'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎285] (418/458)

OF UPPEK SCINDE—JANUARY, 1852,
285
connected with an earthquake that occurred on this Frontier lately, and
which has been attended with most fatal results to the Murree tribe.
On the morning of the 24:th ultimo at 3h. 45m., a slight shock was felt
here, but not sufficient to affect in any way the buildings in this neigh
bourhood. After some days had elapsed, intelligence was received that
the same had been felt in other parts of the country to the Northward
to a less or greater degree, but especially in the Murree hills where
it had been the cause of the death of a large number of people,
and of the loss of much cattle and other property. It was some
time before fully authentic particulars were received, of which the
following is an abstract. On the morning of the 2nd day of the
Mussulman month Bubbee-ul-Akbir (corresponding to the 24th of
January of our reckoning), at the time of the appearance of the
false dawn, that is about 4 o’clock, a very severe shock of an
earthquake was felt at Kahun, the principal Fort in the Murree hills
and residence of the chief and main portion of that tribe ;—one side
of the Fort-wall was thrown down, the remainder much shattered, and
the greater number of the houses inside also overthrown, burying?
beneath the ruins many men, women, and children, with some cattle, and
a good deal of property besides. Deen Mahomed the chief of the tribe
himself appears to have had a miraculous escape, the house in which he
was living falling with the others and men being killed on either side
of him; he was saved by the portion of the house immediately above him
remaining firm until the motion had ceased, when he was found
hemmed in by the ruins of the remainder of his dwellingmost of the
private houses, Bunniahs 3 shops, &c., within the Fort either fell to the
ground or were so shaken, that it was considered unsafe to lemain
longer within them. On this Been Mahomed, his family, and all the
usual residents within Kahun left it, and proceeded to another small
Fort called Dost All’s (the uncle of the chief) Kotela, not fai distant,
entirely abandoning a place which they looked upon with superstitious
dread, as unlucky and pregnant with further misfortune to them, did
they remain there longer; and, I believe, owing to the strong feeling
these people have on these subjects, that it will never again be inhabited #
by them. At the same time that this disaster occurred at Kahun.
another even more fearful calamity overtook a portion of the tribe,
living with their cattle in a large cave; some little distance to the