42 MIDDLEMISS : KANGEA EARTHQUAKE, 



proximity of the west end of the church. The heavy stone cross from 

 the summit of the east gable -end of the chancel was found on the 

 ground to the south a horizontal distance of 27 feet 4 inches from its 

 original position. The pedestal of the same was 4 feet away to the 

 north-east of the cross. The indentation on the ground made by the 

 falling cross was, however, only 21 feet 10 inches horizontally from its 

 original position. The original height of the cross in place was 37 feet 



1 inch as determined with an Abney's level. The pedestal of another 

 cross from the east gable-end of the nave was found on the ground 

 to the north 22° E., the horizontal distance being 24 feet 3 inches. The 

 height from which it came can only be guessed from the appearance 

 of the photograph of the church before the earthquake. It was about 

 46 feet. Both the pedestals can be detected in the photograph.* 



The tea factories near Palampur were ruined, most of the walls and 

 roof being down and the machinery buried and 



Tea Faciories. 



considerably damaged. 

 One of the most striking local efiects of the earthquake as witness- 

 lAndslros and ec * near Palampur, was the column of black dust 

 dust cloud, Neogal which appeared ascending from the precipitous 

 Gorge slopes of the Dhauladhar range at the head of the 



Neogal Gorge. On the 28th and 29th April, some days before my visit 

 to Palampur and whilst at Kangra, I had noticed the above-mentioned 

 dark grey cloud ascending rather like smoke from the ravines below. The 

 appearance lasted for several hours, but was most distinct between 

 10 and 11 a. m. The snow of the ridges near could be seen to be 

 covered, and almost black with the fallen particles. On arriving at 

 Palampur I found there was a certain amount of disquietude among the 

 inhabitants as to what the cloud might portend. With the assistance 

 of Mr. Ballard who knew the locality and also along with Captain 

 McKechnie, T.M.S., I visited the Neogal Gorge and penetrated as near to 

 the scene of the phenomenon as we could get. This took us well among 

 the older slates and quartzites of the higher range. From^the summit 

 of a side spur 4 or 5 miles N. N. E. of Palampur, marked 8,256 ft. on the 



2 inch = l mile map, and about 3,500 feet above the bed of the gorge 





