Notice of an Earthquake felt at Sea, in February 1825. 71 



be inferred from a series of accurate observation on the effects 

 which they produce, and the time when they are felt at differ- 

 ent points on the earth's surface. 



The earthquake which was experienced at Lisbon, on the 

 2d February 1816, at five minutes past midnight, was felt at 

 sea by the Portuguese vessel, the Marquis de Angeja, bound 

 from Bengal to Lisbon, at the distance of 270 leagues from 

 that city ; and it was also experienced by another vessel, bound 

 from Brazil to Portugal, at the distance of 120 leagues. 



On the 4th of April 1812, the vessels on the coast of the 

 Caraccas trembled, during the heavy shock of an earthquake, 

 as if they had been on a reef of rocks. 



In the earthquake which took place at Chili, on the 1 9th 

 November 1822, the effect on the ships in the bay was such, 

 as if the chain-cable had run out in an instant. 



On the 10th February 1823, the East India Company's 

 ship Winchelsea, in east long. 85° 33', and north lat. 52°, 

 experienced the effects of an earthquake. When the vessel 

 was some hundred miles from land, and out of soundings, a 

 tremulous motion was felt, as if it were passing over a coral 

 rock, and this was accompanied with a loud rumbling noise, 

 both of which continued for two or three minutes, 



This effect bears a close resemblance to that which is de- 

 scribed in the following extract of a letter from on board the 



Recovery of in a voyage from Madeira to Honduras, 



in February 1825. 



u - In running through among the islands, we were in dread 

 of every schooner-rigged vessel we saw, as these seas swarm 

 with pirates. However, nothing worthy of note occurred till 

 off the island of Ruatan. Between seven and eight o'clock at 

 night, being quite dark, we were all alarmed by a rumbling 

 noise, as if the vessel had been running over a reef of rocks- 

 Every one rushed upon deck, and all cast a wishful look over 

 the side of the vessel, expecting every moment to see her go 

 down. The pumps were sounded, but no water was in the 

 well. It was then concluded, that it must have been a large 

 log of timber which the vessel had come in contact with ; but, 

 on arriving in Belize, we ascertained that it was the effect of 

 a smart shock of an earthquake, which had been experienced 

 there at the very time we felt the concussion. 11 



