C x 3 ] 
in the fame time, than the lower ; the natural con- 
iequence of an undulatory motion of the earth. 
But the agitation occafioned by this earthquake 
was not confined to the land : it was very fenfible 
on the water, and even at confiderable diftances in 
the ocean. The veflels in our harbours were l'o 
fhaken, that it feemed to thofe, who were in them, 
as if they were beating on the bottom. Some, that 
were in the bay, coming in from fea, thought 
they had run upon rocks or fands. One very un- 
common effect of this concuflion is related by feve- 
ral of our feafaring men, that almoft immediately 
after the earthquake, large numbers of fifh of dif- 
ferent forts, both great and fmall, came up to the 
furface of the water, fome dead, and others dying. 
The center of our former earthquakes, as well as 
of this, feems to have been near the river Merrimac, 
about the latitude of 43 ° north, and 40 miles north 
from hence 5 many fhocks having been felt in that 
neighbourhood, which did not extend to this place. 
The late Rev. Mr. Plant of Newbury, which is fitu- 
ated at the mouth of that river, has given a very 
particular journal, in Philof. < Tra?jfaff. N°. 462. of 
the fhocks felt there from 1727 to 1741, few of 
which were perceived here or at Bofton. I remem- 
ber none after the memorable 29th October 1727, 
befide that on 30th January 1728, about two in the 
afternoon ; and that on 5th September J732, which, 
by his account, did confiderable damage at Montreal 
in Canada, but it was very fmall at Bofton. That 
alfo on 6th February 1737, about a quarter paft four 
in the afternoon, which he calls a confiderable (hock, 
was perceived at Bofton j and fo was that on 7 th 
December 
