OF THE iTin OF DECEMBER, 1896. 201 



*' "VValtham Ckoss. — Time about 5.35 a.m. In one room on the 

 second floor one shock -was felt ; in another room on tlio same floor 

 two shocks were felt, with scare(>ly any intei'val. In the former 

 case the bed was raised with some force, considerably shaking 

 the occupant who was already awake. In the latter case the 

 bed was slightly raised twice, waking the occupant, in both 

 cases gi^'iug the impression that there was some one under the 

 bed ; no rumbling or other noise was beard. — E. M. Gower, 

 Theohalds, Waltham Cross. 



* Cheshunt. — The observer was in bed fast asleep on tbe second 

 floor, the house being three stories high above basement. Time, 

 5.30 a.m. There was a violent sbaking of tbe bed, apparently 

 not vertical. The bed was very distinctly moved, waking up botb 

 the observer and bis wife with alann, but nothing was overthrown. 

 F. F. Lamhert [Vicar], Cheshunt Vicarage. 



* AsHWELL. — I was sleeping in my own bouse. The Buiy, 

 Asbwell, when for a drowsy moment I fancied I was in my berth 

 on board ship and that that ship was rolling beavily. The 

 windows and door rattled. I lit a match, realizing the cause, 

 and found it was 5.35 by my watch. — Wolverley A. Fordham 

 \_The Bury, Ash well, Baldoch']. 



Miss Mabel Fordbam, Elbrook House, was awakened and 

 fi-ightencd, and got out of bed and went to the nurse's room, 

 saying her bed was shaking. She was afraid to go to bed again 

 and got up and dressed. — H. G. F. 



Whether I was asleep or not I cannot tell, but all at once 

 there was a most terrific gust of wind, apparently blowing 

 through the trees at tbe corner of the bouse and scattering the 

 leaves in all directions, and I could not understand it because 

 I knew there [were] no leaves on the trees. It appeared like 

 two gusts following (quickly one on the other, and then all was 

 quiet again. — Moses Humphry, Slipend, Ashwell. 



Sandon. — I must give you my version of that commotion 

 a fortnight ago last Thursday, about 35 minutes past five o'clock 

 a.m. I bad been lying awake, I may say, for an hour. It made 

 me think more of an avV-quake than an earth-c^^c. I heard 

 it distinctly for about 30 seconds. It appeared like a rushing 

 mighty wind, about twelve feet from the ground. Tbe sound 

 ■with it was like boys sliding on rougb ice, with hobnails in 

 their shoe-soles. Sound travelling from west to east, very rapidly, 

 into space. — W. H. Lees \_C.C.'\, iSandon Bury. 



[Mr. Lees tells me also that the sound was peculiar and be was 

 startled by it, that the house did not shake, and that it was dark 

 and no Kght was seen. — H. G. F.] 



Therfield. — The earthquake shock of last week was noticed in 

 this village. At the residence of Mrs, Francis we understand that 

 tbe sensation was felt as if someone had hold of the bedstead and 

 was shaking it. Mr. Shackleton, churchwarden, also noticed it, but 

 attributed the noise at tbe time to horses kicking in tbe stables 

 adjoining. — Herts ^ Cambs Reporter, '24 Dec, 1896. 



VOL. IX. PART V. 14 



