ULLOa's voyage to south AMERICA. 593 



for the fea, retiring further, returned with flill more impetuofity ; the ftupendous water 

 covering both the wails and other buildings of the place ; fo that whatever had efcaped 

 the firft, was now totally overwhelmed by thofe terrible moimtains of waves, and no- 

 thing remained except a piece of the wall of the fort of Santa Cruz, as a memorial of 

 this terrible devaftation. There were then twenty-three Ihips and veffels, great and 

 fmall, in the harbour, of which nineteen were abfolutely funk, and the other four, 

 among which was a frigate called St. Firmin, carried by the force of the waves to a 

 great diftance up the country. 



This terrible inundation extended to other ports on the coaft, as Cavallos and Gua- 

 nape ; and the towns of Chancay, Guara, and the valleys Delia Baranca, Sape, and 

 Pativilca, underwent the fame fate as the city of Lima. The number of perfons who 

 perilhed in the ruin of that city, before the 31(1 of the fame month of Oftober, ac- 

 cording to the bodies found, amounted to thirteen hundred, befides the maimed and 

 wounded, many of which lived only a fliort time in torture. At Callao, where the 

 number of inhabitants amounted to about four thoufand, two hundred only efcaped ; 

 and twenty-two of thefe by means of the above-mentioned fragment of a wall. 



According to an account fent to Lima after this accident, a volcano in Lucanas burfl: 

 forth the fame night and ejeded fuch quantities of water, that the whole country was 

 overflowed ; and in the mountain near Patas, called Converfiones de Caxamarquilla, 

 three other volcanoes burfl, difcharging frightful torrents of water ; like that of Car- 

 guayraflb, mentioned in the firft part of this work. 



Some days before this deplorable event, fubterraneous noifes were heard at Lima, 

 fometimes refembling the bellowing of oxen, and at others the difcharges of artillery. 

 And even after the earthquake they were ftill heard during the filence of the night ; a 

 convincing proof that the inflammable matter was not totally exhaufl:ed, nor the caufe 

 of the fhocks abfolutely removed. 



The frequent earthquakes to which South America, 'particularly Lima, and all the 

 country of Valles, is fubjedt, opens a field for enquiry not lefs ample than that jufl 

 mentioned, concerning their caufe. Many hypothefes have been formed by philofo- 

 phers ; but the generality, and with the greateft appearance of truth, agree in de- 

 ducing them principally from the violent force of the air contained in fulphureous fub- 

 flances and other minerals, and alfo that confined in the pores of the earth ; which 

 being comprefled by the incumbent load, make a very violent refiflance. This is fo 

 far from implying any contradidion, that befides being countenanced by reafon it is 

 alfo confirmed by experience. But the apparent difl^culty confifts in explaining how 

 the vents of the earth become again filled with air, after one concuflion has happened ; 

 it being natural to think, that the quantity which flruggled for vent, was thereby dif- 

 charged, and that a long interval of time was neceflary before another could be pro- 

 duced. Alfo why fome countries are more fubjeft to thefe terrible convulfions than 

 others. Though this fubjed has been treated of by feveral authors, I think it my 

 duty here to deliver the opinion which to me feems moft probable. 



Experience has fufliciently fliewed, efpecially in this country, by the many volcanoes 

 in the Cordilleras which pafs through it, that the burfting of a new burning mountain 

 caufes a violent earthquake, fo as totally to deftroy all the towns within its reach ; as 

 happened at the opening of the volcano in the defert of Carguagoazo, as mentioned 

 before. This tremulous motion, which we may properly call an earthquake, does not 

 fo ufually happen in cafe of a fecond eruption, when an aperture has been before made ; 

 or at leafl:, the motion it caufes in the earth is comparatively but fmall. Whence it is 

 inferred that an aperture being once made, however the fubftances in the bowels of 



VOL. XIV. 4 G the 



