1838.] Earthquake, and alterations of the Coast 79 



Rambree, present numerous earthy cones, with springs of mud and gas 

 on their summits. 



Three miles south of Chaduba, there is a small cone composed of 

 scoriaceous rocks, raised 200 feet above the sea ; soundings at its base 

 display those peculiarities which always characterise volcanic coasts*. 



The above facts might alone be sufficient to prove the volcanic 

 nature of the coast of Arracan, and to justify our extending the train 

 of active volcanic agency from Barren Island to the 20° N. Lat. or 

 within five degrees of the Kdsya mountains as in the annexed map. 

 But the events which took place on this coast during the great earth- 

 quake of the 2nd April 1762, and to which the earthy cones are no 

 doubt referrible, place the question in a less doubtful point of view. 

 Sixty square miles of the Chittagong coast, suddenly, and permanently 

 subsided during this earthquake. Ces-lung-Toom, one of the Mug 

 mountains, entirely disappeared, and another sunk so low that its 

 summit only remained visiblef . Four hills are described as having 

 been variously rent asunder, leaving open chasms differing from 30 to 

 60 feet in width;};. In the plain, the earth opened in several places, 

 throwing up water and mud of a sulphurous smell. At Bar Charra, 

 200 lives were lost on a tract of ground that sunk suddenly, but it is 

 said that at Arracan where it was supposed the chief force was dis- 

 played§, the effects were as fatal as those of the earthquake which 

 happened about the same period at Lisbon. At Dacca the waters rose 

 so suddenly as to cast several hundred boats on shore, and on retiring, 

 the wave which is described as terrible, swept numbers of persons 

 away || . 



* This is stated on the authority of Captain Lloyd, Marine Surveyor General, 

 to whom the author is indebted for several other interesting items regarding this 

 coast. 



f Phil. Trans, vol. LIU. p. 256. 



X Other mountains and hills were variously disturbed or destroyed, some partly 

 or entirely thrown down so as to obstruct the course of rivers ; others sank 25 and 

 others 40 cubits. A Toom hill called Chatter Puttuah, is described as having " split 

 by little and little till it became reduced to the level of the plain," and in other 

 cases creeks were closed up by banks of sand rising from their bottom. See Phil. 

 Trans. 1763 ; upon the whole the history of this earthquake may be supposed to be 

 very incomplete, its effects in one district only of the extensive line of coast in which 

 it happened being imperfectly described. 



§ See also observations on the disappearance of various islands on the Chitta~ 

 gong coast, which are alluded to in the nautical works of the Arabs in the middle of 

 the I6tn century. (Journal As. Soc. 466.)— J. P. 



|| As an instance of the readiness with which such visitations are forgotten, I may 

 mention that a well written " Historical and Satistical Accouut of Chittagong 11 

 has recently been published by a gentleman many years resident in the province, in 

 which no mention is made of this earthquake, though a Chronological list of 120 

 rajas is given, and the political history traced to a proportionally early date. 



