228 
THE GEOLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND. 
aches were quite general. After these shocks large quan¬ 
tities of bitumen or asphaltum were washed up on the coast; 
some pieces were of considerable weight. At Ohau, much 
gas was ejected from circular openings. But the grand 
centre of action was at Wellington, where most of the houses 
were more or less injured; indeed, there was scarcely a brick 
building left standing, or a single chimney which was not 
thrown down. Several fissures were formed, and the land was 
raised so much that the small craft which were accustomed to 
anchor close in shore, were obliged to change their ground.* 
On the 23rd of January 1855, the south-western part of New 
* Despatch of Lieutenant-Governor Eyre, relative to the Earthquake at 
Wellington. 
Government House, Wellington, 19th October, 1848. 
Sin,—It is my most painful duty to inform your Excellency that a terrible 
calamity has overtaken this province: an earthquake has occurred, and the 
town of Wellington is in ruins. 
On the morning of Monday the 16th of October, about twenty minutes to 
two a.m., the first shbck occurred, and was sufficiently strong to throw down 
or injure most of the chimneys in the town, and to crack the walls of very many 
of the brick buildings. 
Considerable loss of property was sustained by breakages in the houses, and 
a good deal of alarm excited in the minds of the inhabitants. During the 
whole of Monday shocks and tremblings of the earth were from time to time 
experienced, but of a slighter character than the first. 
On Tuesday, the 17th October, about four o’clock a.m., another rather 
smart shock was felt, and again at eight a.m. Lighter ones continued at 
intervals during the day, until twenty minutes to four o’clock in the afternoon, 
when a sudden and much more violent shock took place; by this, chimneys 
remaining up were, for the most part, cast down. The native hospital, the 
gaol, many of the large brick stores, and the high brick walls, were thrown 
down: immense destruction of property took place, and, I regret to add, a 
melancholy loss of life. 
Barrack-Sergeant Lovell and two of his children were thrown down and 
buried by falling ruins. Upon being extricated, one of the children was found 
dead, and the other so seriously injured, that it died a few hours afterwards. 
The Sergeant himself was much hurt, and now lies in a precarious state.— 
(Since dead.) 
During the remainder of Tuesday and the succeeding night, slight shocks 
only were felt; but about five a.m., on Wednesday morning, a stronger one 
occurred, and another about eight a.m. Minor shocks continued at intervals 
during the remainder of the day and evening, until the morning of Thursday 
the 19th, at ten minutes past five a.m., when a most violent and awful shock 
