262 Memoir on Indian Earthquakes. [No. 136. 



Baghan and desert of Buttee Kote ; while its Western limit is marked 

 by ridges, which here project into the valley of the Soorkh Rood. 

 The length of the Jellalabad plain is 25 miles, and its width does not 

 exceed four miles." 



The town of Jellalabad (lat. 34° 25' ; long. 70° 30'*) was garrisoned 

 at the period of the Earthquake by General Sir Robert Sale's Brigade, 

 and hence our information as to the effects of the shock is in consi- 

 derable detail. The following extract from the Englishman, gives the 

 most graphic account of the Earthquake I have yet seen. 



Extract from a letter published in the Calcutta Englishman of the \§th 

 May 1842, dated Jellalabad, 2Hth April, 1842. 



" On the 19th February, we had one of the most awful Earthquakes 

 I have ever experienced ; it occurred at mid-day, being very stormy at 

 the time, with clouds of dust floating through the atmosphere. The 

 shock lasted about a minute and a half, and commenced with a sound 

 like the rolling of a heavy waggon over a wooden bridge—the earth 

 swung to and fro like the rocking of a cradle ; not a man could keep 

 his legs ; every one fell prostrate, and a sensation of sickness and gid- 

 diness affected all. Bastions and houses came tumbling down with a 

 dreadful crash, and we verily believed we were about to be swallowed 

 up in some yawning chasm. The earth did open in several 

 places, and water appeared on the surface of the ground. The 

 river was thrown into the most violent commotion, and the 

 water dashed over its bank with frightful violence. I was standing 

 on a bastion at the time, it split in two places and crumbled 

 down ; I was precipitated to some distance, where I lay stunned and 

 stupified with horror. No one could utter a word, and every face was 

 blanched with terror and apprehension ; here was death in a new form, 

 for which we were totally unprepared. Providentially for us, not a 

 man of our party was killed ; many were injured by the falling of the 

 houses, but none dangerously : a few of the inhabitants of the town 

 were killed, where the fall of the high houses choked up the street, and 

 left no room for escape ; but on the whole the accidents were few, compa- 

 red to the nature and extent of the mischief. From this period until the 



* The positions of places in Afghanistan, are taken from Walker's New Map. 



