It may not be amiss further to observe upon this head, that once, in returning from Edystone, having got within about two miles of the Ramhead, we were becalmed; and here we rolled about for at least four hours; and yet at the same time saw vessels, not above a league from us, going out of Plymouth Sound with a fresh of wind, whose direction was towards us, as we could observe from the trim of their sails; and as we ourselves experienced, after we got into it by tacking and rowing.
I am, Sir,
Your most humble Servant,
J. Smeaton.
Furnival’s-Inn Court, 12th Jan. 1758.
LXII. An Account of the Earthquake felt in the Island of Sumatra, in the East-Indies, in November and December 1756. In a Letter from Mr. Perry to the Rev. Dr. Stukeley, dated at Fort Marlborough, in the Island of Sumatra, Feb. 20. 1757. Communicated by the Rev. Wm. Stukeley, M. D. F.R.S.
Read Jan. 12, 1758.
THE earthquake at Lisbon, which you gave me an account of, was certainly the most awful tremendous calamity, that has ever happened in the world. Its effects are extremely wonderful and amazing; and it seems, as you observe, to have been felt in all parts of the globe. On the 3d day of the same month the earthquake of Lisbon happened, I felt at Manna[1] a violent shock myself; and from that time to the 3d of December following I felt no less than twelve different shocks, all which I took an exact account of in my pocket-bock. Since which we have had two very severe earthquakes, felt, we believe, throughout this island[2]. The walls of[3] Cumberland-house[4] were greatly damaged by them. Salop-house[4], my own (formerly Mr. Massey’s), the houses of Laye[5] and Manna, were all cracked by them; and the works at the sugar-plantation[6] received considerable damage. The ground opened near the qualloe[7] at Bencoolen, and up the River in several places; and there issued therefrom sulphureous earth, and large quantities of water, sending forth a most intolerable stench. Poblo Point[8] was much cracked at the same time; and some doosoons[9] in-land at Manna were destroyed, and many people in them.
These are all the ill effects, that have come to our knowlege; but, it is reasonable to suppose, not all the damage, that has happened upon the island.