Page:Great Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857.djvu/253

Rh proposed to myself to search the heart of the shaken country from the westward, then to pursue a southern track until I should have nearly reached its confines in  that direction, and then (by another road, and further  eastward if possible,) retrace my steps, and pursue a  northern course until I reached its northern confines.

I reserved for the results of so much of my examination, the determination of whether to pursue a direct eastern course, then from the middle region, or to stretch farther  north, and then observe the effects of the transverse chain  of the Apennines upon the main earth-wave.

Much interest attaching to the question of a permanent rise or fall in the level of the land, at or after the shock, I made such observations as were practicable at and around  Naples; but none of these proving decisive, I resolved, before  turning to the eastward along the course of the Salaris,  to go a little further south, and examine the coast and  river mouths between Naples and the mouth of the Salaris  and down to Pæstum for evidences of any such movement.

The narrative, therefore, will be given in the order nearly of the places visited, condensing together observations, &c., made at different times when the same  places were visited twice.

—The following is the official notice of the shock, translated from the 'Giornale Reale' of 17th Dec. 1857:—"We have received the following letter from  the director of the Astronomical Observatory at Capodimonte—'Sir—I hasten to inform you that last night at ten  minutes after ten o'clock (tempo meridiano) a shock of  earthquake occurred which lasted about four or five seconds;  two minutes afterwards another shock of much greater