CATALOGUE. 9 



A.D. 



1737. October 11th. the English Church sunk into the ground without break- 

 ing. It is computed that 20,000 ships, barques, sloops, 

 boats, canoes, &c, have been cast away. Of nine English 

 ships then in the Ganges, eight were lost, and most of 

 the crews drowned. Barques of 60 tons were blown two 

 leagues up the river ; three were lost with their men and 

 cargoes ; 300,000 souls are said to have perished ! The 

 water rose 40 feet higher than usual in the Ganges." 

 The steeple of the church was described as being " lofty and 

 magnificent," and as constituting before this period the 

 chief ornament of the settlement. 1 — Gentleman's Maga- 

 zine, 1738-39. 

 This most destructive earthquake and hurricane has not been 

 recorded in the principal Earthquake Catalogues. 

 1762. April 2nd.— Bengal, Abracan, and Burmah.— A very destructive and 

 5 p.m. violent earthquake felt all over Bengal, Arracan, &c, 



chiefly or most severely in the north part of the east 

 coast of the Bay of Bengal. In Calcutta, water in tanks 

 rose 6 feet; direction said to have been north and south; 

 lasted ten minutes. At Ghirotty (Gorhatty), 18 miles 

 above Calcutta, river rose more than 6 feet perpendi- 

 cularly. At Dacca, water rose so suddenly as to carry 

 up hundreds of boats, and many lives were lost. Islama- 

 bad (Chittagong) suffered very severely; great ex- 

 plosions heard at first ; openings in the earth were formed 

 10 to 12 cubits in length, and chasms were filled with 

 water. Water was spouted out like a fountain and fine 

 sand or mud; earth continued to sink day by day little 

 and little. Sixty square miles said to have been per- 



1 To the description of this hurricane in the Gentleman's Magazine there is a very 

 amusing addition, which I will quote in the exact words of the original : "A French shin 

 was drove on shore and bulged ; after the Wind and Waters abated, they opened their 

 Hatches and took out several Bales of Merchandise, &c, but the Man who was. in the Hold 

 to sling the Bales suddenly ceased working, nor by calling to him could they get any Eeplv ■ 

 on which they sent down another, but heard nothing of him, which very much added to their 

 Fear ; so that for some time no one would venture down. At length one more hardy than 

 the rest went down, and became silent and inactive as the two former, to the Astonishment 

 of all. They then agreed by Lights to look down into the Hold, which had a great Quantity 

 of Water in it, and to their great Surprise they saw a huge Alligator staring as expecting 

 more Prey. It had come in through a Hole in the Ship's side, and 'twas with Difficulty 

 they killed it, when they found the three Men in the Creature's Belly ! ! Gentleman's 

 Magazine 1738, June; Historical Chronicle, p. 321. 



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