and especiaUii in Scotland. 97 



" Two considerable masses of rock, it is believed, were de- 

 tached from the face of one of the Ochil hills here by the 

 shock of the earthquake, as the shepherd was on the spot 

 where they now lie, on the preceding day, and did not observe 

 them till the moi'ning after the event. One of these is esti- 

 Tnated at ten tons weight. A large rent, of 4 or 5 yards long, 

 and about one foot and a half wide at its widest part, was ob- 

 served, on the succeeding day, running across a potato-heap, 

 whose whole length might be 12 yards by 2 yards wide. All 

 the houses in our village, which are nearly 300, were more or 

 less shaken. The slates upon certain roofs of the higher 

 houses, and the disjies upon the shelves, clattered against each 

 other — several bells rang — articles hanging from the ceiling 

 oscillated — windows shivered — doors moved on their hinges — 

 individuals walking or sitting, were thrown slightly off their 

 centre. Many who were asleep or in bed, started up in stupid 

 amazement. One man says he was pitched from one side of 

 the bed to the other. In the upper flats of houses, the chairs 

 on which individuals were sitting, and the beds on which they 

 were lying, rocked like a cradle, or a boat gently lifted by a 

 wave. 



" It seems to be the prevailing opinion of those who M'cre 

 in a recumbent posture, or in bed, that the couch was first 

 moved from the N. or NE., and that the S. or SW. side was 

 then affected. The motion of dishes,'and the rattling of slates, 

 was on the north side of the houses chiefly. 



" The majority with whom I have spoken on this topic, think 

 that the shock came from N. or NE., and travelled to S. or 

 SW. This was the impression of those who were a-bed, and 

 is perhaps confirmed by the following facts. The masses of 

 projected rock referred to took the direction of the S. from the 

 N. (the face of the hill is steep, and slopes southward). The 

 rent or fissure referred to, ran from NE. to SW. The persons 

 felt moved towards the S. who were in bed. 



" In the months of September and October, the aurora bo- 

 realis, or northern lights, were uncommonly brilliant, and 

 stretched across the zenith southward farther than I have seen 

 them before ; they had a cwv'ion^ fiery colour." 



VOL. XXXIV. NO. LXVII JANUARY 1843. G 



