Volcanic Eruptions and Earthquakes. 333 
“On the 22nd it was somewhat less dark, although the sun was 
not visible and towards the morning of the 23d, the tremendously loud 
thunder claps were heard in succession like the firing of pieces of 
artillery of the largest calibre, and this fresh occurrence was accom- 
panied by increased showers of dust.” 
“From day dawn of the 23d until 10 A. M., a dim light only 
served to shew the most melancholy spectacle. The streets, which, 
from the rocky nature of the soil, are full of inequalities and stones, 
appeared quite level, being covered with dust. Men, women and 
children were so disfigured that it was not easy to recognize any one 
except by the sound of their voices or other circumstances. Houses 
and trees, not to be distinguished through the dust which covered 
them, had the most horrible appearance, yet in spite of these appal- 
ling sights, they were preferable to the darkness into which we were 
again plunged frédm after the said hour of 10, as during the prece- 
ding days. ‘The general distress, which had been assuaged, was 
renewed, and although leaving the place was attended by eminent 
peril from the wild beasts that had sallied from the forests and sought 
the towns and high roads, as happened in the neighboring village of 
Conchagua and this town, into which tigers thrust themselves; yet 
another terror was superior, and more than half the inhabitants of 
Union emigrated on foot, abandoning their houses, well persuad 
that they should never return to them; since they prognosticated 
the total destruction of the town, and fled with dismay for refuge to 
the mountains.” 
“ At half past 3 on the morning of the 24th, the moon and a few 
stars were visible, as if through a curtain, and the day was clear al- 
though the sun could not be seen, since the dust continued falling, 
having covered the ground all round about to a thickness of five 
inches.” 
“The 25th and 26th were like the 24th, with frequent though 
not violent earthquakes.” 
“The cause of all this has been the volcano of Cosiguina, which 
burst out on the 20th. Iam also informed that on the island of 
Tigre in that direction, the showers of the 2Ist were of pumice 
stones of the size of a pea, and some are even as large as a hen’s 
egg: the earth quaked there more than here, but no houses or other 
edifices have been thrown down.” 
“Here there are many people with catarrhs, head-aches, sore 
throats, and pectoral affections, resulting doubtless from the dust : 
