•which occurred in India in. 1819. 175 



really believe was the case, as the whole flight of steps was 

 violently agitated). 



While passing down, I expected to be overwhelmed by the 

 works, which were touching my right shoulder, and above my 

 head. 



Although the rampart and parapet are about twelve feet 

 thick, and twenty-five feet in height, yet this wall of masonry 

 waved to and fro. 



Fortunately the steps were broad ; had they been narrow, 

 as is frequently the case, so great was their agitation that it is 

 doubtful if we should have got down without being thrown 

 over the side. Arrived at the bottom of the ramp, we did 

 not cease running until we had got to a sufficient distance 

 from the works to prevent their falling on us. On halting, 

 we were surprised to find that the works had not fallen after 

 so extraordinary an undulating motion. 



On reaching a place of comparative safety, for there was no 

 place absolutely safe, the attention was attracted by a vast 

 cloud of black dust arising at about three hundred yards di- 

 stance, and from the sea face of the fort, which ran at right 

 angles with the one we had quitted. The danger being past, 

 my curiosity became excited ; and approaching the cloud of 

 dust, I found it to be occasioned by the fall of towers and 

 of large portions of the curtain, leaving several breaches, some 

 forty and some sixty yards wide. This devastation extended 

 for five hundred yards, and over a part of the fort which I 

 had been walking on not five minutes before. 



I do not imagine that a twenty-four hours' fire from ten 

 pieces of heavy ordnance could have produced so extensive 

 a destruction as was thus effected in the space of a minute 

 and a half. We conjectured that the awful shock had not 

 lasted more than that short period. Short as it was, it was 

 powerful enough to destroy the work of ages. 



We now directed our attention towards home, and the first 

 occurrence that was met with near it, was the horse-keepers 

 with the horses in their hands standing in the open air ; hav- 

 ing been apprehensive, as they said, that the stables would 

 have fallen and killed the horses. 



On entering the house, my servant informed me, that while 

 making my bed in one of the upper apartments he had been 

 thrown down on the floor, and that before he could make his 

 escape he was thrown down a second time. 



A gentleman and lady, on hearing all the tiles of their 

 house in motion, and crackling as if in a fire, and observing 

 the whole of their furniture shaking, immediately got down 

 stairs into the open air. The gentleman informed me, that 



although 



