EARTHQUAKES. 257 



feasting in the streets, and upwards of 500 of the party 

 were smothered in the ruins of the falling houses." 



The effects of this earthquake were indeed so extensive 

 that we cannot afford room for more minute particulars ; but 

 we may add some account of the sensations felt by individ- 

 ual sufferers during the continuance of the shocks. In the 

 British camp, which was pitched in a plain between the fort 

 and city of Bhooj, the general feeluig was an unpleasant 

 giddiness of the head and sickness of stomach, from the 

 heaving of the ground ; and during the time the shock 

 lasted, some sat down instinctively, and others threw them- 

 selves on the ground. Those who were on horseback were 

 obliged to dismount ; the earth shook so violently that the 

 horses could with difficulty keep their feet ; and the riders, 

 when upon the ground, were scarcely able to stand. At 

 Ahmedabad, " all the disagreeable sensations were experi- 

 enced of being tossed in a ship at sea in a swell ; and the 

 rockino- was so great, that every moment we expected the 

 earth to open under our feet." One gentleman, writing 

 from Sural, where the earthquake began at twenty minutes 

 past seven, says, " The vibration of the couch I was lying 

 on was so great that I was glad to get off it ; the house 

 was considerably agitated, — the furniture all in motion ; a 

 small table close to me kept striking the wall, and thft 

 lamps swung violently. I ran dov;n stairs, and got out of 

 mv house as fast as possible. On getting on the outside, I 

 found a number of people collected, gazing with astonish- 

 ment at my house, which stands alone, and was so violently 

 agitated that I expected it to fall down. The earth was 

 convulsed under our feet." Another 'writes thus from 

 Baroach : — " Such of the houses as are elevated, and at all 

 loosely built, creaked like the masts and rigging of a ship in 

 a o-ale ; the Venetians and window-frames rattling violently, 

 and the buildings threatening immediately to fall ; a con- 

 siderable lateral motion was impressed on every thing that 

 admitted of it. After this more violent concussion had lasted 

 a minute or upwards, it was succeeded by an oscillatory mo- 

 tion, of a more equable character, which continued formore 

 than a minute and a half, making the whole period of th& 

 convulsion nearer three than two and a half minutes." Aa 

 intelligent native residing in Iseria gives the following ac- 

 count :— " Yesterday, in^the evening, a noise issued frona. 



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