Page:Awful phenomena of nature -- earthquakes.pdf/18

18 ''Others describe the effect as similar to which is experienced by the slight rolling of a ship at sea.— The chairs and tables in many houses were put in motion; and, in some cases, the leaves of folding tables were  to rattle; the fire-irons in many instances rung against the fenders; and bells in rooms and passages were set a-ringing; in many kitchens, the cooking utensils and dishes made a noise, and next morning many of the doors were found difficult to open—One gentleman observed his book-case move from the wall and fall back again upon it. It is impossible to describe the state of alarm which most people were thrown into by this unusual occurrence Many leaped from bed,imagining their houses were falling, while others ran down stairs in great anxiety, supposing that some had happened in the lower part of their house; as it did not readily occur to many what was the real cause of the motion they felt.—Nor was the terror confined alone to the human species; a bird in a cage was so alarmed that it burst through it, and flew towards the tightlight [sic]. The shock lasted for about three or four seconds; and I understand was felt for a considerable distance round, as far as Johnshaven. In this neighbourhood, two excisemen, who were on the watch smugglers, whom they expected in a certain direction, had lain down on the ground, and when''