Amid today’s horrible news from Japan, I was reminded of a news item I came across recently. On May 17, 1906, a seven-foot tidal wave struck Rockport, carrying out six fishing boats with it as it receded. The boats were all recovered and no injuries were reported.

“A plausible explanation of the tidal wave, which at least can never be disproved, is that it was caused by an earthquake somewhere out on the bottom of the ocean, which produced an upheaval of the waters,” said the news item in the Boston Daily Globe.

“Excepting a similar phenomenon about nine years ago,” the item continued, “the oldest resident of Cape Ann cannot remember anything like it.”