976 Memoir on Indian Earthquakes, [No. 156. 



earthquakes of the Jellalabad valley, as illustrations of the latter, 

 Captain Eyre remarks ; " These shocks have always appeared to me 

 to be in some way connected with heavy rain beforehand." Similarly 

 during the shock of the 11th November 1842, heavy rain fell during 

 the shock, none having fallen for some time before. The shock having 

 been felt about half past nine p. m. the rain commenced about 8 p. m. 

 and continued till about 2 a. m. Captain Hannay records in his 

 notice of the earthquake of the 14th January 1839, experienced in 

 Assam that ',' some days of heavy rain in the valley, and snow in the 

 mountains preceded it," also in his notice of the shock of the 3d June 

 1839, it is observed the weather was wet and disagreeable. It would 

 therefore appear that heavy rain before, during and after shocks has 

 frequently been observed ; and this remark, founded on our local ex- 

 perience, is interesting, as being in perfect analogy with observations 

 made on earthquakes in other parts of the world. 



d. Winds and storms. There are several cases noted in the pre- 

 ceding parts in which a connection is indicated between earthquake 

 shocks and atmospheric currents. The circumstances accompanying 

 them are such as to render it difficult to suppose that the con- 

 nection was merely an accidental one. Thus during the Calcutta 

 shock of the 11th November 1842, it was observed, that "there 

 was an unpleasant stillness in the air previous to this occurrence 

 (the earthquake), but the wind rose strongly from the eastward 

 almost immediately afterwards." Again in the notice of the Delhi 

 earthquake of the 24th October 1842, it is remarked, "the wind 

 was west, from which quarter it had been blowing steadily for 

 some days, but just previous to the earthquake it was in strong 

 gusts." The great Calcutta shock of October 1737, was accompanied 

 by *' a furious hurricane at the mouth of the Ganges which reached 

 60 leagues up the river," and the shock of April 1810, in the same 

 locality, occurred contemporaneously with a heavy north-wester. The 

 Chittagong earthquake of 1762, was in like manner accompanied by 

 "fresh gales of wind at south-east" and lastly, the severe shock of the 

 19th October 1800, at Ongole, occurred while " the wind was blowing 

 a hurricane, and rain so heavy was falling that the whole country ex- 

 hibited an entire sheet of water." These cases may suffice to draw at- 

 tention to the possible connection of earthquakes with variations of winds 



