QUINTERO. 3Q9 



on the hill behind the town.* His Lordship writes me that my 

 cottage is still standing, though every thing round is in ruins. Mr. M. 

 says, that there is not a house standing whole in the Almendral. 

 The church of the Merced is quite destroyed. Not one house in 

 the port remains habitable, though many retain their forms. There 

 is not a living creature to be seen in the streets ; but the hills are 

 covered with wretches driven from their homes, and whose mutual 

 fears keep up mutual distraction. The ships in the harbour are 

 crowded with people ; no provisions are to be had ; the ovens are 

 ruined, and the bakers cannot work. Five English persons were 

 killed, and they were digging out some of the natives ; but the loss 

 of life has not been so great as might have been feared. Had the 

 catastrophe happened later, when the people had retired to bed, the 

 destruction must have been very dreadful. We hear that Casa 

 Blanca is totally ruined. 



Friday, November 22d. — Three severe shocks at a quarter past 

 four, at half past seven, and at nine o'clock. After that there were 

 three loud explosions, with slight trembling between ; then a severe 

 shock at eleven; two or three very slight before one o'clock; and then 

 we had a respite until seven p. m., when there was a slight shock. 



As we are thirty miles from the port, and ninety from the city, the 

 reports come to us but slowly. To-day, however, we learn that 

 Santiago is less damaged than we expected. The mint has suffered 

 seriously ; part of the directorial palace has fallen ; the houses and 

 churches are in some instances cracked through : but no serious 

 damage is done, excepting the breaking down the canals for irrigation 

 in some places. A gentleman from Valparaiso describes the sens- 

 ation experienced on board the ships as being as if they had suddenly 



* Don Bernardo O' Higgins, the Director, whose business at Valparaiso was of a na- 

 ture decidedly hostile to Lord Cochrane, narrowly escaped with his life in hurrying out 

 of the government house. He received on that terrific night protection and attention 

 from the Admiral, which I hope for the honour of human nature caused him at this 

 time to suspend his hostile intentions : But I fear that his temporary retirement from the 

 government on reaching Santiago, was only to leave others at liberty to do as they pleased. 



