Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/288

 228 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST MISSOURI That earthquakes in this region of country mentioned in my former communications were never known, nor are there any signs left on the surface of the earth as in that of 1811 and 1812, to indicate that there had ever been any. And in many conversations had with the old men of several tribes — Shawnees, Delawares and Cherokees — all said they had no tradi- tionary account that earthquakes had ever visited the country before. ' ' Second — With regard to the charcoal men- tioned, it may be the kind you mention (alber- tine, or solidified asphaltum). The peculiar odor of the coal induced the belief that it was impregnated with sulphur, yet it may have been the odor of petroleum. Its smell was unlmown to us at that period. "Third — The water thrown up during the eruption of the ' land waves ' was luke warm ; so warm, indeed, as to produce no chilly sen- sation while wading and swimming through it. Since the year 1812 the shakes have been of frequent occurrence, appearing at intervals and not periodical, and seemingly growing less every j'ear. "Fourth — It would be difficult to say with any degree of certainty how high the water, coal and sand were thrown up. The numer- ous fissures opened were of different sizes, some twelve to fifteen feet wide, while others were not over four or five feet ; by guess I would say the waters, etc., thrown up were from six to ten feet high. Besides these long and narrow fissures the water, sand and coal were thrown out to a considerable height in a circular form, leaving large and deep basins, some of them one hundred yards across and sufficiently deep to retain water during the driest seasons." (LeSieur, M'eekly Tlccord.) In order to arrive- at some conclusion as to the general and permanent effects of the shocks on the level and the drainag^i of the country, a description is here inserted of the drainage of the section before the earthquakes. The account as given is condensed from tlie articles written in 1893 by Mr. Godfrey Le- Sieur and published in the Weekly Record of New Madrid. ]Mr. LeSieur was familiar with the country and understood the system of drainage. It should be borne in mind that he is describing the streams and lakes as they were before the shocks. St. James Bayou had its source zn Scott count}' near the southern limit of the Scott County hills and flowed south through Scott, Mississippi and a part of New Madrid coun- ties. It received its waters from cypress ponds and lakes, principally those in Missis- sippi county. It emptied into the Mississippi river about ten miles northeast of New Madrid. St. John's bayou, which was from ten to fifteen miles west of St. James, flowed parallel to it. It received its waters from lakes and also from connection with Little river just south of the present town of Benton. This bayou was about forty miles long and emptied into the river at the east side of the town of New Madrid. Eight miles above its mouth it received East bayou. At the point where these two join, the Spaniards, during their occupation of the country, built a water mill, and on a branch of St. John's called Little bayou, which connected with the river, the French built a mill in about 1790. This mill site and, indeed, the entire bayou has dis- The "Personal Narrative of Col. John Shaw the year 1855, gives an accoimt of the New of Marquette County, Wisconsin," contained Madrid earthquake of 1811 and 1812: "While in the second annual report and collections of lodging about thirty miles north of New the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, for Madrid, on the 14th of December, 1811, about