108 Lt.-Col. J. Waterhouse — On the BariscH Guns. [March, 



evidence recorded that the places at which the sounds are best heard are 

 near the courses of streams running up from the sea and from the direc- 

 tion of the courses of the streams, and we know that water is an admir- 

 able conductor of sound. During the rains, too, when the sounds are 

 generally heard, the whole country is like a wet sponge, and the air 

 laden with vapour at a high temperature. 



At the meeting in August 1870 Mr. Justice Phear, then President 

 of the Society, stated that similar sounds were heard in Cornwall and 

 Devonshire, undoubtedly caused by breaking surf. 



It is to be regretted that we have not fuller details of the conditions 

 under which these sounds were heard at Cherra Punji and their direc- 

 tion, but it may be remarked that the station lies exactly in the direc- 

 tion of the upper course of the Megna, and its position on the extreme 

 edge of the hills may in some way be connected with the sounds 

 being heard, if it were possible that the sound of distant surf could be 

 carried to such a distance under favourable conditions. 



It seems also possible that the peculiar configuration of the Gangetic 

 Delta and its position at the head of a deep trumpet-shaped Bay, on one 

 side a dead flat and the other lined with fairly high hills, may favour 

 the transmission of the sound of breaking surf inland. 



It has been objected by Dr. Mitra that the sounds are not heard in 

 other deltas, such as the Irrawadi, the Mahanadi, the Mississippi, and 

 the Amazon — but in these cases the geographical conditions are quite 

 different. The Delta of the Irrawadi is open on the west. The 

 Deltas of the Sittoung and Salwin reproduce more nearly the condi- 

 tions, but on a much smaller scale. The Mahanadi debouches into a much 

 wider and more open part of the Bay, the Mississippi into an almost 

 landlocked gulf, and the Amazon into the open sea. 



The second theory, that the sounds are caused by the falling in of 

 river banks, does not appear so far to be supported by any direct evi- 

 dence ; the facts recorded by Mr. Beveridge even seem to negative it. 

 It is quite possible, however, that the sounds heard by some observers 

 may be attributed to this cause. 



As regards the sounds being caused by the explosions of fireworks or 

 bombs on the occasion of marriages, Mr. Pellew states that the Musal- 

 mans of Perojpur and round the Kocha river celebrate their marriages 

 chiefly in September, and always fire off earthen bomb-shells, and it is 

 almost impossible to tell the sounds of these from the Barrisal guns. 

 In another place, however, he says the sound is quite distinct. Sir W. 

 Herschel heard sounds in Dacca which he easily recognised as bomb- 

 firing or could be attributed to it, unless proof were forthcoming that no 

 bombs had been fired within the possible distance. It is not improbable* 



