4t) CON'CEPCIOX. 



ror of earthquakes, experienced by all who have 

 thus seen as well as felt their effects. Within the 

 forest it was a deeply interesting, but by no means 

 an awe-exciting phenomenon. The tides were 

 very curiously aftected. The great shock took 

 place at the time of low water ; and an old woman 

 who was on the beach told me that the water flow- 

 ed very quickly, but not in great waves, to high- 

 water mark, and then as quickly returned to its 

 proper level ; this was also evident by the line of 

 wet sand. This same kind of quick but quiet 

 movement in the tide happened a few years since 

 at Chiloe, during a slight earthquake, and created 

 much causeless alarm. In the course of the even- 

 ing there were many weaker shocks, which seem- 

 ed to produce in the harbour the most complicated 

 currents, and some of great strength. 



March i:th. — We entered the harbour of Con- 

 cepcion. While the ship was beating up to the 

 anchorage I landed on the island of Quiriquina. 

 The mayor-domo of the estate quickly rode down 

 to tell me the terrible news of the great earthquake 

 of the 20th : " That not a house in Concepcion or 

 Talcahuano (the port) was standing ; that seventy 

 villages were destroyed ; and that a great wave 

 had almost washed away the ruins of Talcahuano." 

 Of this latter statement I soon saw abundant 

 proofs, the whole coast being strewed over with 

 timber and furniture as if a thousand ships had been 

 wrecked. Besides chaii's, tables, book-shelves, 

 &c., in great numbers, there were several roofs 

 of cottages, which had been transported almost 

 whole. The storehouses at Talcahuano had been 

 burst open, and great bags of cotton, yerba, and 

 other valuable merchandise were scattered on the 

 shore. During my walk round the island, I ob- 



