SUMATRA. 
was formed ne&r to the mouth of Padang Goochee, a neighbouring Remarkable 
river, fouth of the former, a large plain, feven miles long and half 
a mile broad; where there had been before only a narrow beach. The 
quantity of earth brought down on this occafion was fo coiifiderable, chat 
the hill upon which the Englifh refident*s houfe Hands, appears, from 
indubitable marks, lefs elevated by fifteen feet than it was before the event* 
Earthquakes have been remarked by feme to happen ufually upon fud- 
dcn changes of weather, and particularly after violent heats ; but I do 
not vouch this upon my own experience, which has been pretiy ample. 
They are preceded by a low rumbling noife like diftant thunder. The 
domeflic cattle and fowls are fenfible of the preternatural motion, and 
feem much alarmed ; the latter making the cry they are wont to do on 
the approach of birds of prey. Houfes fituated in a low fandy foil are 
leaft affeaed, 
the fhocks, becaufe the further removed from the center of motion, the 
greater the agitation ; and the loofe contexture of the one foundarion, 
making lefs refinance than the folidity of the other, fubjedts the build- 
ing to lefs violence. Ships at anchor in the road, though feveral miles 
tllftant from the ihore, arc ftrougly fenfible of the concuffion. 
Befides the new land formed by the convulfions above defer ibed, the ^^^^^ 
fea by a gradual rccefs in fome parts, produces the fame effedt. Many Conned, 
inftances of this kind ; of no confiderable extent however ; have been 
obferved '^Athm the memory of perfons now living. Eat it would fccm to 
me, that that large tract or i^iia v«u^d jn*,u i>^;tff^ fnr mJng th& bay of the 
name, near to Silebar, with much of the adjacent country, has thus been 
left by the withdrawing, or thrown up by the motion of the fea. Per- 
haps the point may have been atfirft an iiland ; from whence its appella- 
tion of pQoh^ and tlie parts more inland, fmce gradually united to it. 
Various circumftances tend to corroborate fuch an opinion, and to evince 
the probability that this was not an original portion of the main, 
but new, half-formed land* All the fwamps and marlhy grounds that 
lie within the beach; and near the extremity there are little elfej 
H are 
