Antigua and the Antiguans Volume II Part 21

To manager who has been most successful with his stock during the year-a silver knife, value 3l.

To the overseer who shall produce the best plan of a plantation, pay, boiling-house, and still-house books-a pair of silver spoons, value 2l.

To labourers who have worked the greatest number of days in the year on one property-five prizes, from 10s. to two dollars each, currency.

To those parents who have the largest number of children employed in agriculture-five prizes, from 10s. currency, to two dollars each.

To stock-keepers who have remained during the year, and have been most successful with the stock-five prizes, from 10s. to two dollars.

A popular inst.i.tution for intellectual improvement has also been inst.i.tuted at St. John's, in which several lectures have been given upon various interesting subjects.

On the 12th of June, 1842, a very bright and beautiful meteor pa.s.sed over the town of St. John's, in a direction from east to west. Its form was globular; and as it pa.s.sed rapidly along the heavens, it emitted bright spiral flashes of fire, which gilded the sky, and threw deep shadows upon the earth. During its progress, it was attended by a rushing noise, sufficient to call the attention of those who did not even notice its extreme brilliancy. Possibly this meteor might have belonged to the cla.s.s termed _aerolites;_ many of such phenomena have appeared, from time to time, in this quarter of the globe: one fell at Bahia, in Brazil, which weighed 14,000 pounds, and another, (still preserved in the British Museum,) which fell at Buenos Ayres, weighed 1400 pounds.

The next great event to be recorded, is the awful earthquake, with which Antigua and many of the other Leeward Islands was visited, on Wednesday, the 8th of February, 1843. About half-past ten o'clock a. m., a low, hollow, rumbling sound arrested the attention, and announced, in its own peculiar solemn tone, the coming of an earthquake. Immediately after this awful warning, a tremor of the earth was felt, which gradually increasing in violence, led the frightened inhabitants to rush from their houses, and seek safety in the open air. Heart-rending were the screams, fervent and numerous were the calls for mercy, from the a.s.sembled groups. The air was darkened with the dust from the falling buildings, as well as from the sulphureous exhalations which issued from the opening earth, and almost stopped respiration. In Antigua, the extent of damage was immense. Out of fourteen parish churches, (including the chapels of ease,) only two remain uninjured. St. Paul's, situated at Falmouth, was entirely destroyed; as also St. Stephen's chapel of ease, the district church of All Saints, and the chapel schools of St.

Bartholomew's and St. Mark's, not long ago erected. The new church of St. Peter's, which has been mentioned in these pages as being in a state of progress at Parham, and which was expected to be completed and opened for Divine service in 1843, was also much rent and injured. The pretty parish church of St. Philip's was cracked from top to bottom, and rendered unsafe, and the school-house was levelled with the ground. St. James's chapel of ease was severely injured, and the north and south wings fell.

The school-room at St. Barnaby's was rent in several places; and at St. Stephen's a similar building was entirely levelled. The school-room at Brecknocks was also rendered unsafe. There were 172 sugar-mills upon the island, most of which upon that eventful morning had been "put in the wind," and were merrily going with the breeze, crushing between their powerful machinery the golden canes, and sending a rich stream of luscious juice through the several pipes into the boiling-houses; of these thirty-five were entirely levelled with the ground, eighty-two split from top to bottom, and the remaining fifty-five almost all of them injured, requiring numerous repairs. Among those most seriously injured may be mentioned-

"Bellevue, Messrs. Shand's-down.

Renfew's-down.

Belmont's-down.

Bath Lodge, property of Walters-down.

Green Castle's, Sir Henry Martin's works and mansion-down.

Lower Freeman's-down.

Sir Geo. Thomas's works, and part of the mansion-down; the manager was obliged to take up his quarters under a shed.

Little Duers-down.

Big Duers-down.

Ffrys-down.

Elliot's, part of sugar works-down.

Potter's-down.

La Roche's-down.

Baijer Otto Baijer's-down.

Mount Pleasant-down.

Rock Hill-down.

Delap's-down.

George Byam's-partly down.

Patterson's new steam-mill, and works-down.

Monterea's-down.

Paynter's-down.

Gunthorp's-down.

Claremont's, the seat of the Hon. W. E. Williams, untenantable, and works of two estates-down.

Gambles, Admiral Tollemache's-down.

The Wood-down.

Fryar's Hill-down.

McKinnon's-down.

The newly erected sugar-works of Wm. Williams, Esq.-down.

&c. &c. &c."

The city of St. John's suffered severely, and after the earthquake, presented a most dismal appearance. About one-third of the stores and dwellings were levelled with the ground; and the remainder (with the exception of those buildings erected of wood) so shattered and torn, that they were rendered untenantable. Some of the houses were completely twisted round, presenting an acute angle to the street, instead of their usual position. The cranes at the water's edge were many of them lifted out of the ground; and in several of the stores, streams of water bubbled up through the interstices of the pavement. The court-house, police-office, (formerly the old jail,) the a.r.s.enal, the new jail and barracks, the registrar's office, treasurer's office, governor's secretary's office, (recently erected,) colonial bank, Antigua library-rooms, &c., were all of them rent and torn, and several rendered unsafe. The cathedral of St.

John's was damaged to a great extent, the tower being rent from top to bottom, the north dial of the clock precipitated to the ground, and part of the east wall of the tower thrown upon the roof of the church. The handsome altar-piece was entirely destroyed; and many of the monuments which graced the walls of the cathedral were hurled from their resting-places, and shivered into atoms. Of these were the tombs of Lord Lavington, Warner, Kelsick, Ottley, and Atkinson. The font was thrown off its pedestal, seven of the large pipes in the front of the organ knocked out, and much damage done to the interior of that instrument. The whole of the south-east walls of the cathedral were thrown into the churchyard, carrying with them some of the ornamental ground-gla.s.s windows. The north-west walls fell in one ma.s.s of ruins, while the north-east protruded beyond the perpendicular. The north and south vestibules were almost blocked up by the piles of ma.s.sy stones and bricks. The churchyard also presented a melancholy appearance, many of the tombs being rent open, and split in various places.

Before this awful event, it had been the intention of the vestry to enter into a contract for raising the tower, and improving its architectural adornments, as also to make some alteration in the chancel.

The school-room erected near the rectory of St. John's was also very much dilapidated; and the national-school for girls was so much injured as to require being taken down.

The new Wesleyan Chapel was fearfully rent, and doubts were at first entertained for the safety of the building; but upon a mature deliberation, it was determined to repair it without pulling it down; which has since been done.

The nearly finished Scotch kirk met with a severe injury, its walls being cracked in several places.

The ministers of the established church in St. John's performed service under a large tent, erected to the east of the Daily Meal Society's buildings, and also in the Conversion Society's school-room, and the African hospital.

The Scotch and Wesleyan ministers were accommodated at the Mico and Moravian school-room, or beneath a grove of trees, near to the spot where Governor Parke met his fate; and for one day in the week, at the Moravian Chapel.

Almost every kitchen and oven in the island was destroyed; and many of the capacious cisterns ruined. In some of them, the water was so deeply impregnated with sulphur, or mixed with the fallen mortar, as to be perfectly unusable.

Oh! awful indeed was this fearful visitation of the Almighty! The loftiest looks of men were humbled, and the stoutest hearts were bowed down. Tremendous-terrible was the shock! The earth reeled as if about to be over-thrown; and scarce could the strongest man keep his footing. The island shook from its very centre; and in many parts the ground opened, and emitted columns of noxious sulphureous water. The sea felt the powerful hand of its Maker, and rose several feet above its highest mark; while in some parts it dashed up the streets to the distance of many yards.

The excess of terror occasioned by this awful throe of Nature was so great, that many individuals threw themselves over the wharfs, and sought refuge in the treacherous waves. Still their fears were not allayed; for the sea was so turbulent that they were under the necessity of again seeking dry land to save themselves from being engulfed in its yawning abyss. The legislature met at government-house on the 13th, (the court-house being in an unsafe condition,) by special command, to take into consideration the best way of averting, as far as human endeavours could, the direful results likely to accrue from the late calamity. A grant of 500l. currency was placed at the disposal of a committee, for the purpose of supporting the roof and plate of the cathedral, and rendering it in some measure safe for divine worship. The vestry met on the 24th March, under the tents, and among other resolutions agreed to make a record of the event in the church books. The dock-yard at English Harbour-the pride of the Caribbee Islands-has suffered greatly; the excellent wharfs racked and rent; in some places they sank down to the level of the sea, in others, they were heaved up and down, like the billows of the great deep; the ma.s.sy stone and brick buildings erected within the yard were nearly all of them injured; the officers' quarters severely rent; the cordage stores, &c., cracked from top to bottom; the fine capacious cisterns ruined. The superintendent's office, &c., was also much impaired and rent; and the stone platform which ran along the commissioners' room moved out of its place, and the pavement beneath literally wrested up. The guard-house and midshipmen's quarters were greatly damaged, and the stone building near presented an awful appearance, one side of it having sunk some depth into the ground, while that part of the wharf contiguous to it was fearfully rent. In the boat-house, the ma.s.sy stone circular pillars which supported the shed were very much cracked, and one of them was separated from its pedestal and hurled to the ground. The blacksmith's shop, paint stores, &c., were left but as "tottering walls," while the long line of cliffs and stone walls that topped the hill at the back of the yard were shivered in all directions. St. Helena was also much injured, and the embattled walls of Fort Berkley, at the mouth of the harbour, were overthrown. The superintendent of the yard, Jos. Hart, Esq., estimated the damage at about 20,000. In many parts of the yard the ground looked as if ploughed up, while in others, deep and broad fissures, strongly impregnated with sulphur, opened their yawning mouths. It was, at first, a.s.serted that the mouth of the harbour had been obstructed by the fallen rocks; but upon a careful survey, the water was found to be deeper, if anything, than before the awful occurrence. At the Ridge, the terrible effects of the earthquake were also felt. The stone stores and barracks were either thrown down, or so severely rent that they were unsafe, and the privates were accommodated under tents for some time after. The small stone building, situated at the extreme point of Shirley Heights, (erected for the accommodation of the signal-man,) fell at the commencement of the shock, burying beneath its ruins a baby of four months old, but which was afterwards extricated and restored to its distressed parents unhurt, with the exception of a trifling scratch. The town of Falmouth presented but a ma.s.s of ruins-its church was levelled with the ground, and the tombs in the churchyard rent open, as if the last great day was come. The fortifications at Monk's-hill were cracked and rent in many places; and near to the spot, a huge rock was lifted up by the oscillations of the earth, from the place where it had reposed for centuries, and hurled to the opposite side of the road.

Dows Hill, the country residence of the governor, suffered great injury, and his excellency Sir C. A. Fitzroy lost furniture to the amount of 1000l. sterling. De Witts, the seat of Sir Robert Horsford, Knt., solicitor-general of Antigua, was nearly levelled with the ground, and several other delightful country residences partly destroyed. The lately established villages were nearly all dismantled-their neat little stone cottages in ruins. Many of the Moravian and Wesleyan settlements throughout the island have suffered very much, as well as several of the forts. Rat Island battery is also much damaged, as well as the new lunatic asylum erected there. In many parts of the island, pools of water were formed, where hitherto no appearance of moisture was to be found; while in other places, established ponds were completely dried up.

The boats and ships in the harbour were fearfully affected. The island could not be seen for the s.p.a.ce of ten minutes, from the dense cloud which arose from it. The hills which encircle the harbour were fearfully shaken; and at that part known as "Hatton's-hill" the effects were truly terrific. The whole of this eminence, which rises rather conically, is rent into yawning fissures to the extent of about eighteen or nineteen acres. This spot had been appropriated to the negroes' provision ground; and in one place, a portion of their well-cultivated gardens slipped from the brow of the hill, and, still clothed with its vegetable productions, half way filled up one of the chasms, (in breadth from three to four feet,) cleft in the solid ground. Upon the margin of the sea, another deep abyss presents itself. The solid rock is rent asunder, in extent to about forty feet long, thirty feet deep, and near seventy feet wide. That peculiarly shaped rock known to mariners as "Ship's Stern," and which has proved for so long a time a sure landmark to pilots, was shivered to pieces; and McNish's mountain (the highest in the island) very much rent and fissured. Several shocks were felt during the next forty-eight hours, and the ground appeared to have a tremulous motion for several weeks after. A proclamation was issued by his excellency Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy, setting apart Friday, the 14th of February, a day of "public humiliation and thanksgiving before G.o.d, in acknowledgment of his Divine power, so fearfully and wonderfully displayed, as well as his mercy and forbearance in sparing the island from utter destruction," which was kept throughout Antigua. At Barbuda, the earthquake was also severely felt-all the stone buildings, with the exception of a small school-room, fell.

Barbados, St. Vincents, Martinique, Dominica, and St. Thomas, felt the shock but slightly. Guadaloupe was the greatest sufferer of the group. One whole town. Point a Pitre, was entirely destroyed, and upwards of 4000 souls perished, while about 600 were severely wounded. A few days after the earthquake. Admiral Gourbeyre, the governor of Guadaloupe, despatched the "Papillon"

man-of-war to Antigua to inquire into its state, and render all the a.s.sistance possible. She brought the intelligence, that out of the inhabitants of one entire street, only one individual (a female) was saved alive. Soon after the earthquake, a fire broke out, and consumed what the earthquake had spared. An American master of a ship was taken into custody for secreting many articles of value, (the property of the sufferers,) on board his ship. His sentence would have been death; but on account of his having been seen to render a.s.sistance to some of the poor creatures who were partly buried beneath the fallen buildings, it was mitigated, and he was condemned to serve on board the galley for a certain term.

At Monserrat, the effects of the earthquake were severely experienced. Scarcely a house in the island that had the least particle of brick-work about it was uninjured; and some were so rent, that they were obliged to be pulled down. A great many of the buildings on the sugar estates were levelled with the ground, and otherwise severely injured. The fall of earth was so great from the mountain, and the dust so thick, that it was at first supposed to be a fresh eruption from the _Souffriere_, a volcanic mountain.

The following is an extract from a letter from a resident upon the island:-

"I was about five hundred yards from the sulphur pit, opening an old spring of fresh water; the earthquake commenced gradually-the oscillation slow. Though sensible it was an earthquake, I was under no apprehension, till of a sudden I heard a dreadful noise.

On looking towards the mountain over the sulphur, it was enveloped in one ma.s.s of smoke as I thought. It was then time to move my quarters, but I was thrown upon my back by the violent motion. The path that I returned I observed cracking; I called to the man to be cautious-it was giving way-he came instantly forward, saying it was well we got over as we did, for the path was fallen in. The mountain, to the extent of a mile, is rent in various places. A man this moment has returned from the sulphur, stating that the crater is open, but does not perceive any greater appearance of smoke from it than usual."

We pa.s.sed Monserrat three days after the earthquake. From the deck of the steamer we could perceive that large slips from the mountains were still falling; and every now and then a cloud of dust arose.

St. Christopher's also suffered very severely, the damage done being immense. The stone dwellings and stores in Ba.s.seterre, the capital of the island, fearfully shook and rent,-some of the finest, but a ma.s.s of ruins, and others rendered unsafe. The north and south vestibules of the parochial church of St. George were severely injured, as well as the walls of the main building, which in some places were rent from top to bottom. The clock stopped at half-past ten, the time the earthquake commenced; many of the mural monuments which adorned the interior of the church were also destroyed. The Female Benevolent Inst.i.tution was much damaged, and the West Indian Bank rent and split. The reading-rooms also suffered, the south gable having fallen into the street beneath. One large dwelling, situated in the square, and known as "Wall House," fell a complete prey to the violence of the rockings. The entire side walls fell down, which striking upon a horse-stable beneath, buried the unfortunate animals in the ruins. Some of the private dwelling-houses were completely gutted, nothing remaining of them but the exterior walls. The gaol was so shattered, that the prisoners had to be removed, and accommodated for the night in the hospital adjoining. The square was crowded with a concourse of persons of every age, s.e.x, and condition-pride, rank, power, were alike forgotten-as upon bended knees, or with clasped hands and pallid lips, they invoked the aid of that Great Being "_who rideth upon the wings of the wind,_" and at whose rebuke "_the earth shook and trembled, and the foundation also of the hills moved, and were shaken._"

The estates in the country suffered greatly; steam-engines, windmills, boiling-houses, proprietors' dwellings, &c., the labour of many years, were in one moment levelled with the ground. The works and dwelling-house at Bevan Island, (in the parish of St John's,) situated upon a cliff, were lifted from their foundations, and hurled into the ravine below. St. Peter's church was also greatly injured, as well as the Moravian church at Cayon. Upon one estate, report said, that three negro-houses sank into the earth; and in the vicinity, the ground opened, and a pool of water, of a particularly white and clear quality, was formed. In the neighbourhood of Sandy Point, at an estate belonging to the Payne family, the earth also opened, and vomited forth from its secret depths fumes of sulphureous vapour. Fort George, at Brimstone Hill, has felt the shock in a serious manner; while the mountain itself is, in many places, despoiled of its beauty, from the land-slips which have taken place. From Mount Misery, the highest point of the island, a long spiral cloud of white smoke was seen to ascend during the time of the earthquake; and the sulphureous spring situated in its centre is said to have overflowed its bounds.

At Johnstone's, or French River, a melancholy catastrophe occurred. It is a spot chosen by the washerwomen of Ba.s.seterre as the scene of their necessary avocations; and upon the eventful morning of the earthquake, about ten of these females were busily employed in washing, in a natural basin, (formed by huge rocks,) at the moment of the shock taking place. Seven of these women fortunately escaped by flight; but the three, who were exactly underneath the cliff, met a more melancholy fate. At the commencement of the awful commotion, an immense rock parted from this cliff, and fell into the stream below. The affrighted females fled from the scene of danger; but, alas! the increased oscillations of the earth caused it to rebound with fearful velocity, and striking against a larger rock, it split into three or four pieces, and thus dealt destruction to each of the poor panic-stricken women! From some parts of St. Christopher's, the Dutch island of St. Eustatia was seen to tremble like an aspen-leaf. Nevis also felt the dire commotion; the streets of the capital presented but one ma.s.s of ruins. The bath-house, an immense pile of the strongest masonry, was split and rent in every direction, and some of the ma.s.sive stones riven in two. The court-house was greatly injured-many of the finest of the stores and dwelling-houses levelled, and the busy marts become mere heaps of rubbish. In many parts of the island, the earth was rent open to the extent of several inches-cliffs toppled down-columns of water were thrown up, and pools formed, where, prior to the awful visitation, nothing of the kind was to be perceived. Many of the estates also suffered great devastations; and some of the inhabitants left their tottering houses, and took shelter beneath sheds and outhouses.

It is impossible to describe the appearance presented in these different islands; indeed, it baffles all description. The scene cannot be painted, and language fails to impart the terror and alarm which prevailed. It was a beautiful day throughout the archipelago-the sun was abroad in all its glory, shedding a fervid ray over every object, and gilding the waters of the blue Caribbean, which lay quietly smiling beneath its influence. The breeze was as soft as an infant's sigh, and the wide canopy of heaven was spread aloft in all its beauty. Little then did

"Coming events cast their shadows before them."

A few minutes more, and darkness brooded over the land; and then, as it cleared away, the devastations presented themselves to the wondering gaze, and caused the strongest mind to quail! Yet, who could repine? for how signal was the mercy of G.o.d, who, amid all the dire convulsions, spared the lives of so many of his trembling creatures!

At the Savannah, besides many other places in the Union, the shock, which extended north as far as New York, was felt.