-- 262. Profeffor. WiLL IAMS, 08 Berthgyoken 
An HISTORICAL ACCOUNT of the EARTHQUAKES 
of NEW-ENGLAND. ` 
THE Englifb axrived.at Phmouth, in New-Engiand; No- 
‘vember 11, 1628. The firj earthquake that happeaed in the 
country after their arrival; was.on July 2, 1638, O. S. The 
manner of its. approach, and the vzolezce to which it arofe, are 
pretty well defcribed in accounts which are yet exifting. -Itis 
defcribed as having been preceded with a rumbling noife, or low 
murmur, like remote thunder. As the noife approached, the 
earth began to quake, till the fhock arofe to füch 4 violence, as 
to throw down the pewter from the íhelves, ftone walls, and 
the tops of feveral chimnies ; and, in fome places, made it dif- 
ficult for people to avoid falling. The cour/e of this earth- 
quake, in fome of the accounts, is defcribed as being from the 
weitward to the eaftward. In others, it is reprefented as com- 
ing from the northward, and. going off fouthward. It is not 
likely y any great care, or accuracy, was employed, to determine 
what particular point of the compafs the roar or fhake came 
AE but only to fix it to that, which was judged to be. the 
neareft cardinal point, which fome thought was the weft, others, 
the north. It is moft probable, therefore, that a middle courfe, 
from about north -weft to fouth-eaft, "Was the true ; as this will 
bet agree ; with, and reconcile all the other accounts that were 
given of its courfe. To what extent this earthquake reached, 
on any point of the compas, we have no way to determine.— 
It i is: PET in general, that it reached far into the land, and was 
ferved by the Indians much beyond any of the Enghjh fettle- 
Herts o ses then were but of fmall extent. And alfo, that 
ii: veflels, which were near the coaft, were íhaken by it. 
In 
