Lieutenant R. Baird Smith on Indian Eartl/guahn. 109 



stantly subject to earthquakes, but I have not yet been able 

 to recognise any distinct focus of disturbance throughout the 

 mountains by which it is traversed, and a( present I consider 

 the shocks as emanating either from the mountains on the 

 north, or from the well known region of Sinde and Cutch on 

 the south. 



4. The region of Chittagong and the Delta of the Ganges. 

 Throughout the line joining this with the former region, which 

 stretches completely across the Peninsula, numerous signs of 

 volcanic action occur. The great trap district of central 

 India extends to the right and left of it ; hot springs are plen- 

 tiful, and disruptive action is in numerous instances strikingly 

 evidenced. 



5. The region of the Arracan coast. Tlie earthquakes in 

 this region have occasionally been of appalling violence, and 

 the volcanic indications throughout it are of the most interest- 

 ing and striking character. An archipelago of volcanic islands 

 fringes the main coast, some of which have been active within 

 a recent historical era, and, at this moment, symptoms of ac- 

 tivity exist. This region is directly connected with the vol- 

 canic train of the Moluccas, and also with the region of Chit- 

 tagong just adverted to. 



6. The ocean region. Relative to this my information is 

 still very imperfect, and I make it distinct in consequence of 

 some very singular phenomena observed in the open sea on 

 the Indian coast, clearly indicating subaqueous volcanic action. 



Details connected with each of these regions will be given 

 at a future time, — the arrangement of them is still imperfect, 

 and I would wish jou to consider the preceding as a mere out- 

 line sketch ; but it will suffice to indicate to you the interest- 

 ing field India presents, and 1 trust the harvest to be reaped 

 from it will yet prove an abundant one. Our countrymen 

 are distributed over the whole extent of these tracts, and I 

 will spare no efforts to ensure their co-operation. From south 

 India, our information is at present a total blank, but I do not 

 despair of yet seeing it filled up.* 



* We perceive that Lieutenant Baird Smith is publishing the materials 

 he has collected on Indian Earthquakes, in the Journal of tlie ANiatic Society 

 of Bengal. See p. 242 of No. 123 (39. New Serip^. 1842. 



