38 OLDHAM: CATALOGUE OP INDIAN EARTHQUAKES. 



A.D. 



1858. August 24th the open air experienced a current of hot air and a rushing 



— ccntd. sound as of a large flight of birds immediately preceding 



the shock. The rumbling and clattering noise was instan- 

 taneously followed by a tremulous vibratory movement, 

 which in its turn was almost immediately replaced by the 

 passage of the first earth-wave which tbreatened every 

 house with destruction. The houses rocked distinctly. 

 Most of the pagodas greatly injured ; the tops of these 

 fell to the south-west, and more than one was reduced to 

 ruins, breaking down the south-west corner of their enclo- 

 sures. These buildings had, I believe, their stability 

 shaken by the first wave and fell by the second. Lighter 

 bodies like bottles, &c, fell towards the north-east, as 

 if they had fallen with the first wave. Mess table in 

 mess house of XV th Eegiment, Madras Native Infantry 

 thrown out of its position and canted. At pagoda, near 

 Assistant Commissioner's house, north wall looks as if 

 upheaved, and is separated from the body of the structure 

 by a wide chasm. In Major Cooper's pucca house north 

 wall has bulged and partly fallen outwards, and portico 

 has separated from main wall of building in same direc- 

 tion. The Diana steamer lying at the gbat in 9£ fathoms 

 felt " as if driving in a ga le of wind." She swung com- 

 pletely with her head down stream, and remained so till 

 midnight, when the course of the river which had been 

 reversed and ran with a current of three miles an hour 

 was restored to its natural direction. Mud was brought 

 up to surface of water and to north of cantonment, where 

 the river is shallow ; the bed of the river was distinctly 

 seen to rise out of the water. It resumed its old level 

 after the shock bad passed. Partial eclipse of moon same 

 evening. " Past season has been an unusual one, the rain- 

 fall has been far below the average; barometer gave no 

 indication of any change" (Dr. Banking's private letter, 

 September 7th, 1858). Lieutenant Falconer, Executive 

 Engineer, says: — "North and south walls injured much 

 more than east and west ; quoins suffered more than any 

 other portion of buildings; all terraced roofs cracked, 

 principally at corners near base of parapet ; cracks from 

 parapet to parapet cutting off triangular pieces over the 

 corners of the buildings." 

 ( 200 ) 



