Volcanos and Earthquakes. 73 



formed observer.* After violent earthquakes, which were fell 

 through an extent of country 1400 English miles in length, and 

 during which it appeared as if the soil was suddenly raised and 

 immediately sunk again, or as if the earth had an undulating 

 motion from north to south, accompanied with a noise like the 

 rushing of steam, the whole coast for an extent of about 100 

 English miles actually rose between three and four feet within 

 twenty-four hours.t In all the small valleys the earth in the 

 gardens was disturbed, and sand and water rose in quantities 

 through the cracks. The granite rocks near the coast, which 

 are traversed by small parallel dykes, shewed many narrow 

 rents parallel to the old ones in some instances. The former 

 were traced one mile and a half inland. The phenomena which 

 most forcibly arrested the attention of Mrs Graham, were e\u 

 dent marks of this coast having been raised in a similar manner 

 by earthquakes in former times, and indeed to a height of fifty 

 feet above the sea level. 



The latter phenomena are so much the more important the more 

 frequently they occur. We can, therefore, have no difficulty 

 in admitting most earthquakes to have been the causes of such 

 elevations. Many coasts, as is well known, bear evident marks 

 of having been raised in former times. Thus Vetchj obser- 

 ved on the coast of the island of Jura in Scotland six to seven 

 terraces one above another, the lowest at the level of the sea, the 

 highest about forty feet above it, all covered on their horizontal 

 surfaces with pebbles like those which the sea still throws 

 up. Mr Smith of Jordanhill has also pointed out, that in 

 a former time an elevation of the west coast of Scotland has 



* Geol. Transact, v. i., Sec. Series, part ii. p. 413. Mr Greenough felt 

 disposed to call in question the observations of Mrs Graham, but she has 

 defended her statements very creditably, and has been supported by Mr 

 Meyen, Berghaus Annal. der Erdkunde, t. xi. p. 129. 



+ Fr. Place also confirms this account of the extent of the elevation, in 

 .lourn. of Sc. No. xxxiii. p. 3G. According to the reports in the Ann. dc 

 ('him. et de Pliys. t. xxvii. p. 350, two volcanos, in the neighbourhood of 

 FaWtm, presented a sudden eruption with a loud noise, and illuminated th« 

 whole country for some seconds, but they soon subsided again. At tho 

 Kume time a slight shock was felt in that town. 



:}: Geological Trans. Sec. Series, v. i. part ii. p. 416. 



