Part of a Letter Dated June 7. 1697 Giving an Account of a Moving Bog in Ireland. A Description of This Bog, and Account of the Motion Thereof. By Mr. John Honohane. Communicated by William Molyneux, Esq

1. Part of a Letter dated June 7, 1697, giving an Account of a moving Bog in Ireland. On the 7th Day of June, 1697, near Charleville, in the County of Limerick, in Ireland, a great Rumbling or faint Noise was heard in the Earth, much like unto the Sound of Thunder near spent; for a little Space the Air was somewhat troubled with little Whisking Winds, seeming to meet contrary Ways: And soon after that, to the greater Terror and Affrightment of a great Number of Spectators, a more wonderful thing happened; for in a Bog stretching North and South, the Earth began to move, viz. Meadow and Pasture Land that lay on the side of the Bog, and separated by an extraordinary large Ditch, and other Land on the further side adjoining to it; and a Rising, or little Hill in the middle of the Bog hereupon sunk flat. This Motion began about Seven of the Clock in the Evening, fluctuating in its Motion like Waves, the Pasture-Land rising very high, so that it over-run the Ground beneath it, and moved upon its Surface, rowling on with great pushing Violence, till it had covered the Meadow, and is held to remain upon it 16 Feet deep. In the Motion of this Earth, it drew after it the Body of the Bog, part of it lying on the Place where the Pasture-Land that moved out of its Place it had before, stood; leaving great Breaches behind it, and spewings of Water that cast up noisom Vapours: And so it continues at present, to the great Wonderment of those that pass by, or come many Miles to be Eye-witnesses of so strange a thing. A true Description of the Bog of Kapanihane upon the Estate of Brook Bridges, Esq. in the County of Limerick, near Charlevill; with an Account of the Motion thereof on the 7th Day of June, 1697, in the Afternoon, which lasted about half an Hour. Communicated by W. Molyneux, Esq. The Line A B is the Meridian, C a Meadow containing 3 English Acres, and 32 Perches; D firm Pasture-Land (but of a Course, Boggy Substance) containing 4 Acres Acres 3 Roods. The Line 1, 2. was a Hedge of large Ash and Willow Trees between the Meadow and the firm Land. 3, 4. Was the Edge of the Bog next to the Pasture. The prickt Lines from 3. to 5. and from 4. to 6. shew the Limits or Bounds of the Bog. 2. The Meadow C was lower by a Descent of 5 Foot than the Pasture D, and the Pasture D was lower by 6 Foot than the Surface of the Bog: And there was yet a considerable rising and Hill, as at E, the Height whereof was above 10 Foot above the Surface of the Bog; so that there was a Descent from E to the Meadow. 3. Now I come to its Motion, and will presume to shew the Cause in Brief. A more than ordinary wet Spring occasion'd a prodigious swelling of the Height of the Bog at E, and at length moisten'd the whole, but chiefly the under part thereof, the Water soaking to the Bottom. By this means the Turfy Hill E being as it were undermin'd, naturally sunk down, and consequently press'd the Bog on all hands, chiefly towards the Descent; till the Pasture D was forced on the Meadow C, overturning the intermediate Hedge. So that the Line 3, 4. is now become 1, 2. and the Meadow and the whole Bog are Level, only there are Chasms and great Cracks throughout the whole Surface of the Bog, represented by the stroaks about E. The Bog contains 40 Acres. Whereas some conceive that this Motion cannot be Naturally explained, for Two Reasons; First, That no Quantity of Water was discovered on the said Motion. Secondly, That no considerable Descent appears now to the Spectators. As to the First, I know that there was a Quantity of Water. And as to the Latter, I know also that there was a Descent, as I have described it. My Cause of Knowledge is, that I hold Farms from the said Brook Bridges, Esq. joining to, and bounding with the said Bog, and was acquainted with the same before the Motion.