IN THE PACIFIC. 357 



earthquake had taken place at San Salvador, 

 the capital of the state, and that the city had 

 been completely destroyed during the night 

 of the 19th of March. I could gain but little 

 information from the authorities on shore ; 

 and those I consulted were inclined to dis- 

 credit the story. Whilst I was endeavouring 

 to arrive at the truth, the American mail 

 steamer " Winchester " arrived from the south- 

 ward, and her captain told me that he had met 

 with very bad weather outside; and that on 

 leaving the port of Realejo, the sea was so con- 

 fused that his ship was almost unmanageable. 

 This convinced me that some great convulsion 

 of nature had taken place, and I determined to 

 proceed at once to La Libertad, the seaport of 

 San Salvador, to see for myself what had hap- 

 pened, and to render any service in our power. 

 The " Winchester " was also going to touch there 

 on her way up the coast ; she sailed an hour 

 before us, but the " Reindeer," putting her best 

 foot foremost, passed her during the night, and 

 arrived at La Libertad the following morning. 



