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An Account of the Earthquakes which occurred at the 

 Cape of Good Hope, during the month of December, 

 1S09; with a Meteorological Table, from the 4tth to the 

 27th : and an Appendix containing Notices of Shocks 

 ivhich have occurred at various other periods. By 

 W. L. VON BuCHENRODER, Esq. Member of the Institu- 

 tion. Abridged by the Author, from the more detailed 

 Statements read at one of the Meetings of the South 

 African Institution. 



The occurrence of Earthquakes at the Cape of Good Hope 

 on the 4th of December, 1809, as well as during several 

 successive days, is yet remembered by numerous residents of 

 the Colony ; but as far as I know, few, if any, of the various 

 facts connected therewith, or of the different phenomena 

 which took place have been collected and recorded. It 

 may, therefore, not be uninteresting to preserve a faithful 

 account of what was observed, particularly as from the 

 propensity of man, to exaggerate any uncommon occur- 

 rence, (which was fully exemplified at that period,) as well as 

 from the lapse of time, it will be in a few years more, if not 

 altogether impossible, at least highly difficult to obtain a 

 correct statement of the occurrences as they took place. 

 With such a view the following remarks are submitted to the 

 Institution, and if those Members who were in the Colony at 

 tiie time in question, would furnish in like manner, their 

 individual observations, the object to be wished, might readily 

 be accomplished. 



4th December, 1809. 



Nothing uncommon was observed in Cape Town, either on 

 that day or on those immediately preceding it. The weather 

 was fine, clear, and as might be expected at the season, very 

 warm. But although it was fine in Cape Town, there was 

 observed throughout the day, as well as during the two or 

 three immediately preceding it, a thick haze over the eastern 

 shore of Table Bay. The wind during the day was S. S. E. 

 and blew a fresh breeze. 



In the evening, a little after ten o'clock, three shocks, each 

 accompanied by a tremendous noise, were felt, within the space 

 of a minute or two. When the first took place I was sitting 

 in a large company, all the members of which started simul- 

 taneously and hastened to the door, the majority exclaiming 

 that a i magazine must have blown up, while one 



gentleman called out that it was an earthquake, adding, he 

 wa acquainted with such, from having experienced some 

 on his voyages to the "West Indies. While we were standing 

 in the street, the second shock took place, which was felt 

 much stronger , was accompanied by a louder, and very 



