and especially in Scotland, 295 



year, states, " there was a greater flood in the Mississippi in the 

 summer of 1811 than had occurred for fifteen years before. 

 Between St Louis and New Madrid, many parts of the valley 

 were extensively overflown.""* In Chili, the seasons for rainy 

 and dry weather are remarkably certain and regular. But, on 

 many occasions, this state of things has been entirely altered 

 when violent earthquake-shocks occurred. By the earthquake 

 of 19th November 1822, the coast of Chili, for a distance of 

 fifty miles, was raised generally three feet, and in some places 

 four feet. Mier, in reference to this earthquake, states, that 

 " on the night of 27th November it rained heavily, to the sur- 

 prise and astonishment of all. Rain at that season is most 

 unusual. It had never before been known in the month of 

 November."t 



12. The barometer, when observed, appears, with only one 

 or two exceptions, to have been generally below its averaye 

 level, when shocks were severe ov frequent. 



In proof of this remark, reference may be made to the no- 

 tice in the Register, dated 14th September 1777, where it is 

 mentioned, that the barometer fell a few lines at the time of 

 the shock, and rose immediately after. 



It is said, that, on the 10th November 1782, the barometer 

 in Scotland sank to within ^^gth of the bottom of the scale, 

 which probably means 27.1 inches. On the same day, Loch 

 Rannoch was violently agitated. This circumstance has gene- 

 rally been attributed to the influence of the Calabrian earth- 

 quakes ; but they did not commence till some months after- 

 wards, — when volcanic eruptions took place likewise in Ice- 

 land, on a great scale. 



It is noted, that, on 5th November 1789, when a severe shock 

 was felt at Comrie, the barometer rose and fell several times 

 during the day, and next morning a violent storm commenced 

 which continued for twenty-four hours. 



In the Leeds earthquake of 1795, it is related that the baro- 

 meter for thirty-six hours preceding the shock had varied very 

 remarkably. On the day before, it was 30.23 inches. On 



* Drake's Account of Cincinnati, 1815, p. 239. 

 t Micr's ChUi, vol. i. p. 38U. 



