gulf of Charybdis, which we approached, seemed whirled round in such a manner as to form a vast hollow like a funnel verging to a point in the centre. Proceeding onward, and turning my eyes to Etna, I saw it cast forth large volumes of

smoke, of mountainous size, which entirely covered the island, and blotted out the very shores from my view. This, together with the dreadful noise, and the sulphureous stench which was strongly perceived, filled me with apprehensions that some more dreadful calamity was impending. The sea itself seemed to wear a very unusual appearance: they who have seen a lake in a violent shower of rain, covered all over with bubbles, will conceive some idea of its agitations. My surprise was still increased by the calmness and serenity of the weather: there was not a breeze, nor a cloud, which might be supposed to cause these unusual and terrific appearances. I therefore warned my companions that an earthquake was approaching: and after some time, making for the shore with all possible diligence, we landed at Tropea, happy and thankful for having escaped the threatening dangers of the sea. But our triumph on land was of short duration; for we had scarcely arrived at the Jesuits' College in that city, when our ears were stunned with a horrid sound, resembling that of an infinite number of chariots driven fiercely forward, the wheels rattling, and the thongs cracking: soon after this a most dreadful earthquake ensued, so that the whole tract upon which we stood seemed to be tossed about as if we were in the scale of a balance that continued wavering. This motion, however, soon grew more violent; and being no longer able to keep my legs, I was thrown prostrate upon the ground. In the mean time the universal ruin

around me redoubled my amazement. The crash of falling houses, the tottering of towers, and the groans of the dying, all contributed to raise my terror and despair. On every side of me I saw nothing but a scene of ruin and danger threatening me. I recommended myself to God, as my last refuge. At that hour O how vain was every worldly help! Wealth, honour, empire, wisdom, all were useless sounds, and as empty as the bubble of the deep! Just standing on the threshold of eternity, nothing but God was my pleasure; and the nearer I approached, I only loved Him the more. After some time, however, finding that I remained unhurt amidst the general concussion, I resolved to quit the town; and, running as fast as I could, I reached the shore, almost terrified out of my reason. I did not search long here till I found the boat in which I had landed; and my companions also, whose terrors were even greater than mine.

Our meeting was not of that kind where every one is desirous of telling his own happy escape: it is all silence, and a gloomy dread of impending danger. Leaving this seat of desolation, we prosecuted our voyage along the coast: and the next day we came to Rochetta, where we landed, although the earth continued in violent agitation. But we had scarcely arrived at our inn, when we were once more obliged to return to the boat, and in about half an hour we saw the greater part of the town, and the inn at which we had set up, dashed to the ground, and burying the inhabitants

beneath the ruins. In this manner, proceeding onwards in our little vessel, finding no safety on land, and yet, from the smallness of our boat, having but little security at sea, we at length landed at Lopisium, a castle midway between Tropea and Euphemia, the city to which, as I said before, we were bound. Here, wherever I turned my eyes, nothing but scenes of ruin and horror appeared;-towns and castles levelled to the ground; Stromboli, though at sixty miles' distance, belching forth flames in an unusual manner, and with a noise that I could distinctly hear. But my attention was quickly turned from more remote to contiguous danger. The rumbling sound of an approaching earthquake, which we were by this time grown acquainted with, alarmed us for the consequences; it every moment seemed to grow louder and to approach nearer. The place on which we stood now began to shake most dreadfully; so that, being unable to stand, my companions and I caught hold of whatever shrubs grew next to us, and supported ourselves in that manner. After some time, this violent paroxysm ceasing, we again stood up in order to prosecute our voyage to Euphemia, which lay within sight. In the mean time, while we were preparing for this purpose, I turned my eyes towards the city, but could only see a frightful dark cloud, that seemed to rest upon the place. This the more surprised us, as the weather was so very serene. We waited, therefore, till the cloud had passed away, when, turning to look for the

city, it was totally sunk. Wonderful to tell, nothing but a putrid lake was seen where it had just before stood. We looked about to find some one that could tell us of its sad catastrophe, but could see no person. All was become a melancholy solitude-a scene of hideous desolation. Thus proceeding pensively along in quest of some human being that could give us a little information, we at length saw a boy sitting on the shore, and appearing stupified with terror. Of him, therefore, we inquired concerning the fate of the city; but he could not be prevailed on to give us an answer. We entreated him with every expression of tenderness and pity to tell us; but his thoughts were quite occupied with the danger he had escaped. We offered him some victuals, but he seemed to loathe the sight: we still persisted in our offices of kindness, but he only pointed to the place of the city, like one out of his senses; and then running up into the woods, was never heard of after. Such was the fate of the city of Euphœmia ! As we continued our melancholy course along the shore, the whole coast, for the space of two hundred miles, presented nothing but the remains of cities, and men scattered without a habitation over the fields. Proceeding thus along, we at length ended our distressful voyage by arriving at Naples, after having escaped a thousand dangers, both by sea and land.