p 

 EARTHQUAKES IN CHILE. 81 



It may be calculated that the injuries to lumupK. machinery, and in the mine*, will amount to 

 one liiimlrnl thousand dollars. 



It is now halt past <mo o'clock, and forty-eight hours have passed by since the first t-rribl- 

 shock. Tin- phenomenon has not yet ceased, there being tremors n minutes or to, 



some of them quite strong, ami lasting eight or ten seconds. Anxiety and fright still prevail 

 among tha population, Last night the earth moved nninternptedlj. The people have patted 

 two nights watching, and are tilled with the greatest consternation. 



We beg our subscribers will pardon us for omission of ' Kl Pueblo" yesterday. It will be 

 with dillit ulty if we manage to print it to-day, the earthquake not having disdained to stir up 

 our establishment also. 



On the 31st the same journal says: 



We have arrived at the sixth day of'the earth-storm, and still the shocks cease not. Last 

 night and this morning we have had at least six, two or three of which were of some duration 

 and violence. Nevertheless we are becoming familiarized with these curious caprices of crea- 

 tion, and the anxiety which governed the people during the first days is gradually disappearing. 

 We are not aware of any injury occasioned since the 26th. 



A letter which was published in the "Copiapino" of May 30, gives the following brief ac- 

 count : 



PUERTO HUASCO, May 2G, 1851. 



At seven minutes past one this afternoon we experienced a very severe earthquake at this 

 port, ruining various houses in lower Guasco, destroying the church, and throwing down in its 

 transit all the "tapias" it encountered. After the principal shock there was seen, with great 

 alarm, one of the phenomena observed only in a century, viz : the sea retired from the beach 

 with incredible velocity for more than a hundred and fifty yards, the rush of the water being 

 so impetuous that vessels in the bay dragged their anchors. Of a sudden it returned with great 

 violence, in a wave more than ten feet higher than the highest tides, inundating the patio of 

 the custom-house, and washing out the cargoes deposited there. Thanks to the promptitude 

 and boldness of the peons working on the mole, everything was saved without much loss to the 

 owners. The phenomenon could be observed about half a league out at sea, repeating iteelf 

 many times at short intervals. 



It is 8 o'clock at night, and the earthquakes still continue. They come from southwest and 

 move to northeast, so that Copiapo will escape. The people of lower Guasco have gone to the 

 hills, fearing a new sea wave. 



MAY 27, 3 P. M. The earthquakes still continue. In Ballanar* many houses have been 

 ruined, and it is feared that the whole of its buildings will come to the ground at the first 

 strong shock. The people there were all in such alarm that they were encamped outside of the 

 houses. The atmosphere was clear ; but last night about dark there was a dense fog with a 

 very distinctly sulphurous odor. 



Many people in lower Guasco say that the earth opened, and water came out abundantly. 

 The earthquake lasted from a minute and a half to two minutes. 



3 A. M. The earthquakes continue, but not so frequently ; the subterranean noise being 

 uninterrupted and very loud. All the women are imploring the pity of God, and making vows 

 to all the saints in heaven. 

 Yours, &c. 



In a letter from Freirina, received by a gentleman at Santiago, the writer states that the 

 shock was so violent, it was thought that the earth would open beneath their feet : and that 



* Vallenar ? If 10. it is fifty milei E.S.E. of Huasco. 



