1889.] "Report on Barisdl Guns. 201 



the sounds are heard during the period of calm weather, while the centre 

 of disturbance is still at a considerable distance, and that they almost 

 entirely cease after the strong- winds and stormy weather commence. 



A few other letters of less importance have been received. Mr. D. 

 Ross, of Sultanpur, Purneah, mentions that these sounds, though heard 

 with startling distinctness in a calm evening, were not followed by 

 echoes, though a gun-shot echoed and re-echoed among the neighbouring 

 hills. Mr. M. Punchard, who, while commander of a river steamer had 

 heard the soiinds frequently, gives a strong opinion against their being 

 caused by the falling of river banks or the explosion of bombs : his 

 reason for the latter being that he has heard the soiinds ' where human 

 habitations are unknown.' Commander Jones of the S. S. " Resolute " 

 reports hearing sounds of distant firing to the S. E. on September 15th, 

 1888 about 1O30 P. m. There was no thunder, but slight sheet light- 

 ning to the N. E. Mr. La Touche, of the Geological Survey, writes that 

 he heard similar sounds in the Khasia hills on the edge of the plateau 

 about 14 miles to the west of Cherrapoonjee, close to the village of 

 Kengsao, on the 19th March between 5 and 6 P. M. from "W. S. W., 

 generally two in quick succession, short, low booms occurring 3 or 4 

 times. Later, about 8 p. m., a thunderstorm passed to the north, but 

 not from the same direction as the other sounds. 



After consideration of these reports we are almost unanimously of 

 opinion that the evidence is very strongly in favour of the sounds 

 being closely connected with the river banks, and that their frequent 

 occurrence during two or three days immediately preceding the 

 arrival of disturbed weather from the Bay of Bengal may be at- 

 tributed to the atmosphere being highly charged with moisture, 

 and the comparatively calm weather which occurs at such times. We 

 have carefully considered the evidence in favour of the theory of echoes 

 from the river banks suggested by Mr. Manson, and supported as it is 

 by strong circumstantial evidence, in that it readily explains many pecu- 

 liarities noticed in connection with these sounds, we think, it at least 

 deserves, that efforts should be made to disprove it. There seems to be 

 no evidence in favour of volcanic action, or the ' Swash of no-ground " 

 being the causes of the sounds, and we are of opinion that by gradually 

 narrowing the field of enquiry in this way the arrival at results may 

 be more readily effected. 



Babu Gaurdas By sack, while dissenting from the expression of 

 opinion that the sounds are due in some way to the river banks, wishes 

 it to be recorded that his reason for so doing is because of the existence 

 of similar banks in other parts of the Ganges near which no such sounds 

 are ever heard. 



