Two or three weeks elapsed previous to Major Long's return from St. Louis; when, notwithstanding his ill health, he left Cape Girardeau immediately, as {184} did Captain Bell, both intending to prosecute, without delay, their journey to the seat of government. About the 1st of November, Messrs. Say, Graham, and Seymour had so far recovered their health, as to venture on undertaking a voyage to New Orleans on their way home. They left Cape Girardeau in a small boat, which they exchanged at the mouth of the Ohio for a steam-boat about to descend the Mississippi. Mr. Peale, who had escaped the prevailing sickness, accompanied them, leaving only Dr. James and Lieut. Swift with the steam-boat Western Engineer at Cape Girardeau. Lieut. Swift had received instructions, as soon as the water should rise sufficiently, to proceed with the boat to the Falls of Ohio, where it was to remain during the winter. Early in November, the frosts had been so severe at Cape Girardeau, that the leaves were fallen, and the country had assumed the aspect of winter. On the 9th, at four P.M. the shock of an earthquake was felt. The agitation was such as to cause considerable motion in the furniture and other loose articles in the room where we were sitting. Before we had time to collect our thoughts and run out of the house, it had ceased entirely; we had therefore no opportunity to form an opinion of its direction. Several others occurred in the time of our stay at the Cape, but they all happened at night, and were all of short duration. "Shakes," as these concussions are called by the inhabitants, are in this part of the country extremely frequent, and are spoken of as matters of every day occurrence.[74] Several houses in and about Cape Girardeau have formerly been shaken down, forests have been overthrown,[75] and other considerable changes produced by their {185} agency. Their effect upon the constantly varying channels and bars in the bed of the Mississippi must doubtless be very important.