﻿92 
  OLDHAM 
  : 
  GREAT 
  EARTHQUAKE 
  OF 
  1 
  897. 
  

  

  by 
  the 
  upper 
  pair 
  of 
  arrows. 
  The 
  waves 
  pass 
  on, 
  the 
  first 
  condi- 
  

   tion 
  is 
  resumed, 
  the 
  wedge 
  drops 
  a 
  little 
  further, 
  to 
  be 
  com- 
  

   pressed 
  once 
  more, 
  and 
  the 
  process 
  is 
  repeated 
  and 
  the 
  subsidence 
  of 
  

   the 
  wedge 
  continues 
  till 
  the 
  alluvium 
  has 
  attained 
  its 
  maximum 
  

   possible 
  compression 
  or 
  the 
  earthquake 
  motion 
  ceases, 
  whichever 
  

   occurs 
  first. 
  

  

  Another 
  form 
  of 
  fissure, 
  which 
  is 
  much 
  akin 
  to 
  that 
  just 
  treated, 
  

   in 
  as 
  much 
  as 
  it 
  is 
  due 
  to 
  compression 
  of 
  the 
  alluvium 
  and 
  not 
  to 
  

   bodily 
  movement 
  at 
  a 
  free 
  surface, 
  is 
  the 
  fissure 
  which 
  so 
  constantly 
  

   runs 
  along 
  the 
  junction 
  of 
  hill 
  and 
  plain 
  and 
  is 
  accompanied 
  by 
  a 
  

   settlement 
  of 
  the 
  alluvium. 
  

  

  All 
  along 
  the 
  foot 
  of 
  the 
  Khasi 
  and 
  Garo 
  hills, 
  wherever 
  the 
  

   alluvium 
  of 
  the 
  plains 
  extends 
  up 
  to 
  foot 
  of 
  the 
  hills, 
  and 
  is 
  not 
  

   separated 
  by 
  the 
  fan 
  of 
  a 
  local 
  stream, 
  the 
  alluvium 
  has 
  separated 
  

   from 
  the 
  hill, 
  and 
  a 
  sudden 
  drop 
  of 
  from 
  1 
  to 
  5 
  feet 
  is 
  found. 
  This 
  

   scarped 
  face 
  of 
  separation 
  is 
  very 
  marked 
  where 
  the 
  road 
  from 
  Tura 
  

   issues 
  on 
  to 
  the 
  plain 
  of 
  the 
  Brahmaputra, 
  and 
  has 
  been 
  referred 
  to 
  

   in 
  official 
  reports 
  as 
  a 
  proof 
  of 
  subsidence. 
  The 
  vertical 
  face 
  of 
  

   separation 
  is 
  about 
  5 
  feet 
  high 
  and 
  at 
  first 
  sight 
  has 
  much 
  the 
  

   appearance 
  of 
  a 
  true 
  fault, 
  but 
  on 
  closer 
  examination 
  is 
  found 
  to 
  

   follow 
  the 
  windings 
  and 
  irregularities 
  of 
  the 
  foot 
  of 
  the 
  hills 
  in 
  a 
  

   manner 
  which 
  makes 
  this 
  explanation 
  impossible. 
  

  

  The 
  separation 
  along 
  the 
  foot 
  of 
  the 
  hills 
  is 
  not 
  confined 
  to 
  the 
  

   alluvial 
  plain 
  of 
  the 
  Brahmaputra 
  but 
  is 
  also 
  noticeable 
  in 
  the 
  case 
  

   of 
  the 
  small 
  patches 
  of 
  peaty 
  alluvial 
  soil 
  found 
  in 
  the 
  valleys 
  on 
  

   the 
  plateau 
  of 
  the 
  Khasi 
  hills. 
  These 
  alluvial 
  bottoms 
  are 
  carefully 
  

   terraced 
  for 
  rice 
  cultivation, 
  up 
  to 
  their 
  very 
  edge, 
  and 
  as 
  the 
  Khasias 
  

   had 
  commenced 
  to 
  irrigate 
  them 
  when 
  I 
  marched 
  through 
  the 
  hills 
  

   in 
  March, 
  I 
  was 
  able 
  to 
  see 
  at 
  a 
  glance, 
  by 
  the 
  varying 
  depth 
  of 
  water 
  

   lying 
  on 
  the 
  land, 
  what 
  changes 
  of 
  level 
  had 
  taken 
  place. 
  

  

  In 
  many 
  places 
  I 
  noticed 
  that 
  the 
  original 
  curve 
  of 
  the 
  horizontal 
  

   alluvial 
  surface 
  into 
  the 
  hill 
  slope 
  was 
  abruptly 
  cut 
  off 
  by 
  a 
  per- 
  

  

  ( 
  92 
  ) 
  

  

  