1843.] Memoir on Indian Earthquakes. 1031 



Eafthquakes of 1803. — This is the first Earthquake emanating 

 from the central portion of the Himalaya range, of which any authen- 

 tic information has been obtained. Its destructive effects were chiefly 

 experienced in the mountain provinces of Sirmoor, Gurwhal and Ku- 

 maon, although its influence is said to have extended throughout the 

 whole of the plains of Hindostan, from the Himalayas to Bengal. 



The following details connected with it, are given in the " Gleanings 

 of Science," vol. II, p. 50, by a writer, who though signing only his 

 initials," may readily be identified with Colonel Hodgson, late Surveyor 

 General of India, from whose accounts of his journeys in the Hima- 

 layas nearly all my information relative to this Earthquake has been 

 obtained. 



" I will in a general way notice among many other peculiarities of 

 the mountains, some of the most remarkable. And first, of the Earth- 

 quakes which are more frequent in their occurrence, and more destruc- 

 tive in their effects than in the plains. You may have heard of the 

 Earthquake of 1803, which was considered violent in this country, and 

 many buildings were damaged over the whole extent from Bengal 

 to the Punjaub: but in the mountains its effects were terrible, and a 

 great part of the population perished ; whole villages having been 

 buried by the fall of cliffs, and sliding down of the faces of the hills. 

 The scenes of that havoc have often been pointed out to me; the 

 imagination can hardly form an idea of a more terrible event than 

 such a catastrophe. What can be the reason of those more violent 

 shocks in the mountains than in the plains ? We saw no volcanoes, 

 nor heard of any, and I believe there are none ; thunder and lightning 



(Journal Asiatic Society, vol. IV, p. 659,) indicates the volcanic nature of the loca- 

 lities under notice : — 



" Volcanoes — Sal- Ammoniac. — At a distance of ten days journey from Auksu, (which 

 lies North-east from Yarkand, about 20 days Caravan travelling,) are two very high 

 ranges of mountains, between which there is a valley, the surface of which to a consider- 

 able depth, is covered with Sal-Ammoniac. There is a dreadful heat at this place, 

 occasioned by a volcano which, by the people of the country, is called " God's Fire." 

 The heat prevents them from approaching it in the summer; during the eruption the 

 Sal-Ammoniac is said to be thrown out, and showered over the valley like mist, to the 

 distance of one kos : it afterwards hardens, and becomes during the winter crystallised 

 like ice. People go there at that season, cut it into convenient pieces, and carry it 

 away. It is said that near old or Koneh Turfan also, is a mountain out of which 

 flames of fire are seen to issue. 



" Earthquakes — Cholera. — The natives state, that about three years ago (1832-33) 

 there were constant Earthquakes in the province, and that Cholera committed great 

 ravages at Yarkand. In Badakhshan, the Earthquakes destroyed a great number of 

 houses and people." 



Similar indications of volcanic action are continued throughout the territory of 

 Iskardoh, where hot springs are numerous, the temperature of some of which is so high, 

 that when a drop of the water is placed on the skin, it immediately raises a blister. 

 (J. A. S. vol. IV, p. 594.) 



Throughout the whole of Thibet copious hot springs occur, some of very high tem- 

 perature, but I have not obtained any information relative to the occurrence of Earth- 

 quakes in that country. M. Alexander Csoma de Kbros, in his Geographical notice of 

 Thibet, (J. A. S. vol. I, p. 126,) mentions that between U and Ts'ang in Thibet Proper, 

 there are hot springs used in curing cutaneous diseases and the gout. But such hot 

 springs are numerous in the mountains lying East from the Ma-p'han Lake: especi- 

 ally at one place there is a hole out of which continually issues vapour, and at certain 

 intervals, hot water is ejected with great noise, to the height of twelve feet. 



