Page:Account of several remarkable earthquakes, which happened in various quarters of the world.pdf/12

 off, whither a vast number of people had likewise retreated; at the same time we could hear the talk of the parish church there, whereby many persons were killed on the spot, and others mortally wounded. You may judge of the force of this shock, when I inform you, it was so violent, that I could scarce keep on my knees, but it was attended with some circumstances still more dreadful than the former—On a sudden I heard a general outcry 'The sea is coming in, we shall be all lost'—Upon this, turning my eyes towards the river, which in that place is near four miles broad, I could perceive it heaving and swelling in a most unaccountable manner, as no wind was stirring; in an instant there appeared, at some small distance, a large body of water, rising like a mountain; it came on foaming and roaring and rushed towards the shore with such impetuosity, that we all immediately ran for our lives as fast as possible; many were actually swept away, and the rest above their waist in water at a good distance from the banks. For my own part, I had the narrowest escape and should certainly have been lost, had I not grasped a large beam that lay on the ground, till the water returned to its channel, which it did almost at the same instant, with equal rapidity. As there now appeared at least as much danger from the sea as the land, and I scarce knew whither to retire for shelter, I took a sudden resolution of returning back with my cloaths all dropping, to the area of St. Paul's: here I stood some time, and observed the ships tumbling and tossing about, as in a violent storm; some had broken their cables, and were carried to the other side of the Tagus; others were whirled round with incredible swiftness; several large boats were turned keel upwards; and all this without any wind, which seemed the more astonishing. It was at the time of which I am now speaking, that the fine new quay, built of rough marble, at an immense expence, was entirely swallowed up, with all the people on it,