Page:Great Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857 Vol 2.djvu/116

Rh were, seemed to take away the power to breathe, and this continued to be severely felt by us, during the whole time of the first and second shocks.

"The duration of the first shock, in my opinion, was not less than from 30 to 32 seconds. It went on, waning slower and slower, but without ever leaving off entirely, and at about four minutes after the first (i.e. the commencement) came the subsequent one, which lasted from 27 to 28 seconds.

"The second was the most violent, so much so that none of us who were congregated at the spot could readily stand upon our feet, but were compelled to throw ourselves down upon the ground.

"I had scarcely recovered from my first surprise, when I bethought me, of the many things which were hanging round about the house, such as lamps, saddle-bags (bisacce), fowling-pieces, and other things, hanging like pendulums; and returning to the house, I noted accurately the directions of their oscillations, which lasted some time after the shock. Having afterwards set the compass of my theodolite on the spot, I ascertained more accurately still, that the direction of oscillation was from S.W. to N.E., or between that and west to east. The oppressive heat which I have already described, decreased gradually after the second shock. At the same time, and from the same direction (as the shock, namely), we distinctly heard a deep and rolling thunderous noise, like the report of artillery at a distance (un rombo ed un fremito cupo simile al rimbomba di artiglierie lontane), which advanced from the S.W. direction, and proceeded to be lost and dissipated towards the N.E.

"My profession as an architect has given me opportunity