308 JOURNAL. 



and others by the falling of various articles of furniture upon them. 

 At Con con the whole house is unroofed, the walls cracked, the iron 

 supporters broken, the mill a ruin, and the banks of the mill-stream 

 fallen in. The alluvial soil on each side of the river looks like a 

 sponge, it is so cracked and shaken : there are large rents along the 

 sea-shore ; and during the night the sea seems to have receded in an 

 extraordinary manner, and especially in Quintero bay. I see from 

 the hill, rocks above water that never were exposed before ; and the 

 wreck of the Aquila appears from this distance to be approachable 

 dry-shod, though till to-day that was not the case in the lowest tides. 



Half past eight p. m. — We hear reports that the large and po- 

 pulous town of Quillota, is a heap of ruins, and that Valparaiso is 

 little better. If so, the destruction there must have reached to the 

 inhabitants as well as the houses, — God forbid it should be so ! At 

 a quarter before six another very serious shock, and one this moment. 

 Slight shocks occur every fifteen or twenty minutes. The evening 

 is as fine as possible; the moon is up, and shines beautifully over the 

 lake and the bay : the stars and aurora australis are also brilliant, 

 and a soft southerly breeze has been blowing since daylight. We 

 have erected a large rancho with bamboo from Guayaquil and reeds 

 from the lake, so that we can eat and sleep under cover. Glennie 

 and I keep the tent ; the rest sleep in the rancho. 



Thursday, November 21st. — At half past two a.m. I was awoke, 

 by a severe shock. At ten minutes before three a tremendous one, 

 which made us feel anew that utter helplessness which is so appalling. 

 At a quarter before eight, another not so severe; a quarter past nine, 

 another. At half past ten and a quarter past one, they were re- 

 peated ; one at twenty minutes before two with very loud noise, 

 lasting a minute and a half; and the last remarkable one to-day at a 

 quarter past ten. These were all that were in any degree alarming, 

 but slight shocks occurred every twenty or thirty minutes. 



Mr. M is returned from the port. Lord Cochrane was on 



board the O'Higgins at the time of the first gi*eat shock, and went 

 on shore instantly to the Director; for whom he got a tent pitched 



