38 OLDHAM : THE CACHAR EAUTHQUAKE OF 10TH JANUARY 1869. 



by a great quiet rolling or heaving, without any jarring motion." 

 All " save tremor " had disappeared in about 2| minutes. Ten minutes 

 intervened between this and the second well-defined shock. "The 

 horizontal undulating motion was decidedly combined with another 

 force, a kind of jerking from side to side ; the surface not only rose 

 and fell, but its parts seemed to shift about, each in segments/' 



He describes the position of his camp, on the principal northern spur 

 of the conspicuous hill of Mahadeo (5,751 feet) in the line of the North 

 Cachar hills, " as well as on the principal line of elevation, the whole 

 mass being here tilted up and dipping over southward some 40° or 50°. 

 In fact Assaloo lies on the northern flexure of the great uniclinal 

 that runs thence towards the west, marked conspicuously by the Jatinga 

 and Kayeng valleys, and ultimately continuous with the same great 

 feature at the base of the Cherra Poonji Hills. It marks the great bend 

 and break in the stratified rocks, when this mountain system was first 

 upheaved." 



He describes forcibly the swaying of the magnificent forest on 

 the flanks of the hill " as if swept by a mighty wind," and notices 

 a a confused din " from the ground below mingled with the noise caused 

 by the swaying of the trees. Most people sat down, and with great 

 difficulty he and one or two others could keep on their legs. 



In speaking of the direction of the wave-motion, he notices the 

 great difference of opinion which existed among those in camp, but says 

 there is very little doubt that it was from west to east. " The noise 

 and motion in the trees certainly subsided and passed off in the 

 east." A heliotroper, who was on the top of Mahadeo, declared that 

 he could see the mountain peaks near at hand and in the east 

 heaving about ; the noise of falling rock was very great. The effects 

 upon these hills are very great ; ravines choked with rocks and debris j and 

 one party of my men out-poling found the body of a fine stag that had 

 been killed by the falling rocks when standing by the water-course. 



" On the Diyung its effect seems to have been very severe ; the high 

 steep banks of recent clay and sand gave away in many places falling 

 ( 38 ) 



