PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 195 



7.-THE CHARACTER AND INTENSITY OF THE 

 SOUND ACCOMPANYING THE QUAKE 



Here the usual and obvious difficulty of distinguishing 

 between the sound of shaking doors, windows, furniture, 

 &c., and the true earth sound-wave is felt by many of the 

 observers. At least two were not conscious of having 

 heard any sound either preceding, accompanying, or 

 following the vibrations. The others describe the sound 

 phenomena in various ways. Mr Colchester-Wemyss 

 compares the noise to "that which a traction engine 

 would make." Mr Lloyd-Baker heard " a rumbling sound 

 as if a wagon had run against the house." Mr Helps, on 

 the edge of the oolitic formations, likens the noise in its 

 intensity to " that of Niagara Falls." Mr Winwood, to 

 " the roaring and rumbling of wind in a chimney." Mr 

 Madan speaks of it as a " rattling and grinding sound like 

 that of a load of bricks emptied out of a cart." Mr 

 Meredith thinks it was similar to " the sound of an under- 

 ground explosion as heard by a person on the surface." 

 Most of those who noticed the sound and its character 

 consider it as coincident with the vibrations, increasing 

 in intensity with them and dying away as they ceased. 

 Mr Madan, however, is pretty sure that the greatest 

 oscillation of the bed occurred a second or two later than 

 the maximum of sound, and this is likely to have been 

 the case, since sound waves are known to travel through 

 rocks faster than vibrations of the whole mass. 



8.-SUBSIDIARY SHOCKS 



No one appears to have noticed any minor shocks or 

 noises during the hours preceding or following the occur- 

 rence of the principal sets of vibrations above described. 



A few remarks may be offered, in conclusion, respect- 

 ing the area affected. Mr Symons (Meteorological 

 Magazine, Jan. 1897, P- ^7^) considers that this earthquake 



