TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 123 
and supersede all other maps,—and especially physico-geographical 
maps, without reference to political divisions ; and I feel that I do but 
express the feeling of all interested in the advancement of physical 
geography, by saying that I heartily hope that M. Kummer will per- 
severe in his efforts.” 
These observations were illustrated by M. Ravenstein’s “ Plastic At- 
las,” several stamped maps by Kummer, of Berlin, and a specimen of 
Bauerkeller’s stamped and coloured plan of the city of Frankfort. 
A letter was read from the Rev. Mr. Selvester, who had resided above 
fifty years in the Faroe Islands, expressing an opinion that the level of 
the coast had there undergone a depression. This was inferred from 
encroachments made by the sea at several points, and particularly from 
the fact, that on the 6th of January, 1828, full two thirds of the sun’s 
orb had been visible above a hill near his house from the same spot, 
where, in 1801, he had only been able to see the upper edge of the disc. 
Observations on Great Earthquakes on the West Coast of South Ame- 
rica, particularly the great one of the 18th of September, 1833, which 
destroyed the City of Tacna, and other places in Peru. By Mr. 
Maruie Hamitton, formerly Surgeon to the Potosi Mining Com- 
pany. 
Tacna, an Indian town of some antiquity, now capital of the province 
of the same name, lies in the midst of a desert tract of about fifty miles 
broad, between the mountains and the sea. The port of Arica, about 
forty miles distant, had, since the first arrival of the Spaniards, been 
five times destroyed by earthquake, while Tacna had enjoyed a happy 
immunity, and was supposed beyond the reach of this calamitous visi- 
tation. After 1826, however, very frequent and severe shocks were 
felt, particularly a few weeks before the great one of the 8th of October, 
1831, which reduced Arica to a heap of rubbish; yet it continued nearly 
uninjured till the evening of the 16th of September, 1833, when there 
occurred a single loud report, with an upward movement of the ground. 
On the morning of the 18th, there was a much more violent movement, 
the earth heaving at once up and down, and also laterally, accompanied 
by a frightful subterranean noise. The falling of houses all around, 
the cries of the people, the howlings of animals, produced a scene that 
cannot be described. The agitation seemed to have reached the utmost 
possible height, when suddenly the earth, as if striving to get rid of 
some mighty load, made a more terrible movement than ever, in every 
direction, and in one minute the work of destruction was completed. 
The cathedral in falling destroyed a numerous congregation of females, 
who had assembled there, and were endeavouring to escape; but the 
priests, who remained under an arch, were saved. It is remarkable, 
that while some quarters had nearly every house demolished, others 
were comparatively uninjured. This great movement was succeeded 
