VOL. Lir.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 603 



felt 10 minutes a.m. viz. half an hour before it was felt at Cork, and 3 hours 

 before the waters rose at Kinsale, and in Mount's bay on the same day. 

 - At the same time there was a violent earthquake at Lisbon, thought by some 

 as severe as that of 1755, but the agitation more equable; consequently the 

 damages not so deplorable, no lives lost, a few old houses shattered and thrown 

 down, and some new ones cracked ; the shock lasted between 3 and 5 minutes. 

 But more particular is the account following, from an eye witness, in an English 

 vessel then off Lisbon, i. e. lying before the city. ' On March 31st, at mid-day 

 a severe shock, not so strong as that of 1755, but of longer duration. I saw 

 the ruins of the last earthquake falling heap upon heap, and turning round beheld 

 the rocks on the opposite side falling from the mountains, followed by a conti- 

 nual cry of the people; the buildings erected since 1755 damaged to the amount 

 of 20,000 moidores at least. It lasted about 5 minutes, some say 7 ; the water 

 in continual agitation all the afternoon, ebbing and flowing 3 or 4 feet in a very 

 short time. At 1*2 at night, another shock, of short continuance; that night 

 3 more; did no damage. St. Ubes, 10 leagues distance to the south, has suf- 

 fered much; and the villages to the north, as also a large convent. During the 

 confusion in the city, 300 persons in the several jails gained their liberty; but 

 all except 14 were secured again. The shock felt at Oporto was very strong; 

 but did no damage. At a village about 20 miles distant, 3 or 4 houses were 

 thrown down, by which several people were killed.' 



It is said that the government of Portugal interposed; and to prevent the con- 

 sequences of terror and fancy, (oftentimes as pernicious as realities) prohibited 

 particular accounts, and even public thanksgivings. 



At Madrid the violent shock lasted 2^- minutes, shaking the houses, and 

 throwing down the furniture ; the inhabitants left their houses for fear of being 

 buried in the ruins. It was remarked here as something extraordinary, that at 

 the moment it was felt the atmosphere was quite calm, and a gentle shower fell. 



At Madeira the shock was felt very violent at 10 o'clock a.m. It did no da- 

 mage in the town; some rocks were split, and fell into the sea, and some of the 

 roads of the island suffered. The greatest damage there sustained was the loss 

 of one church, and 4 people killed, 2 of which were in a boat fishing near the 

 shore, when the rocks fell. 



At Barbadoes, about half past 4 p.m. near low water, the sea suddenly retired 

 from the shore, and in about 3 minutes returned again, to the height of near 4 

 feet. This flux and reflux abated about 8 o'clock, so as scarcely to be perceived; 

 but about 10 it increased again for some short time, then decreased till 6 the 

 next morning. The flux and reflux was not always regular after the first 3 

 hours ; it was sometimes performed in 3 minutes, and at other times in not less- 



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