EARTHQUAKES. 



men were at work in all .lin , li.uis pulling down the tottering ones. With every brief interval 

 a new >li..,-k came, and one can scarcely conn-iv.- the terror and . -..n-t. rnation with which many 

 rushed IV.. in their d.M.rs at thes,- times, or tin- d-.s|M.!idi-nt anxiety settled on the countenance* 

 of all. Tin- injury throughout the city was very severe, and the loss of walls, roofs, glass, and 

 furniture, extensive. On tin- pUza the cathedral suffered most seriously ; all its arches north 

 and south were sprung, and the key-stones settled an inch or two ; the tie-beams securing the 

 outer ami lirj iiu<linal arches in the same direction were drawn almost out of the walls, and 

 masonry had fallen in piles. It was found necessary to close it forthwith. The central dome of 

 the old palace and its western parapets were so broken that they were immediately pulled down 

 to prevent further injury. Examination of these fractures showed that bricks had given way 

 in many cases when mortar would not ; and adobe walls had more tenacity than burned bricks, 

 yielding to the flexure of the foundation without entire prostration. In every instance where 

 objects could fall freely, they had gone off to the northward ; though if not precipitated at the 

 first shock, they generally jolted in the opposite direction. East and west of the line of motion 

 through the plaza, much less damage was done, a fact also peculiar in the December earthquake. 



The loss of life was small. Three persons only were ascertained to have been killed, and 

 some thirty or more wounded. Of the fatal cases all women two deaths had been caused by 

 the fall of the cornice in the church of San Francisco, as the congregation rushed out; and the 

 third was a poor girl who proved a victim to a custom of the country. In conformity with this 

 custom, she could not be left alone, in an open house, whilst her mother attended early mass, 

 and had been locked in the second story. When the earthquake came, she leaped in terror 

 from the balcony, and the mother returned to find her a corpse. 



There was a striking peculiarity about this great shock. Like a tense chord rudely struck, its 

 vibration was perceptible for two hours without intermission ; and its subsidence was so gradual 

 as to leave one almost in doubt when it actually ceased. In addition to this, a somewhat 

 similar vibration from 6A. 30m. to 8/i. 30m. p. M., and a multitude of "slight tremors," we 

 have the recorded times of eighteen sharp earthquakes before midnight. Two of the last, fol- 

 lowing at an interval of two seconds, appeared the effect of sudden and distinct explosions, 

 without noise or tremor, unlike every motion we had felt, and Lieut. MacRae, in his surprise, 

 writes them down " two distinct and sharp thumps underneath." The first of these occurred 

 at 7A. 33m. 36s. , the other just two seconds later. The most severe subsequent shock during 

 the day was at 11A. 34m. 36s., which lasted seven seconds. By this time most of the populace 

 had lost something of their apprehensions, and, having the magnitude of their sins brought thus 

 pressingly to mind, had again flocked to the churches in numbers. As this was the season of 

 lent, when the churchman expects to accomplish so much by compliance with prescribed 

 ordinances, it is not difficult to. believe that many would be reminded of their short-comings 

 at mass, vespers, and confession, by such visitants as the morning had brought us. But there 

 were few whose faith in the altar persuaded them to abide at its feet during the shock none 

 willing to return for the completion of devotions when the shock had passed; and the streets 

 were again filled at a most unusual hour. 



Most deplorable intelligence was soon brought from the neighboring villages and haciendas. 

 Lampa and Renca, lying to the northwest, were reported in ruins ; their inhabitants in the 

 streets, and the dwelling-houses and dividing walls of adobes on the estates lamentably 

 destroyed. By night there were travellers from Curacavi, a town of 5,000 people on the Val- 

 paraiso road, and beyond the first range of mountains. Among them was Mr. Campbell, the 

 engineer of the Copiapo and Caldera railroad, who had passed through it about two hours after 

 the earthquake. In many parts of the town he saw numbers of houses whose roofs had fallen 

 in ; and scarcely one remained which could be regarded safe so long as the agitation continued. 

 At the first great shock a portion of the church steeple had been flung to N.N.E.; other portions 

 fell by degrees, crushing the roof and wholly destroying the building ; but these latter had 

 been prostrated in every direction. At one of the inns the earth had opened in a nearly east 



