234 The laie Earthquake in Scotland. 



THE LATE EARTHQUAKE IN SCOTLAND. 



Coul, Sept. 9. 



The earthquake was scarcely felt beyond lat. 58 deg. nor was 

 the concussion at all severe southward of the Tay: on the western 

 coast, it was distinctly felt at Gareloch : more severely at A pple- 

 trross, and less severely to the southward. From l\\e interior I 

 have got no accounts that can be depended on. Two men, who 

 were travelling eastward from Loch Carron, said to a friend 

 of mine, that when they were crossing the hill which is nearly 

 the summit level between Loch Carron and Contin, not far from 

 a place calkd Carnoch, the shock threw them on their backs. 

 If this be true, it proves that it came from the westward; as, if 

 it had come in the contrary direction, and met them, they would 

 have fallen forward. Though more damage was done at Inver- 

 ness than elsewhere, there is no reason for supposing that the 

 seat of the earthquake was imder that town. If we suppose that 

 the motion was comminiicated circula'ly from a centre, and that 

 the centre was below Inverness, we hnd that Aberdeen, where 

 the shock was pretty smart, and Perth, where it was very distinct, 

 are nearly at the same distance, viz. about 80 or 90 miles, in a 

 straight line. Now, the shock was scarcely felt at Cromarty, 

 and was barely perceptible at Tarbat Ness, which is about hatiT 

 that distance from the centre. The reason why Inverness sus- 

 tained so much damage is, that the town is built mostly on 

 gi-avel, and partly on mossy ground, the shifting of which might 

 have done more damage than actually happened. In a moun- 

 tainous country, the communication of motion must be so much 

 Diodified by the mountain ma.sscs, that it will probably remairt 

 aiwavs uncertain, from underneath what spot the shocks of earth- 

 quakes proceed. That the late shock had its origin under some 

 part of Inverness-shire, there is no reason for doubting. I have 

 remarked, that notwithstanding the very unusual quantity of raiu 

 that has fallen during this season,, the rivers of the north are not 

 at all swollen. In ordinary sunmiers, I have known them reach 

 to the top of their banks, in consequence of a fewdays rain : with a 

 "■reater quantity of late, that effect has not been produced. Some 

 s^irings, too, I have observed to be unusually scanty ; liut my obser- 

 vation of springs has not bceu very general. — From the extentover 

 which the shock was felt, there is reason to suppose tliat the blow 

 was deep seated. Hence, though we may expect other visitations 

 of this kind, we need not fear the eruption of the internal fire in 

 our time. From what I have observed in volcanic countries, I 

 have no doubt that earthquakes are occasioned by the produc- 

 tion of a vast ([uantitv of elastic vapour, the prodigious force of 

 which suddenly bui-bts its confinement. Steam is the most pro- 

 bable 



