1835.] EARTHQUAKE. 259 



months. All the foregoing particulars were only settled yes- 

 terday. It has done me more good than a pint of medicine, 

 and I have not been so happy for the last year. If it had not 

 been for my illness, these four months in Chili would have 

 been very pleasant. I have had ill luck, however, in only one 

 little earthquake having happened. I was lying in bed when 

 there was a party at dinner in the house ; on a sudden I heard 

 such a hubbub in the dining-room ; without a word being 

 spoken, it was devil take the hindmost who should get out 

 first ; at the same moment I felt my bed slightly vibrate in a 

 lateral direction. The party were old stagers, and heard the 

 noise which always precedes a shock ; and no old stager looks 

 at an earthquake with philosophical eyes. . . . 



Good-bye to you all ; you will not have another letter for 

 some time. 



My dear Catherine, 



Yours affectionately, 



CHAS. DARWIN. 



My best love to my father, and all of you. Love to Nancy. 



C. Darwin to Miss S. Darwin. 



Valparaiso, April 23, 1835. 



MY DEAR SUSAN, 



I received, a few days since, your letter of November ; 

 the three letters which I before mentioned are yet missing, 

 but I do not doubt they will come to life. I returned a week 

 ago from my excursion across the Andes to Mendoza. 

 Since leaving England I have never made so successful 

 a journey ; it has, however, been very expensive. I am sure 

 my father would not regret it, if he could know how deeply 

 I have enjoyed it : it was something more than enjoyment ; 

 I cannot express the delight which I felt at such a famous 

 winding-up of all my geology in South America. I literally 

 could hardly sleep at nights for thinking over my day's 

 VOL. I. T 



