1869.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 163 



Copy of a letter from Offg. Deputy Commissioner, Bunnoo, to Ofg. Com- 

 missioner and Superintendent, Derajat Division, No. 135, dated 

 2Sth March, 1868. 



In reply to his No. 75, dated 8th instant, forwarding for report, 

 copy of No. 1239, dated 3rd instant, from Secretary to Financial 

 Commissioner, Punjab, lias the honor to report as follows : 



2. The earthquake which occurred here during the night of 

 November 10th last caused the moisture, which generally lies at 

 a depth of about 2 feet beneath the surface, to rise to about 6 inches 

 from the surface. This phenomenon was general throughout all the 

 light sandy tracts of Murwut. In consequence of it numbers of 

 villagers who, on account of the drought, had for the time deserted 

 their villages, returned, and, with those who had remained, at once 

 commenced ploughing and sowing for Rubbee. 



3. Undersigned was in Murwut himself shortly after, and him- 

 self tested the truth of the reports which had spread throughout the 

 district. The sandy surface of the soil exhibited its usual dry 

 parched appearance, but on scraping the surface a little, the moisture 

 was at once rendered apparent. The rise in the level of the moisture 

 can only be attributed to the earthquake, as the day before it took 

 place the moisture lay at its usual depth below the surface, and on 

 the morning after the earthquake it had everywhere risen from 1 

 foot to 18 inches above its usual level. 



Note by R. E. Eger'con, Esquire, Financial Commissioner, Panjah. 

 The report regarding the effects of the earthquake in Bunnoo on 

 moistening the soil, which appeared in the newspaper lately quoted 

 from Bombay Grazette, I think, seemed to me a repetition of the 

 reports which were prevalent there in November to the same effect, 

 and which came up again from Bombay after 3 months, as if the 

 news was fresh. 



When I was in Bunnoo in November, there was a rumour that the 

 soil of Murwut had been rendered moist by the earthquake which 

 had recently occurred, and that the people had been able to sow 

 their spring crops though no rain had fallen. I asked about this 

 from the people at Lukkee in Murwut, and they said that no such 

 effect had been really produced by an earthquake, but that people 



