THE EARTHQUAKE.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 61, 9 June 1863, Page 2

THE EARTHQUAKE.

Friday, sth June, 11 p.m. — A smart shock of earthquake occurred about an hour ago. At 9.55 p.m. a low subterranean rumbling, like distant thunder, was perceptible. It became rapidly louder, with an increasing tremulous vibration, till' 9-57, when it suddenly ceased, and there was a shock of sufficient force to make the house creak violently. The effect was exactly analogous to that at sea produced by a wave passing under a ship's keel. The undulatory movement was from W.S.W. to E.N.E., and was followed by a continuous rocking motion for two minutes. During the forty-eight hours previous, it blew a heavy gale at W.~N.~W. to W., with a mild temperature, and without rain. The lowest point reached by the thermometer this morning was 50 ° , and the highest that afternoon si ° , giving the small range of only two degrees. Just before j the earthquake, it became calm and cloudless, with exception of a few cirri. There was a peculiar haze in the air towards sunset, and the red light, which during the approach or continuance of a gale invariably appears in the W. an hour after sunset, was remarkably bright. It is remarkable that this earthquake has occurred about the time of a lunar eclipse. The same thing happened in June, 1862, when the earthquake took place in the middle of the eclipse of the 12th. It n as, as in this case, and that of March 26, preceded by a severe storm. On the former occasion the shock was from E.S.E. to W m N."W"., and much shorter duration than that of this event. Chables Rotts Hasten. Marfcendale, Ryal Bush.