Page:Account of several remarkable earthquakes which have happened in various quarters of the world (1).pdf/14

 their waist in water at a good distance from banks. For my own part, I had the narrowest escape, and should certainly have been lost, had not grasped a large beam that lay on the ground till the water returned to its channel, which it  almost at the same instant, with equal rapidity. As there now appeared at least as much from the sea as the land, and I scarce knew whether to retire for shelter, I took a sudden resolution of returning back with my clothes all dropping, to the area of St. Paul's : here I stood some time, and observed the ships tumbling and  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 which I am now speaking, that the fine new quay built of rough marble, at an immense expense was entirely swallowed up, with all the people  it, who had fled thither for safety, and had reason to think themselves out of danger in such a place at the same time a great number of boats and small vessels, anchored near it (all likewise full of people, who had retired thither for the same purpose) were all swallowed up, as in a whirlpool, and never more appeared.

'This last dreadful incident I did not see with my own eyes, as it passed three or four stone throws from the spot where I then was, but I had the account as here given from several masters of ships, who were anchored within two or three hundred yards of the quay, and saw the whole catastrophe. One of them in particular informed me, that when the second shock came on, he could perceive the whole city waving backwards and forwards, like