122 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1816. 



time after the cessation of tlie 

 shock. It has been described to 

 us, by one who was in Lisbon at 

 that period, as exactly resembling 

 the commencement of the earth- 

 quake in that city on the 6th of 

 June I8O7. A second, but more 

 partial shock, was felt at half- 

 past eleven ; since which time 

 we have had no return of this 

 awful and unusual visitation of 

 Providence. The air, during the 

 night, was mild and calm, with 

 clear moon-light ; and the only 

 appearance after the shock was, 

 tliat of a thin whitish vajjour 

 settling on the surrounding 

 hills." 



15. Perth.—" Tuesday night, 

 about a quarter before 1 1 o'clock, 

 two smart shocks of an earth- 

 quake, the second of Avhich suc- 

 ceeded the first at an interval of 

 half a minute, were felt in this 

 city, and over the greater part of 

 the neighbourhood, particularly 

 in the low grounds. Tlie effects 

 of the shocks were perceptible for 

 several seconds, and in some 

 ])laces were so violent as to shake 

 the windows, and cause a rattling- 

 noise among the slates. Persons 

 in bed felt a sensible ;igitation, or 

 rather concussion, in an upward 

 direction ; and if the bed hap- 

 pened to be in contact with the 

 wall, a lateral shock was also felt. 

 In some houses the chairs and 

 tables wei'e moved backwards and 

 forwards, and even the bells set 

 ringing. Birds in cages were 

 thrown down from the sticks on 

 which they were perched, and ex- 

 hibited evident signs of feai'. A 

 hollow rumbling noise was heard 

 by different individuals, which 

 seemed to die away in the west. 

 The air at the time was clear and 



serene. Similar effects were per- 

 ceived about the same time at 

 Dunkeld, in the Carse of Gowrie, 

 and Sti'athearn." — Perth Courier. 

 Private Letters. 

 14. " Montrose. — Last night, a 

 few minutes before 11 o'clock, a 

 shock of an earthquake was most 

 distinctly felt here, which had 

 the effect of seriously alarming 

 many families : and many who 

 were in bed were awakened by 

 the concussion. Those who had 

 newly retired to rest were most 

 sensible of tlie shock, as they felt 

 their beds move, first in a hori- 

 zontal direction, and then return 

 to their former situation ; after 

 Avhich a tremulous motion was 

 felt, as when a thing settles on 

 its basis, after being in commo- 

 tion. Others describe the effect 

 as similar to that which is ex- 

 perienced by the slight rolling of 

 a ship at sea. The chairs and 

 tables in many houses were put 

 in motion 3 and, in some cases, 

 the leaves of folding tables were 

 heard to rattle ; the lii-e-irons in 

 many instances rang against the 

 fenders ; and bells in rooms and 

 passages were set ringing; in 

 many kitchens the cooking uten- 

 sils and dishes made a noise, and 

 next morning many of the doors 

 were found difficult to open. One 

 gentleman observed his book-case 

 move from the wall, and fall back 

 again \ipon it. It is impossible 

 to describe the state of alarm 

 which most people were thrown 

 into by this unusual occurrence. 

 Many leaped from bed, imagining 

 tiieir houses were falling ; while 

 others ran down stairs in great 

 anxiety, supposing that some ac- 

 cident had happened in the lower 

 part of their house ; as it did not 



" readily 



