Twain explains his experience during the earthquake. He begins his essay by saying, “While in San Francisco, I enjoyed my first earthquake.” He goes on to explain what was happening before this earthquake occurred. He explains that: “It was shortly after noon, on a bright October day. I was coming down Third Street. The only moving objects in sight in that densely built and populous neighborhood, where a man in a buggy behind me, and a streetcar slowly ascending the intersection. Twain mentions different people while writing this essay, while in London's essay he only mentions people once. While reading Twain's essay he has a very calm tone. He says: “Before I could turn and look for the door, there was a most terrible shock; the ground seemed to roll under me in waves,” Twain doesn't seem to be very scared and surprised by the ground shaking, almost as if he knew it was coming. It seemed like Twain was prepared for the situation. In the first paragraph Twain says, “The whole facade of a tall four-story brick building on Third Street has spread outward like a door of smoke!" As he continues after this sentence, he does not appear to be frightened by the building collapsing in front of him as if, once again , knew what it would be happened. Twain talks about what people saw and what he himself saw during the earthquake. Twain also uses similes such as