18S5.J CHILOE 291 



CHAPTER XIV. 



San Carlos, Chiloe — Osomo in eruption, contemporaneously -with Aconcagua 

 and Coseguina — Ride to Cucao— Impenetrable forests — Valdivia — Indians 

 — Earthquake — Concepcion — Great earthquake — Rocks fissured — Appear- 

 ance of the former towns — The sea black and boiling — Direction of the 

 vibrations — Stones twisted round — Great Wave — Permanent elevation of 

 tlie land — Area of volcanic phenomena — The connexion between the 

 elevatory and eruptive forces — Cause of earthquakes — Slow elevation of 

 Mountain-chains. 



CHILOE AND CONCEPCION : GREAT EARTHQUAKE. 



On January the 15th we sailed from Low's Harbour, and three 

 days afterwards anchored a second time in the bay of S. Carlos 

 in Chiloe. On the night of the 19th the volcano of Osorno was 

 in action. At midnight the sentry observed sometliing like a 

 large star, which gradually increased in size till about three 

 o'clock, when it presented a very magnificent spectacle. By the 

 aid of a glass, dark objects, in constant succession, were seen, in 

 the midst of a great glare of red light, to be thrown up and to 

 fall down. The light was sufficient to cast on the water a long 

 bright reflection. Large masses of molten matter seem very 

 commonly to be cast out of the craters in this part of the Cor- 

 dillera. I was assured that when tlie Corcovado is in eruption, 

 great masses are projected upwards and are seen to burst in the 

 air, assuming many fantastical forms, such as trees : their size 

 must be immense, for they can be distinguished from the high 

 land behind S. Carlos, which is no less tlian ninety-three miles 

 from the Corcovado. In the morning the volcano became tran- 

 quil. 



I was surprised at hearing afterwards that Aconcagua in Chile, 

 480 miles northwards, was in action on tliis same night ; and 

 still more surprised to hear, that the great eruption of Co- 

 seguina (2700 miles north of Aconcagua), accompanied by an 

 earthquake felt over a 1000 miles, also occurred within six hours 

 of this same time. This coincidence is the more remark- 

 able, as Coseguina had been dormant for tventy-six years: 



