and especially in Scotland. 93 



■' The first or double shock lasted about 5" ; the second about 

 2" or 3". 



" As to the nature of the concussion, it seemed as if some 

 subterranean element had suddenly struck the solid surface of 

 the earth from beneath, with such a force as to make it yield 

 a little upward. The tremor that followed, arose from its 

 own elasticity and the violence of the impulse. It was both 

 a tremor or vibration of the earth's surface, and an inidula- 

 tion of the ground. At the commencement of the shock, it 

 was a sudden double jolt and tremor of the earth's surface, the 

 result of a subterraneous blow quickly repeated, and, at the 

 end, an undulation or movement of the ground. Objects were 

 more rocked and shaken by the tremulous motion than by the 

 undulation ; but none of them were lifted up and let down 

 again. The surface of the earth and buildings thereon, houses, 

 and furniture therein, were moved simultaneously, and trem- 

 bled or shook altogether as one continuous integral. 



" With regard to the points of the compass, the first inclina- 

 tion was nearly in the direction of the north-west. It was the 

 effect of an invisible sudden force, and was quick. The mo- 

 tion back again was slower, and appeared to be the mere re- 

 covery of balance or perpendicularity. 



" It seemed to travel with great velocity, and was loudest at 

 its termination. 



" The 23d of October 1839 was cloudy, with rain; the hills 

 were foggy ; wind east, with calm intervals. Much more rain 

 fell than usual in the autumn of 1839. 



" About a mile from Dunning, in a farm-house situated on a 

 high level, and founded on whinstone rock of unknown depth, 

 the concussion so marred the swing or vibration of the pendu- 

 lum of the clock, that it stood still. 



" The mounds of earth covering potato-pits were cracked from 

 end to end, and the water of sundry wells was made drundy." 



At Muckhart, situated at the opening of a gorge on the 

 south side of Ochils, and about 20 miles S.SE. of Comrie, Mr 

 Harvey heard and felt the shock. He writes, — " Having been 

 at Comrie some years ago, when there was a very smart shock, 

 the moment this of the 23d October commenced, 1 said to a 

 friend with whom 1 was conversing at the time, ' An earth- 



