Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/480

460 twenty-fifth archbishop of Mexico, and his funeral was marked by the usual pomp.

New Spain during the eighteenth century was visited by calamities in various forms—epidemics, of which I have spoken elsewhere, storms and floods, and last, and yet more destructive and terrorizing, earthquakes, the severest of which were probably those experienced between the 28th of March and the 17th of April, 1787,The 10th of March, 1727, was a fatal day for Oajaca City, which was visited by terrific shocks. Many buildings were thrown down, and others so much injured that they had to be demolished. The 18th had been fixed for public prayers and a procession, when in its midst a still more violent shock than any preceding occurred, frightening and dispersing the people; fortunately, there was no loss of life. ''Alegre, Hist. Comp. Jesus,'' iii. 226-7. On the 4th of April, 1768, at about 6:30 in the morning, the city of Mexico had a shock; no record existed of any previous one of like force. The fountains were half emptied by the earth's vibrations. It lasted over seven minutes. Not a building, large or small, but showed the ravages caused by the unwelcome visitor. The shock was also felt in the town of Nativitad Ixtlala; the ground opened, and out of the fissure, which was of about 12 inches in width, and of great depth, rushed a stormy wind for a while. Alzate, Gacetas, ii. 27-35, 445, 448. In August, 1773, a severe earthquake so damaged several bridges in and about Mexico City that guards were placed to prevent the passage of laden vehicles. April 21, 1776, the city was again scourged in the same manner. The archbishop fled to Guadalupe; the viceroy bivouacked in his garden; the wealthiest citizens abandoned their houses, some sleeping outside of the city in their coaches, others in the ranchos of the suburbs. The people generally betook themselves to prayer and penitence. The shocks in Mexico lasted 20 days, and in other parts about 50. The havoc to buildings everywhere was great. Acapulco was almost entirely destroyed. Even small houses were thrown down, and just back of the town, part of a hill top slid away. Escamilla, Noticias Curiosas de Guat., 40; Masson, Olla Podrida, 90. The following year, at about 12:18 in the night of the 8th-9th of October a terrific shock lasting ninety seconds visited Antigua Vera Cruz, very much damaging the church, which had not been repaired yet in 1782. ''Doc. Ecles. Méx.'', MS., i. no. 2, 1-52. Again, in 1784 on the 13th of January, Guanajuato was greatly shaken. The shocks lasted till early in February; they had been preceded by such terrific subterranean noises that the people, fearing in the city of Mexico and