136 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



and south of Luis Obispo to San Diego and the Colorado River, covering a 

 line of country about three hundred miles in extent. 



From subsequent accounts we learn that it also reached as far as Guaymas, in 

 the province of Sonora, Mexico. 



For a period of six days subsequent to the twenty-sixth of November, the 

 whole of this region to the Colorado, was convulsed, with slight intermissions. 

 During this time a mud volcano opened on the Colorado Desert, and another 

 south of the river : one of these was visited by a portion of the United States 

 command under Col. Hientzelman. 

 December 17th. — Two smart shocks at San Luis Obispo, which fractured the 



walls of two adobe buildings, and threw down a part of the wall of a house 



belonging to, and occupied by Don Jesus Pico and family. 



During the months of November and December, the southern particularly, 

 and middle portions of California were much disturbed ; shocks were experi- 

 enced in those sections for sixty-five days, with variable intermissions ; they were 

 noticed as far north as the thirty-seventh parallel, but generally light in their 

 nature. The latest date of this series was to the fifth of January, 1853, on 

 the valley of the San Joaquin. 



The period of time inclusive between the sixteenth of November (the date of 

 the terrible earthquake at Banda Neira in the Moluccas), aud the twenty-sixth 

 of January, 1853, must be regarded as one of the most remarkable and porten- 

 tious periods of the earth's history during modern times. For in that period a 

 greater proportion of the earth's surface was convulsed by subterranean forces 

 than has been known for many scores of years, in the same length of time. 



The area most severely affected by these phenomena is included between the 

 parallels of forty degrees south latitude and thirty-seven degrees north latitude, 

 and extending from one hundred and twenty degrees east to the forty-fifth degree 

 west longitude, being nearly equal to three-fifths of the equatorial, and a little 

 more than one-half the polar circumference of the earth. 



At this time the coast of eastern Asia, the Islands of the South Indian Ocean, 

 Singapore, the fated Moluccas, the east coast of China, the north, east, and south 

 coasts of Australia, the coast of California, Mexico (west coast,) South America, 

 with portions of the Atlantic coast of the United States south of the thirty- 

 fourth parallel, north latitude, shared in the general disturbance which prevailed 

 on our own shores during this time. With the twenty-sixth of January ceased 

 the vibrations on this coast at that time, but we have positive intelligence that 

 they continued much later on the east coast of China and Australia, in which 

 countries they did not cease until the month of February. With these facts 

 before us we cannot but believe the period included one of the most turbulent 

 in the earth's career during modern times. 



1853. 



Jan. 2d.- — A shock of earthquake was felt in Mariposa ; this was observed in 



San Francisco, Bodega, and at Shasta City. 

 Jan. 5th. — A shock at Corte Madeira. 

 Feb. 14th. — A light shock at San Luis Obispo. 



