1843.] Memoir on Indian Earthquakes. 263 



middle of March, we had frequent slight shocks, sometimes so many as 

 six or seven during the twenty-four hours. Our fortifications were 

 seriously damaged by this awful visitation, and we fully expected the 

 enemy would have made a rush upon us, for there were gaps enough, 

 but every precaution was taken to repel them. They hovered about 

 us, however, like birds of prey, trying to ascertain the extent of our 

 damage ; whether they learnt it or not I cannot say, but seemingly they 

 thought it better to let us alone. We fell to work again with renew- 

 ed energy, and in a short time repaired much of the injury the works 

 had sustained, labouring night and day without intermission, until we 

 were once more able to set the enemy at defiance." 



The appearance of water at the Earth's surface through fissures 

 made by Earthquake shocks having been connected with theoretical 

 considerations on the causes of the events,* I felt desirous of verifying 

 the statement made in the above extract, that this phenomena was 

 observed at Jellalabad, and I therefore wrote to my friend Major 

 Broadfoot, C. B., requesting him to give me any information on the 

 point he might possess. In reply, under date Jellalabad, 13 th July 

 1842, he thus writes : " You ask where the water came from that issu- 

 ed from the cracks in the earth. I saw no water issue from the 

 cracks which opened where I was, nor signs of any in others, and I saw 

 more of the effects and sooner than perhaps any one else ; nor do I 

 remember hearing of water issuing from the earth at the time. Still 

 it may have happened." And the nature of Major Broadfoot's duties 

 gave him the best possible opportunities of observation, it is probable 

 that had water actually been ejected from the earth, the circumstance 

 would not have escaped his notice, and the statement that it did do so, 

 must be considered as very doubtful. 



A few further particulars of the Earthquake at Jellalabad are given 



in the following extract from Sir Robert Sale's official dispatch, dated 



Jellalabad. 16th April 1842 : " But it pleased Providence, on the 19th of 



February, to remove in an instant this ground of confidence (alluding to 



the defensive works executed by Major Broadfoot for. the protection of 



the city.) A tremendous Earthquake shook down all our parapets built 



* On Hydrostatic Pressure as a cause of Earthquakes, by the Rev. John Toplis, 

 B. D. Jameson's Journal, No. 59, p. 84. 



