Volcanic Eruptions and Earthquakes. 339 
ception commences in April by heavy rains, will aggravate the ca- 
lamity, unless it should cause an almost universal emigration to the 
central Provinces of the Republic. 
The movement of the earthquake was not so violent as it was long 
continued. ‘The shock came from a 8S. E. course, prostrating every 
thing in its way, spreading its ravages throughout the provinces of 
Conception and Maule, and devastating nearly the whole of the 
southern portion of the Republic. 
Conception, Talcahuana, Penco, Tome, Arauco, Colcuro, Pem- 
uco, Yumbel, Rere, Los Angeles, La Florida, Coelemu, Ranquil, 
Cauquenes, San Carlos, Quirigue, Chillan, Talca, Arredan, Con- 
gas, Erras, Peural, St. Carlos, Vailoga, and other towns of both 
Provinces, have been ruined in consequence of that terrible event. 
Talcahuana, Penco and Tome were thrice inundated by the sea, 
and in Arauco and Colcuro it rose to the walls. In the port of Con- 
stitucion also, it rushed back and forth several times, and stranded 
the national schooners Juana and Jertrudis. 
The number of lives lost, so far as ascertained, was four or five 
hundred ; but it was supposed the actual number was much greater. 
The loss of lives in Conception does not exceed fifty odd; in Tal- 
cahuana, very few. 
At San Juan de Dios, some bricklayers who were at work when 
the earthquake came on, almost all perished. Children and 
grown persons have alike disappeared from the number of the liv- 
ing, and in short, the whole presents a scene of deplorable calamity. 
From twenty five to thirty towns, beside many small villages 
between Conception and the Cordilleras, were scenes of complete 
ruin. From four to five hundred lives were lost just in that section 
of country—but the extent of the suffering is not yet known—prob- 
ably thrice that number have been buried in the ruins. 
A new cathedral, building in Conception, which they say has 
been more than fifty years in building, has scarcely one stone left 
upon another, and in its fall buried twenty workmen in its ruins. 
Effect of the Earthquake at Sea.—On the 20th of February, 
(the day that Conception and the places around were destroyed,) 
Capt. Townsend, in the ship Nile of this port, was cruising for whales 
on the coast of Chili, in lat. 39° 15’. He felt the shock so sensibly 
that the spars and rigging over his head shook in such a manner that 
it was dangerous to stand under them. ‘Thinking that the vessel 
had run aground, he immediately wore ship and hove the lead, but 
