In the great earthquake which a large part of California
experienced all animate nature suffered. For hours after the
principal shock domestic animals manifested the utmost terror.
Cattle lowed continuously; dogs barked long and lustily; cats
crawled away and hid, and remained in hiding a large part
of the day; and when they finally came forth, would crawl
along crouching with bodies nearly touching the ground. Even
the following night their fear had not left them. During the
first half of the night we listened to a continuous chorus of
howls and barkings, in which every dog in the city joined.
About midnight the dogs ceased and the roosters took up the
fear-inspired chant. It seemed as if every chicken in the city
and surrounding country had joined this nocturnal orchestra,
whose members scarcely stopt to take breath.
In driving along the road, the writer noticed a large flock of
barn-swallows around a small mud-puddle in the middle of the
road. As they alighted they kept their wings extended straight
up in the air and fluttering, while they drove their bills
almost fiercely into the mud. A bystander explained that all
their nests had been shaken down and they were rebuilding. To
them calamity had come in the loss of their nests, their eggs,
and mayhap their little ones. This little indication of common
suffering made the feathered family seem much closer to the
human. (Text.)
(3102)
=Suffering, Unnecessary=--See HELP UNRECOGNIZED.
=Suffrage, Woman=--See RETORT, A.