116 EARTHQUAKES. 



APKIL 9. 



From about 9A. 00m. until 9A. Vim. A. M., there were smart shocks, some of them very 

 prolonged and without noise. They were uniformly from the northward, as I sometimes 

 verified hy an echo from the hills near the Angostura. Besides the number referred to, in the 

 interval there were five others during the day. 



APEIL 11. 



Just before 10 A. M. (9A. SYm.) there was a very loud subterranean noise, but not the least 

 sensible motion. 



APRIL 13. 



At 3A. 41m. p. M., there was a very terrific and long continued noise, its duration being 

 thirty-two seconds; but on horseback there was no motion experienced by either of the 

 three composing our party. We were unanimous that it came from the north, even before the 

 echo returned, as it did on this occasion also. Birds of all descriptions were startled and flew 

 away to the south ; the parrots screeching most discordantly. The same long and profound 

 noise was heard at the mansion, three quarters of a mile to the west ; but there it was accom- 

 panied by much motion. Our horses were standing beside a stream when the noise was first 

 heard, nor did they move a limb until after it had died away ; but we did not perceive the least 

 tremor. At Santiago it was noted at 3A. 41m. 40s. P. M., "a smart shock which lasted seven 

 seconds ;" and afterwards (3A. 41m. 53s.), "a pretty severe shock which lasted five seconds." 



APEIL 14. 



The noise and shock were simultaneous at 11A. 37m. P. M. 



There having been few of the roofs repaired, when the rain-storm came, three days after the 

 great shock, the damage to furniture, goods, and wall-paper of houses was very great. If to this 

 we add the loss of grain not yet put under cover, and the injury to charqui, we may safely 

 put down the loss in the provinces of Santiago and Valparaiso at $2,000,000. None of the 

 extinct volcanoes bordering the disturbed district (or elsewhere in Chile) were opened by the 

 convulsion. Senor Pissis, an engineer in employ of government, saw something resembling 

 smoke at the summit of Aconcagua, on the 2d ; but he thought it might have been light vapory 

 cloud, formed by the meeting of the moist current ascending the western slope with the cold air 

 at those great heights, which is so constantly seen about the elevations of the Andes. The clouds 

 which thus form soon fall by increased density, are dissipated, and re-ascend to be again con- 

 densed; and this is going on from ten or eleven o'clock in the morning until late in the after- 

 noon. This suspicion of Senor Pissis was the only one heard of. Tupungato, San Jose, and 

 Peteroa were perfectly quiet. 



APRIL 25. 



Earthquake shock commenced at 3A. 28m. 12s. p. M., was most violent at 3^. 28m. 22s., 

 and ended at 3A, 28m. 42s. Though long, it was not severe ; nor would it have attracted notice 

 during the first ten seconds, but for the rattling of the doors, and the very audible rumbling 

 sound that accompanied it, like a cart, coming from the eastward. The same shock was recorded 

 by me at Valparaiso at 3A, 14m. 15s., or 3A. 18w. 11s. Santiago time; and it is probable that 

 an error of 10m. was committed by myself or the assistant at Santiago. It was cloudy at the 

 time., and rained next day. 



