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On an Earthquake among the Cheviot Hills; with Notices of 

 Border Earthquakes. By James Hardy. 



While travelling during this season among the Cheviots, I 

 was told about an earthquake, which, on the evening of the 

 17th of March, 1871, had alarmed the dwellers round the 

 northern base of the highest hill. It turned out to be 

 little more than a faint representation of more energetic 

 agencies operating in districts further to the west and south ; 

 but it is an event to have an earthquake, even on a limited 

 scale. It was heard at Goldscleugh, Dunsdale, and Southern 

 Knowe, shepherd's houses on different farms ; all of them 

 standing in low situations, within a few miles of each other, 

 in the valley of the Coldburn. At Dunsdale it was described 

 as being a dull hollow noise ; and at Southern Knowe as like 

 the rumbling of a coach. In a line running obliquely from 

 these places, from W.S.W. to E.N.E., and several miles across 

 the hills, it was heard by the shepherd at Earle Hill-head ; 

 and following the same direction, half a mile further, at South 

 Earle, two lads, being disturbed by it in their beds, got up 

 and would not be persuaded to re-occupy the " haunted cham- 

 ber " that night. The time when this happened at all the 

 places was about 10 o'clock p.m. All speak of it as a "noise;" 

 but there must also have been a considerable concussion. 

 Two days afterwards, the shepherd at Dunsdale, in going his 

 rounds, remarked that a huge block of rock had been dis- 

 lodged from the southern Bizzle rocks, and launched out into 

 the grassy area beneath, tearing up the turf and soil in its 

 passage. I saw it in August. It is a block of several tons, 

 with all the fresh marks upon it of a new comer ; and lies 

 well up the glen, above the great detached rock dignified 

 from its pre-eminence amongst the surrounding boulders, with 

 the name of " Sampson." 



On further inquiry, it was ascertained that this was not, as 

 was at one time supposed, a mere circumscribed accident, 

 liable to doubt and disbelief; but that it was connected with 

 a shock of earthquake, extensively felt that night in the 

 north of England, as well as in the south of Scotland. It 

 happened, however, an hour earlier than the more general 

 shock, which accounts concur in placing at from 11 to half- 

 past 11. This several accounts describe as having been pre- 

 ceded by a low rumbling noise. " The shock — or rather 

 shocks, for there were more than one — lasted only three or 



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