EARTHQUAKES IN CHILE. 527 



south it was felt with more force, and, judging from the injury to isolated building*!, it is 

 much It -a ml that i-ntin- pDjmlat iniiH have hri-n thrown out of doors. The church of Ctiracavi 

 is down, and all the hills have rolled down immense stones. 



Since the great shock, the earth has been trembling at intervals ; and as if fatigued by it* 

 effort, it continues to move the surface in its tempestuous exhausted respirations. In less than 

 six hours, bc.Mdrs the principal one, there have been no less than ten successive earthquakes. 



The first after the great disturbance of which I have given you an account took place at 

 7A. 6m. 12s. ; this was slight, and lasted just two seconds. At *Ih. 6m. 52*. there was another, 

 which also continued two seconds. The third was at lh. 12m. 36*., continuing about the same 

 time. To these two succeeded two other shocks that appeared the result of a force issuing 

 from the centre of the earth like two blows given by the arm of a giant to open a path to the 

 outer world. These occurred at 7A. 33m. 36s. and 7A. 33m. 38. ; that is, there was an inter- 

 val of two seconds between them. At 8A. 6m. and 10A. 20m. there were other light shocks. 

 At 11A. 34m. 36s. another was felt, which continued for seven seconds. This renewed the alarm 

 among the people, and the churches at that time filled were depopulated in an instant. There 

 are periods when one seeks refuge at the foot of the altar ; and others, as on the present occa- 

 sion, in which one flies from it as though the Divinity exhibited his anger at the tabernacle 

 erected in which to render him the tribute of worship. 



At 127i. 8m. 31s. the last shock was felt ; it continued for the space of nine seconds. Since 

 then the earth appears as though slumbering, and may God so preserve it for a long while ! 



There are contradictory opinions respecting the direction of the movement. Some think it 

 came from the north, others that it was from the south ; but it is positive that the line traversed 

 was north, a quarter east ; that is to say, in the direction from Copiapo to Concepcion, or vice 

 versa. 



APRIL 4. The shocks continue with some violence. Last night there were two quite alarming 

 ones, and within a short interval of each other. The first was felt at nine o'clock precisely, and 

 the second eighteen minutes afterwards. Both were quite similar, lasting about ten seconds, 

 and the oscillation of the earth was in three distinct successive movements. Other slight oscilla- 

 tions of short duration occurred afterwards at brief intervals. The remainder of the night 

 was also marked by successive shocks. 



[From the Santiago Correspondent, dated April 3, 1851.] 



The post from Valparaiso was expected with anxiety to learn the effects produced in your 

 city, where it was feared the injuries had been greater than here. Finally it arrived, and the 

 office was surrounded by more than a hundred persons. The first newspapers received from the 

 mail carriage were devoured, and all the details communicated by the "Comercio" and "Mer- 

 curio" were in a few moments the subjects of conversations. To this was added the informa- 

 tion contained in two hundred and thirty private letters brought by the post an extraordinary 

 number of letters, contributing no little to augment the excitement. 



Though of less duration, the earthquake appears to have been stronger at Valparaiso than at' 

 Santiago ; at least it was so if one may judge from the newspaper accounts. 



Here, people are somewhat calmed ; and although light quiverings are felt from time to 

 time, we know that they are the last convulsions of the earthquake. Every one is now occupied 

 in repairing damages, which are not a few ; for there is not an edifice in Santiago which has not 

 suffered either in its walls or roof. The latter appear as though the plough had passed over 

 them, and there is no parapet wall, no matter how solid it may have been, that has not been 

 very severely disturbed. Besides the old and ruinous houses which the earthquakes have left 

 standing in equilibrium, there are now more than one hundred and twenty new brick houses 

 in progress, as if the proprietors were insured against earthquakes. 



