SOME FAMOUS EARTHQUAKES 



preceded the shocks by a second or so and increased in 

 loudness, so that when masonry began to fall the noise 

 and rattle of the falling stones were hardly to be per- 

 ceived. Unable to stand on his feet, this observer sat 

 down on the ground, and not only felt but saw the 

 ground thrown into violent waves as if "composed of 

 soft jelly." These waves seemed to run along the 

 ground. When the shocks had passed all the masonry 

 houses in Shillong had been levelled to the ground, and 

 over each hung a cloud of pink plaster particles and dust. 

 Some of the shocks seem to have occurred with a kind of 

 twist, and stone monuments were given the appearance of 

 corkscrews. There were left many fissures and depres- 

 sions in the ground, and the rivers and lakes and streams 

 were greatly affected. Thirty new lakes were formed ; 

 along the great Brahmaputra River rolled a great wave 

 ten feet high. One great rent in the geological strata 

 at the earth's surface was twelve miles long. Important 

 changes of level of great blocks of country were clearly 

 shown by the alterations in the aspect of the landscape. 

 Ranges of hills which before had not been visible from 

 certain points now came into view for the first time, while 

 others had disappeared. Though the most destructive 

 shock was that felt during the first few seconds, there 

 were others which followed, lasting for nearly a week 

 afterwards. This earthquake is of special interest, 

 because it was the first one which was registered on the 

 earthquake instruments set up in Europe. Since that 

 date these instruments have been set up all over the 

 world, and, as we say elsewhere, a great earthquake is 



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