188 WHAT MR. DARWIN SAW. 



CHILE. 



old woman was drowned, but the child was picked up some 

 hours afterward clinging to the wreck. Pools of salt-water 

 were still standing amidst the ruins of the houses ; and chil- 

 dren, making boats with old tables and chairs, appeared as 

 happy as their parents were miserable. It was, however, 

 exceedingly interesting to observe how much more active 

 and cheerful all appeared than could have been expected. 

 Mr. Rouse, and a large party whom he kindly took under 

 his protection, lived for the first week in a garden beneath 

 some apple-trees. At first they were as merry as if it had 

 been a picnic ; but soon afterward heavy rain caused much 

 discomfort, for they were absolutely without shelter. 



The common people, in Talcahuano thought that the 

 earthquake was caused by some old Indian women who, two 

 years ago, being offended, stopped the volcano of Antuco. 

 This silly belief is curious, because it shows that experience 

 has taught them to observe that there exists a relation be- 

 tween the suppressed action of the volcanoes and the trem- 

 bling of the ground; and particularly because in this in- 

 stance, according to Captain Fitz Roy, there is reason to be- 

 lieve that Antuco was noway affected. The island of Juan 

 Fernandez, three hundred and sixty miles to the north-west, 

 was, at the time of the great shock of the 20th, violently 

 shaken, so that the trees beat against each other, and a vol- 

 cano burst forth under water close to the shore. These facts 

 are remarkable, because this island, during the earthquake of 

 1751, was then also affected more violently than other places 

 at an equal distance from Concepcion, and this seems to 

 show some subterranean connection between these two points. 



