Cii. V. SOUTH AMERICA. 235 



Conception to their former possessions, with the great" 

 est apparent security. 13ut the \ ear 1 603 gave birth to 

 a new and more general confederacy, by wliich means 

 Conception, La Iinperia, and Kaldivia, with six: 

 smaller places, were destroyed.; being the greatest part 

 of the places in this kingdom. Conception, however, 

 received fresh succours, the city was again repaired, 

 and has continued ever since. 



Its latitude, according to an observation we made 

 in the year 1744, at Talcaguana, which lies exactly 

 E. and%y. with the city, "is 36° 43' 15" S. and iü 

 longitude from the meridian ofTeneriff, according to 

 Father Fevillee, 30.-3° 18' 30". The city is built on 

 the S. W. shore of a beautiful bay, on an uneven 

 sandy ground, and on a small declivity, having a little 

 river running through it. The city, in its extent, is 

 scarce equal to one of the fourth class The destruc- 

 tion it suffered in the dreadul earthquake of 1730, oc- 

 casioned all thehousesto be built low, though it had be- 

 fore been subject to these sudden convulsions of nature. 

 This was, however, the last of those remarkable for 

 theirmelancholy consequences, which extended to San- 

 tiago, the capital of the kingdom, which was involved 

 in the same ruin. On the 8th of July, at one in the 

 morning, the firstemotionswerefelt, and th.e concussions 

 increasing, the sea retreated toaconsiderabledistance; 

 but in a small time returned so impetuously, and with 

 such a swell, that it overflowed the whole city, and the 

 neighbouring countries. In this sudden calamity the 

 inhabitants had no other asylum than the neighbour- 

 ing eminences. This inundation was soon succeeded by- 

 three or four shocks; and at about four in the morning, 

 alittlebeforeday-break, the concussions returned with 

 the most tremendous violence, demolishing the few- 

 buildings which had withstood the first shocks, and 

 the rapid motion of the sea. 



Tjie houses are all either of topias, or mud walls, 

 ©v adoves, unburnt bricks; but covered with tiles. 



The 



