Page:Awful phenomena of nature -- earthquakes.pdf/7

7 I could scarcely support my self on my ; and it was attended with some  still more dreadful than the former. On a sudden I heard a general, “The sea is coming in; we shall all be .”  Upon this, turning my eyes towards  river Tagus, which in that place is near  miles broad, I perceived it heaving and  in a most unaccountable manner, no wind was stirring. In an instant appeared, at a small distance, a large  of water, rising like a mountain. It foaming and roaring and rushed  the shore with such rapidity, that  all ran for our lives as fast as possible. were actually swept away: for my part, I had a narrow escape, and should have been lost had I not grasped large beam that lay on the ground, 'till  water returned again to its channel,  it did almost at the same instant,  equal rapidity.

As there now appeared at least as much from the sea as the land, I scarcely  whither to retire for safety: I  took a sudden resolution to return  to the area of St. Paul’s. Here I stood some time, and observed the ships tumbling tossing about, as in a violent storm. had broken their cables, and were to the other side of the Tagus, others