Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 73 



violence, to any of the former. I myself, as well as most of the 

 inhabitants, continued either standing or walking in the streets, 

 where we heard rumbling sounds from time to time till about one 

 o'clock in the morning. During that time it continued calm, with 

 the exception of now and then gusts of variable winds. 



Dec. 5th. In the morning, a little after seven o'clock, another 

 shock was felt, accompanied with a sound like thunder. The wind 

 was variable, chiefly westerly and in light gusts. 



In walking through the streets of Cape Town I observed that 

 nearly all the buildings had suffered more or less from the shocks 

 during the preceding night, as was evinced by numerous cracks in 

 the trails, the traces of which are yet perceptible in many houses. 

 These were irregular as to direction, and extended generally four, 

 six, or more feet, from the top of the walls, and in a few instances 

 even nearly down to the foundations. Although such were visible 

 on both sides thereof, yet they did not amount to open clefts ; and 

 I do not know any instance in Cape Town of a house having re- 

 ceived so much damage as to have required it to be rebuilt. The 

 parapets of many were at that time ornamented with figures, urns, 

 &c. of stucco, like to what may yet be seen on a few ; and in some 

 instances fragments of those had fallen, and the people were here 

 and there busy in taking down others. I Heard also that an old 

 chimney or two had tumbled. No cracks or fissures were observed 

 in the ground in Cape Town. 



There were (as might be expected) a variety of reports in cir- 

 culation with regard to what was seen and heard, most of which 

 were unworthy of attention ; yet I cannot omit remarking that many 

 persons concurred in affirming that they had seen large meteors, 

 witnessed their explosions, and experienced the instantaneous 

 shocks, and heard the reports caused thereby. In occurrences like 

 the above, the unadorned narrative of the simplest people is found 

 frequently the most useful in order to come to a matter of fact ; 

 wherefore I am induced to give a statement, as it was made unani- 

 mously by several slaves, who resided at a house above Green-point, 

 near the corner of Lion's Head. They stated " that they saw 

 something like a wagon illuminated by numerous lights proceed 

 swiftly from the opposite side of Table Bay, or from the direction 

 of Saldanha Bay ; that it ascended half-way up Lion's Head, and 

 then turned towards the Marine Villa; that it descended again, and 

 burst when near the sea, and that immediately thereon they felt 

 a shock and heard a tremendous noise." 



In Cape Town several people had seen a flash ; wherefore they 

 took the first shock and noise for an uncommonly loud clap of thun- 

 der, and were only alarmed by the repetition thereof. A farmer 

 on the road near Rondebosch, stated " that he saw a meteor or fire- 

 ball proceed towards and strike the Devil's Hill," and that imme- 

 diately thereafter the second shock (if I recollect right) occurred. 



At about half-past twelve o'clock a loud report or clap was 



heard, and a shock was felt. The sky at that time was very clear, 



and the weather warm ; with light airs from N.W, In the afternoon, 



N.S. Vol. 9. No. 4-9. Jan. 1831. L a little 



