1 74 Papers relating to the Earthquake 



to have been felt all over Kattiwar, and as far east as Kaira 

 and Baroda; also at Radhunpoor, and I believe in Sind. 

 Cutch, from all accounts, appears to have been the centre of 

 its operations, and especially the western part of it. Moondra 

 and Mandavi, two large towns on the sea-coast, have suffered 

 in comparatively a trifling degree ; but the inland towns and 

 forts towards the Indus have been almost completely de- 

 stroyed. There has been a heavy fall of rain at this place, 

 and the weather continues cool and pleasant. 



(True copy) (Signed) George Ogilvy, 



Sec. Medical Board. 



Copy of a Letter from Captain Elwood. 



Poorbunder, June 7, 1819. 



We yesterday evening experienced in this fort and city one 

 of the most awful scenes in nature, that of a violent and de- 

 structive shock from an earthquake. 



The weather was close and sultry: the thermometer ranged 

 at 86° at sunset, and a light air, scarcely perceptible, was 

 sometimes felt from the southward. An officer and myself 

 were taking an evening walk on the ramparts of the fort, and 

 had gone nearly all round, when, at 40 minutes past six, we 

 observed to each other how excessively close and oppressive 

 the atmosphere was ; and five minntes after, I heard a distant 

 sound not unlike that of a cannonade at sea. A thought had 

 scarcely passed the mind as to what could give rise to the 

 sound, when I felt a violent shock beneath my feet, and in- 

 stantly exclaimed, " An earthquake !" Looking at the same 

 time forwards, I saw the stone parapet at two yards distance 

 violently agitated by a quick, short, wave-like motion, bend- 

 ing in and out with the greatest pliability, and with the vibra- 

 tion of about a foot, and attended with an incessant hissing 

 cracking noise. I thought it impossible that the works could 

 stand, and, expecting their immediate fall, I instantly deter- 

 mined on descending as quickly as possible ; but as the ram- 

 part was a perpendicular height of masonry of about 20 feet, 

 I was obliged to run back towards the nearest ramp, which 

 was a flight of stone steps at some distance. The officer I 

 was walking with followed ; and as we passed along at a quick 

 rate, the sensation felt was similar to that dangerous and dis- 

 agreeable one of running along an elevated and elastic plank, 

 the ends alone of which are supported. I every instant ex- 

 pected to fall with the works, or to be precipitated from them ; 

 but, reaching the steps, ran down as fast as I could, each 

 lower step apparently meeting the descending foot (which I 



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