Up to this moment I had refused to credit the account, but one frightful glance convinced me that it was not in the power of language
to over state such a ruin. Suffice it to say that this great town, which seemed to me like a beehive four years ago, and was still more
so only eighteen days ago, is now no more. Safet was, but is not. The Jewish portion, containing a population of five or six thousand,
was built around and upon a very steep mountain; so steep, indeed, is the hill, and so compactly built was the town, that the roof of
the lower house formed the street of the one above, thus rising like a stairway one over another. And this, when the tremendous shock
dashed every house to the ground in a moment, the first fell upon the second, the second upon the third, that on the next, and so on to
the end. And this is the true cause of the almost unprecedented destruction of life. Some of the lower houses are covered up to a great
depth with the ruins of many others which were above them. From this cause also it occurred that a vast number, who were not instantaneously
killed, perished before they could be dug out; and some were taken out five, six, and one I was told, seven days after the shock, still alive.
One solitary man, who had been a husband and a father, told me that he found his wife with one child under her arm, and the babe with the
breast still in its mouth. He supposed the babe had not been killed by the falling ruins, but had died of hunger, endeavoring to draw
nourishment from the breast of its lifeless mother! Parents frequently told me that they heard the voices of their little ones crying
papa papa, mamma, mamma, fainter and fainter, until hushed in death, while they were either struggling in despair, to free themselves, or
laboring to remove the fallen timber and rocks from their children. 0 God of mercy! what a scene of horror must have been that long
black night, which closed upon them in half an hour after the overthrow! without a light, or possibility of getting one, four fifths
of the whole population under the ruins, dead or dying with frightful groans, and the earth still trembling and shaking as if terrified
with the desolation she had wrought!
What a dismal spectacle! As far as the eye can reach, nothing is seen but one vast chaos of stone and earth, timber and boards, tables,
chairs, beds, and clothing, mingled in horrible confusion. Men every where at work, worn out and wo-begone, uncovering their houses in
search of the mangled and putrefied bodies of departed friends; while here and there I noticed companies of two or three each, clambering
over the ruins, bearing a dreadful load of corruption to the narrow house appointed for all living. I covered my face and passed on through
the half living, wretched remnants of Safet. Some were weeping in despair, and some laughing in callousness still more distressing.
Here and old man sat solitary on the wreck of his once crowded house, there a child was at play too young to realize that it had neither
father nor mother, brother nor relation in the wide world. They flocked around us — husbands that had lost their wives, wives their husbands,
parents without children, children without parents, and not a few left the solitary remnants of large connections. The people were scattered
abroad above and below the ruins in tents of old boards, old carpets, mats, canvass, brush, and earth, and not a few dwelling in the open air; while
some poor wretches, wounded and bruised, were left amongst the prostrate buildings, every moment exposed to death, from the loose rocks around and above them.
As soon as our tent was pitched, Mr. C. and myself set off to visit the wounded. Creeping under a wretched covering, intended for a tent, the first we came
to, we found an emaciated young female lying on the ground, covered with the filthiest garments I ever saw. After examining several wounds, all in a state
of mortification, the poor old creature that was waiting on her, lifted up the cover of her feet, when a moment's glance convinced me that she could not
possibly survive another day. The foot had dropped off, and the flesh also, leaving the leg-bone altogether bare! Sending some laudanum to relieve the
intolerable agony of her last hours, we went on to other but equally dreadful scenes. Not to shock the feelings by detailing what we saw, I will only
mention one other case; and I do it to show what immense suffering these poor people have endured for the last eighteen days. clambering over a pile of ruins,
and entering a low vault by a hole, I found eight of the wounded crowded together under a vast pile of crumbling rocks. Some with legs broken in two or
three places, others so horribly lacerated and swollen as scarcely to retain the shape of mortals; while all, left without washing, changing bandages,
or dressing the wounds, were in such a deplorable state as rendered it impossible for us to remain with them long enough to do them any good. Although
protected by spirits of camphor, breathing through my hand-kerchief dipped in it, and fortified with a good share of resolution, I was obliged to retreat.
Convinced that while in such charnel houses as this, without air but such as would be fatal to the life of a healthy person, no medicines would afford relief,
we returned to our tent, resolving to erect a large shanty of boards, broken doors, and timber, for the accommodation of the wounded. The remainder of our
first day was spent in making preparations for erecting this little hospital.
19. This has been a very busy day, but still our work advanced slowly. We found the greatest difficulty to get boards and timber, and when the carpenters
came, they were without proper tools. In time, however, we got something in shape of saws, axes, nails, and mattocks, and alt of us laboring hard, before night
the result began to appear. The governor visited and greatly praised our work, declaring that he had not thought such a thing could have been erected; and
that the government had not been able to obtain half so good a place for its own accommodation. Some of the wounded were brought and laid down before us,
long before any part of the building was ready for their reception, and are now actually sheltered in it, although it is altogether unfinished. After dark
I accompanied the priest, to visit the remainder of the christian population of Safet. They were never numerous, and having lost about one half of their number,
are now crowded into one great tent. Several were wounded; to these we gave medicine. Some were orphans, to whom we gave clothing, and the poor people had
their necessities supplied as well as our limited means would justify. Amongst the survivors is a worthy man, who has long wished to be connected with us,
and in whom we have felt much interest. He applied about a year ago to have his son admitted to our high school, but he was then too young. When I left
Beyroot it was my intention to bring this lad with me on my return, should he be alive; but alas! his afflicted father has to mourn not only his death,
but that of his mother and all his lovely family but one.
The earth continues to tremble and shake. There have been many slight, and some very violent shocks since we arrived. About three o'clock today, while I was on
the roof of our shanty nailing down boards, we had a tremendous shock. A cloud of dust arose above the falling ruins, and the people all rushed out from them
in dismay. Many began to pray with loud and lamentable cries; and females beat their bare breasts with all their strength, and tore their garments in despair.
The workmen threw down their tools and fled. Soon, however, order was restored, and we proceeded as usual. I did not feel this shock, owing to the fact that
the roof of the shanty was shaking all the time. Once, however, the jerk was so sudden and violent as to affect my chest and arms precisely like an electric shock.
