1888.] Lt.-Col. J. Waterhouse— 0??. the Barisdl Guns. 101 



of accounting for these noises is to accept the current theory that they 

 proceed from subterranean sources." 



I mention this to shew that people are generally indifferent to 

 external occurrences, however curious or extraordinary in their nature, 

 until their attention is drawn by somebody. 



The fact mentioned by Mr. Mitfcra that the sounds are not known 

 at Rungpore should be noted, as it is very near the Teesta, a very big 

 and boisterous river ; Mr. Mittra resided there for a long time. 



The character of the sounds bears a strong resemblance to the 

 booming of distant cannonade : it is neither like the rattle of musketry 

 nor like the rumbling sound that precedes an earthquake, nor the 

 crashing noise caused by the falling in of large masses of earth. If 

 Mr. Elson had once heard the real Barisal Guns he would have at once 

 given up the idea that they were due to the falling in of the river 

 banks on the bight either of the Hughly or the Bales war. 



I may mention here an incident to illustrate the sharpness — the 

 intensity with which the reports sometimes break on our ears. It was 

 at Bagirhat on a moonlight night at about 9 p. m. that a report like 

 that of a gun struck my ears. My servants had my permission to use my 

 gun to shoot the pariah dogs or jackals that infested the compound, I 

 called out to them to inquire what the matter was ; they said they did 

 not use the gun, but that it was the Khan j a Ali salute. 



Referring to the surf theory, it is said " the transmission of sound 

 waves is, however, dependent very much on the conditions under which 

 it takes place, and when these are favourable they travel to enormous 

 distances," but I cannot conceive that the conditions under which 

 sound travels could be so materially different as to render the Barisal 

 Guns distinctly audible at Tumlook, and thoroughly inaudible at 

 Diamond Harbour, almost a seaboard town. 



The President read the following letter from Mr. H. J. Rainey on 

 the subject : 



Rainey Villa, 



Khidna, Feb. 23, 1888. 

 Dear Sir, 



I have heard that at the next meeting of the Society a paper will 

 be read on the so-called " Barisal Guns " : I have for many years taken 

 a great interest in the subject, and as I do not think it is at all likely 

 that a satisfactory solution of the physical phenomena can be arrived at 

 without a series of independent observations from various places in 

 the districts where the sounds are heard, I would suggest that printed 

 forms stating the several points on which information is desirable, should 



