1845.] Register of Indian and Asiatic Earthquakes, \^\Z. 605 



At 6 p.m. the Thermometer (Fahrenheit) marked 83°, the sky was 

 clear, the sea calm, the air pleasant and mild, only a breeze from the 

 Westward (a circumstance of rape occurrence in these parts) was felt. 



The inhabitants of Nias, not aware of the fate that awaited them, 

 were enjoying the repose of sleep, when at or about midnight they were 

 roused by heavy shocks of the earth, which at first were felt in a slight 

 degree from the wind shifting to the Northward, but became every 

 moment more violent ; so that no fixed direction could be given to them, 

 the shocks subsiding into a complete trembling of the earth, so that at 

 every instant it was expected the whole Island would disappear. 



The shocks continued without intermission during nine minutes, the 

 ground was moved up and down, like the rocking of a swing ; to stand 

 up or to walk was alike impossible ; houses were destroyed, burying 

 beneath their ruins the ill-fated inhabitants. 



A portion of the Mount Horiffa, close to Goenong Sie Foli, together 

 with the fortifications of the Benting and the other Government build- 

 ings, with the exception of the barracks and Commandant's house, were 

 totally destroyed ; Coco and other large trees which for upwards of a 

 century had withstood the hand of Time, were torn up by the roots, 

 and the ground divided itself, shewing deep yawning chasms from which 

 trickled a blackish frothy liquid. 



No subterraneous noises were heard, being probably drowned by the 

 dreadful din of falling mountains, houses and trees, joined to the thril- 

 ling shouts of the population. 



About nine minutes passed in the fear of immediate destruction, the 

 inhabitants began gradually to recover from the trance in which they 

 lay plunged by this sudden calamity, people appearing from beneath 

 the ruins of a house, or from an abyss into which they had been plung- 

 ed ; the one to save an aged mother, the other his helpless child. 



The dreadful scene was lit up by the most beautiful sky and spark- 

 ling stars. Not long the unfortunate Islanders were permitted to exult 

 in the hope of their miraculous escape. Again, the earth began to 

 tremble, and repeated shocks were felt with new force. Suddenly a 

 tremendous wave rose from the South-East, and with awful noise, 

 spreading itself over that part of the Coast, bore every thing before it, 

 sweeping away men, women, cattle, houses, and even whole villages ; 



