Earthquake in Connectiait, S('c. 341 



The concussions of the earth, made at the same time, are as much 

 diversified as the sounds in the air. The shock they give to a 

 dweUing house, is the same as the faUing of logs on the floor. 

 The smaller shocks produced no emotions of terror or fear in the 

 minds of the inhabitants. They are spoken of as usual occur- 

 rences, and are called Moodus noises. But when they are so violent 

 as to be heard in the adjacent towns, they are called earthquakes. 

 During my residence here, which has been almost thirty-six years, 

 I have invariably observed, after some of the most violent of 

 these shocks, that an account has been published in the news- 

 papers, of a small shock of an earthquake, at New London and 

 Hartford. Nor do I believe, in all that period, there has been an 

 account published of an earthquake in Connecticut, which was 

 not far more violent here than in any other place. By recurring 

 to the newspapers, you will find, that an earthquake was noticed 

 on the ISth May, 1791, about 10 o'clock, P. M. It was perceiv- 

 ed as far distant as Boston and New York. A few minutes after 

 there was another shock, which was perceptible at the distance 

 of seventy miles. Here, at that time, the concussion of the 

 earth, and- the roaring of the atmosphere, were most tremendous. 

 Consternation and dread filled every house. Many chimnies 

 were untopped and walls thrown down. It was a night much to 

 be remembered ; for besides the two shocks which were noticed 

 at a distance, during the night there was here a succession of 

 shocks, to the number of twenty, perhaps thirty ; the effects of 

 which, like all others, decreased in every direction, in proportion 

 to the distances. The next day, stones of several tons weight, 

 were found removed from their places ; and apertures in the earth, 

 and fissures in immovable rocks, ascertained where the explosions 

 were made. Since that time the noises and shocks have been 

 less frequent than before ; though not a year passes over us but 

 some of them are perceptible." 



It appears that the earthquake was perceived at Middle Had- 

 dam on the present occasion. The country in that region is of 

 granite, gneiss, and other primary rocks, and has during many 

 years been famous for its fine crystallized minerals, — beryl and 

 emerald, chrysoberyl, tourmaline, garnet, columbite, &c. Its nu- 

 merous quarries afford the most magnificent slabs of hornblende 

 gneiss for pavements, and supply distant parts of the United 

 States ; and porcelain feldspar has been obtained there by hun- 



Vol. XXXIX, No. 2.— July-September, 1840. 44 



