The fissures in the ground generally, though not uniformly, extended in a south-east and north-west direction, and therefore corresponded to the lines of undulation or of principal flexure.
Bearing in mind all these circumstances, which so clearly point to the south-west as the chief focus of disturbance, it is a very interesting fact that the island of S.Maria, situated in that quarter, was, during the general uplifting of the land, raised to nearly three times the height of any other part of the coast.
The different resistance offered by the walls, according to their direction, was well exemplified in the case of the Cathedral.

The side which fronted the north-east presented a grand pile of ruins, in the midst of which door-cases and masses of timber stood up, as if floating in a stream.

Some of the angular blocks of brickwork were of great dimensions; and they were rolled to a distance on the level plaza, like fragments of rock at the base of some high mountain.

The side walls (running south-west and north-east), though exceedingly fractured, yet remained standing; but the vast buttresses (at right angles to them, and therefore parallel to the walls that fell) were in many cases cut clean off, as if by a chisel, and hurled to the ground.

Some square ornaments on the coping of these same walls were moved by the earthquake into a diagonal position.