and especially in Scotland. 151 



stances, very difficult to doubt the existence of a smell or 

 odour, occurring simultaneously with these earthquake-shocks, 

 attested as it is by so many respectable individuals — many of 

 them apart from, and independently of, each other. The only 

 point on which reasonable doubt may exist is, whether it had 

 any connection with the shocks. Might it not have been pro- 

 duced by some other, some accidental cause ? But it would be 

 a very curious accident indeed, which caused the same sort of 

 smell to be perceived in Stratherne. on the Spey, and on the 

 south side of the Ochils, and many other places, all about the 

 same time, and in such circumstances as to produce a convic- 

 tion in the observers, of its being somehow connected with the 

 earthquake-shocks. Nor should it be forgotten that a smell or 

 odour described as sulphureous, has been very frequently per- 

 ceived after lightning. Nay more, means have recently been 

 discovered, of producing precisely the same odour by electrical 

 action. Professor Schbnbein of Basle, in a Memoir published 

 in the Transactions of the British Association for 1840,* de- 

 tails a number of experiments on this subject, shewing that 

 water, when decomposed by electricity, gives out the odour 

 above referred to ; and he expressly states, that when it is per- 

 ceived after a flash of lightning, it is owing to the decomposi- 

 tion of the vapour or moisture in the atmosphere. 



If, then, it should appear, in the course of farther inves- 

 tigations, that, during the occurrence of earthquake-shocks, a 

 large supply of electricity really passes from the earth into the 

 atmospliere, we shall cease to wonder that a sulphureous smell 

 was perceived, when the shocks in Scotland were most frequent 

 and severe. 



(3). In many of the reports which have been quoted, notice 

 is taken of impressions still more peculiar, as connected with 

 the earthquake-shocks. 



A feeling oi nausea was experienced by many individuals, and 

 which is variously described as resembling " sea- sickness,"" — 

 •* sickness, like that felt before fainting" — " uneasy sensation^ 

 which I can compare only to the first disagreeable feelings which 

 usually precede a fit of sea-sickness," — " a most peculiar sick- 

 ish sensation, such as I never felt before." 



* Page 218. 



