A MIGHTY SEA-WAVE. t8r 



down the mountain-side. The disturbance lessened con- 

 siderably on the 5th, and an observing party examined the 

 crater. They found that a rounded hill, 700 feet in height, 

 and 1400 feet in diameter, had been thrown up on the 

 plain which forms the floor- of the crater. Fire and scoria 

 spouted up in various places. 



Before rejecting utterly the belief that the activity thus 

 exhibited in the Hawaii volcano had its origin in the same 

 subterrene or submarine region as the Peruvian earthquake, 

 we should remember that other regions scarcely less remote 

 have been regarded as forming part of the same Vulcanian 

 district The violent earthquakes which occurred at New 

 Madrid, in Missouri, in 1812, took place at the same time 

 as the earthquake of Caraccas, the West Indian volcanoes 

 being simultaneously active ; and earthquakes had been 

 felt in South Carolina for several months before the de- 

 struction of Caraccas and La Guayra. Now we have abun- 

 dant evidence to show that the West Indian volcanoes are 

 connected with the Peruvian and Chilian regions of Vulca- 

 nian energy, and the Chilian region is about as far from 

 New Madrid as Arica in Peru from the Sandwich Isles. 



It was not, however, until about half-past eight on the 

 evening of May 9 that the Peruvian earthquake began. A 

 severe shock, lasting from four to five minutes, was felt 

 along the entire southern coast, even reaching Antofagasta. 

 The shock was so severe that it was impossible, in many 

 places, to stand upright It was succeeded by several others 

 of less intensity. 



While the land was thus disturbed, the sea was observed 

 to be gradually receding, a movement which former ex- 

 periences have taught the Peruvians to regard with even 

 more terror than the disturbance of the earth itself. The 

 waters which had thus withdrawn, as if concentrating their 

 energies to leap more fiercely on their prey, presently 

 returned in a mighty wave, which swept past Callao, travel- 

 ling southwards with fearful velocity, while in its train 

 followed wave after wave, until no less than eight had takep 



