-Stecount of an Earthquake at Kutch. 319 
* Yesterday in the eveninga noise issued from the earth like 
the beating of the nobut, and occasioned the tumbling of all 
the people : it appeared most wonderful, and deprived us all 
of our senses, so that we could not see, every thing appear- 
ing dark before us ; a dizziness came upon many people, so 
that they fell down.” 
Besides the great concussion on the evening of the 16th, 
frequent slight shocks were experienced during the night, 
and throughout the following day. One occurred a little 
’ before ten in the morning, which shook the houses, and 
caused the windows and doors to rattle violently. It contin- 
ued, however, only for a few seconds. Another, rather 
more severe, took place on the 23d, at midnight. Some 
houses were thrown down but ro lives lost. Indeed daily 
vibrations were sensibly felt in the camp before Bhooj, for 
more than a month after. ‘The same unpleasant sensations 
which were experienced during the first shock, also contin- 
ued for several days. A giddiness, and slight sickness, ac- 
companied with pains in the knees, and an inclination to lie 
down rather than sit or stand. ‘This is attributed to the 
rocking orrolling motion of the earth, which, though not ob- 
servable, was in constant action. The inhabitants of Kutch, 
however, were much relieved from the dread of farther con- 
vulsions, by the circumstance of a volcano having opened 
on a hill about thirty miles from Bhooj ; and about ten 
days after the first shock, a loud noise, like the discharge 
of cannon, was heard at Porebunda. ‘The sound came from 
the East and was supposed to indicate the bursting of one 
or more volcanoes in that direction. Undulations of the 
earth had formerly been felt in this district, but had never 
been accompanied with any distressing effects. About two 
years ago, several of the British officers encamped in the 
neighbourhood of Bhooj, experienced a slight shock ; but it 
was so slight that others of them were not sensible of it. It 
is to be hoped, however, that none will ever be attended 
with such a horrible catastrophe as the one we have been 
describing; forthe distress occasioned by it is represented 
by almost all the writers as almost beyond their abilities to 
describe. 
