240 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



and tempestuous, observed that the brick floors of their 

 kitchens began to heave and part ; and that the walls 

 seemed to open, and the roofs to crack : but they aU 

 agree that no tremor of the ground, indicating an 

 earthquake, was ever felt ; only that the wind continued 

 to make a most tremendous roaring in the woods and 

 hangers. The miserable inhabitants, not daring to go to 

 bed, remained in the utmost solicitude and confusion, 

 expecting every moment to be buried under the ruins of 

 their shattered edifices. When day-light came they were 

 at leisure to contemplate the devastations of the night : 

 they then found that a deep rift, or chasm, had opened 

 under their houses, and torn them, as it were, in two ; 

 and that one end of the barn had suffered in a similar 

 manner ; that a pond near the cottage had undergone a 

 strange reverse, becoming deep at the shallow end, and 

 so vice versa ; that many large oaks were removed out of • 

 their perpendicular, some thrown down, and some fallen 

 into the heads of neighbouring trees ; and that a gate 

 was thrust forward, with its hedge, full six feet, so as to 

 require a new track to be made to it. From the foot of 

 the cliff the general course of the ground, which is 

 pasture, inclines in a moderate descent for half a mile, 

 and is interspersed with some hillocks, which were rifted, 

 in every direction, as well towards the great woody 

 hanger, as from it. In the first pasture the deep clefts 

 began : and running across the lane, and under the 

 buildings, made such vast shelves that the road was im- 

 passable for some time ; and so over to an arable field on 

 the other side, which was strangely torn and disordered. 

 The second pasture field, being more soft and springy, 

 was protruded forward without many fissures in the turf, 

 which was raised in long ridges resembling graves, lying 

 at right angles to the motion. At the bottom of this 

 enclosure the soil and turf rose many feet against the 



