1835.] INTERESTING PHENOMENA. 307 



into a diagonal position. A similar circumstance was 

 observed after an earthquake at Valparaiso, Calabria, 

 and other places, including some of the ancient Greek 

 temples.* This twisting displacement, at first appears to 

 indicate a vorticose movement beneath each point thus 

 affected ; but this is highly improbable. May it not be 

 caused by a tendency in each stone to arrange itself in some 

 particular position, with respect to the lines of vibration — 

 in a manner somewhat similar to pins on a sheet of paper 

 when shaken ? Generally speaking, arched doorways or 

 windows stood much better than any other part of the build- 

 ings. Nevertheless, a poor lame old man, who had been in 

 the habit, during trifling shocks, of crawling to a certain 

 doorway, was this time crushed to pieces. 



I have not attempted to give any detailed description of 

 the appearance of Concepcion, for I feel that it is quite Im- 

 possible to convey the mingled feelings which I experienced. 

 Several of the officers visited It before me, but their 

 strongest language failed to give a just idea of the scene of 

 desolation. It is a bitter and humiliating thing to see 

 works, which have cost man so much time and labour, 

 overthrown In one minute ; yet compassion for the In- 

 habitants was almost instantly banished, by the surprise In 

 seeing a state of things produced in a moment of time, 

 which one was accustomed to attribute to a succession 

 of ages. In my opinion, we have scarcely beheld, since 

 leaving England, any sight so deeply Interesting. 



In almost every severe earthquake, the neighbouring 

 waters of the sea are said to have been greatly agitated. 

 The disturbance seems generally, as In the case of Con- 

 cepcion, to have been of two kinds : first, at the Instant of 

 the shock, the water swells high up on the beach with a 

 gentle motion, and then as quietly retreats ; secondly, some 

 time afterwards, the whole body of the sea retires from the 

 coast, and then returns In waves of overwhelming force. 

 The first movement seems to be an immediate consequence 

 of the earthquake affecting differently a fluid and a solid, so 

 that their respective levels are slightly deranged ; but the 

 second case Is a far more important phenomenon. During 

 most earthquakes, and especially during those on the 

 west coast of America, it is certain that the first great 

 movement of the waters has been a retirement. Some 



* M. Arago in " L'In«ti'tut," i8to, p. 337. See also Mi'cr'u "Chile," vol. i., 

 p. 39a ; ul«o Lyell'a " Principle* of Gcolog'y," chap, xv., book ii. 



