228 Mr. Hardy on Border Earthquakes. 



by which the houses, windows, chairs, tables, &c. were thrown 

 into a violent agitation for about two seconds, attended during 

 the time with a remarkable noise. (Gent. Mag., 1780). — 

 December 9. Earthquake at Richmond, Yarm, Stockton, 

 Chester, Newcastle. People were lifted up by a wave-like 

 motion of the earth, and then set down again. The atmos- 

 phere was dark and gloomy for several days previous ; calm 

 at the time. Motion from TV. to E. (Ed. New Phil. Jour., 

 XXXI., p. 104). 



August 11, 1786. An extensive earthquake shock, almost 

 simultaneously felt wherever it reached, was especially dis- 

 tinct on the Borders. It was felt through the counties of 

 Dumfries, Roxburgh, Cumberland, Berwick, Kircudbright ; as 

 well as in Lanark, Argyle, and Aberdeen ; and extended from 

 S. to N. 150 miles, and from E. to W. 100 miles. (Ed. New 

 Phil. Jour., XXXI., p. 107). At Kelso, according to " Dods- 

 ley's Annual Register," the earthquake was felt at 2 in the 

 morning. "Its motion icas from TV. to E. The motion was 

 succeeded by a noise as if the tiles had been tumbling from 

 the roof." ( Vol. XXVII. p. 208). According to an extract from 

 a Kelso newspaper, reprinted in the " Border Almanac," 

 being a letter dated from Carham, August 14th, the writer 

 says : — "A little past 2 (2*20 says another account) on Friday 

 morning, as I lay quite awake in my bed, I was suddenly 

 alarmed with a motion of my house from TV. to E., which 

 sensibly heaved me up in my bed ; then followed a tremulous 

 motion of the whole house, concluded with a rattling noise as 

 if the slates had fallen from the roof; the motion and noise did 

 not last many seconds." This earthquake was preceded by a 

 long drought, and a calmness in the atmosphere ; and the 

 day before it took place, the clouds had not the least motion, 

 but appeared greatly impregnated with the electric fluid. 

 Another correspondent at Pinnacle Hill, Kelso, was awakened 

 by the bed shaking under him, and a noise in the room from 

 the rattling of the table, chairs, and other furniture. He 

 looked out at the window, and there was as serene and still a 

 morning as he ever beheld. The concussion appeared to 

 continue more than a second, and to take its direction from 

 E. to TV. The earthquake was locally " felt at Mellerstane 

 to the north, and as far as Newcastle to the south ; and not 

 further west than Jedburgh, or east than Coldstream. It 

 was scarcely, if at all, felt at Berwick." For the rest I must 

 refer to the accounts of the period. This was a very calam- 



