VI.—Across Europe and Asia.—Travelling Notes

Extract

Whilst in Irkutsk I had many opportunities of conversing about the earthquakes which sometimes disturb these Central Asian localities. Not long before my arrival in the town, a sharp shocks had been experienced. The general effect it produced was given to me by Miss Cathleen Campbell, now Mrs. Szlenker, who had been keeping a record of meteorological and other phenomena. The shock took place at 2.55 a.m. on the 4th September. It was at first felt in a direction from east to west, but after 1¾ minutes it changed to N.E. and S.W. The shock, which was severe, caused ornaments on the table to rattle, and a few bottles which were close together knocked each other with so much force that they fell over. There were thirteen of them, and they tumbled in various directions—nine fell on the table, and four were broken on the floor. Watches and clocks were stopped, and screws 1¼ in. long, fastened in the wall to keep a clock straight, were drawn out. Preceding this shock, from observations which I saw, the barometer appears to have been lower than usual.