1048* Memoir on Indian Earthquakes. [No. 144. 



ordinary event I was ever witness to. By the enclosed paper you will 

 discern how many alarms we had ; however, nothing equal to the first, 

 in which the whole force of the Earthquake seems to have been exerted. 

 At present, the afternoon of the 4th April, all our heads seem to be 

 quiet and still, and consequently the earth at rest ; but really yesterday, 

 from the repeated tremors of the ground, every one appeared giddy 

 and alarmed, fancying the earth to be in perpetual vibration, which, 

 however, an experiment of placing a glass of water on the floor proved 

 to be not the case. I would not that such a shock as the first should 

 happen at Calcutta for all I am worth, since of necessity the terraced 

 houses must fall to ruin, and I please myself with the thoughts, that we 

 have had the worst of it. — Chittagong, \ih April, 1762. 

 " Copy of the paper mentioned in the foregoing letter : — 



Chittagong, April 2, 1762. 

 11 April 2, at 5h. p. m. A severe shock of an Earthquake, lasted 



four minutes. 



A second, lasted one minute. 



A third. 



A fourth. 



A fifth. 

 1 a. m. A sixth. 



A seventh. 



An eighth. 



A ninth. 



A tenth. 



A eleventh. 



" Between 6 and 7 in the evening, I felt a twelfth shock : also others 

 upon Marriott's hill, at a distance from Mount Pleasant, which every 

 one thought in continual motion." 



The following translation of another Persian paper, concludes the 

 series illustrative of the effects of the shock now under notice. 



" The weather being very close and warm for some days preceding, 

 on the 2nd April, about 5 in the afternoon, we were alarmed by an 

 Earthquake ; which beginning with a gentle motion, increased to so 

 violent a degree for about two minutes, that the trees, hills, and houses 

 shook so severely, that it was with difficulty many could keep their 

 feet ; and some of the black people were thrown on the ground, whose 

 fears operated so powerfully, that they died on the spot : others again 

 were so greatly affected, that they have not recovered themselves 

 since. 



" On the plains, by the river and near the sea, it was chiefly felt with 

 great severity. 



" Our bungalows proved very convenient on so melancholy an occa- 

 sion, for had we been in brick houses, they must inevitably have been 

 shattered or levelled with the ground ; as there is not a brick wall or 

 house but is either greatly damaged or fallen. 



5b 



i. 12m. 



5 



30 



7 







10 







1 



A. M. 



2 



?> 



3 



5» 



5 



5> 



10 



25 



10 



30 



