375 



of the cracks was not uniform, though generally from south-east to 

 north-west. The earth was not quiet during three days after the 

 great shock, and more than three hundred shocks were counted 

 between 20th February and 4th of March. The loose earth of the 

 valley of the Bio Bio was everywhere parted from the solid rocks 

 which bound the plain, being separated by cracks from an inch to 

 a foot in width. 



In the Bay of Conception two explosions or eruptions were seen 

 in the sea while the great waves were coming in. One beyond the 

 island of Quiriquina appeared to be a dark column of smoke in 

 shape like a tower ; another rose in the Bay of San Vicente like 

 the blowing of an immense imaginary whale. Its disappearance 

 was followed by a whirlpool which lasted some minutes. It was 

 hollow and tended to a point in the middle, as if the sea was pouring 

 into a cavity of the earth. The water in the bay appeared to be 

 everywhere boiling, bubbles of air or gas were rapidly escaping, 

 and dead fish were thrown ashore in quantities. 



For some days after the 20th February the sea at Talcahuano did 

 not rise to the usual marks by four or hve feet vertically. " Some 

 thought that the land had been elevated, but the common and pre- 

 vailing opinion was that the sea had retired. This difference gra- 

 dually diminished till, in the middle of April, there was only a dif- 

 ference of two feet between the existing and former high-water 

 marks. The proof that the land had been raised exists in the fact that 

 the island of Santa Maria was upheaved nine feet; but of this pre- 

 sently. When walking on the shore, even at high-water, beds of dead 

 mussels, numerous chitons and limpets, and withered sea-weed still 

 adhering, though lifeless, to the rocks on which they had lived, every- 

 where met the eye — the effects of the upheaval of the land." 



From the above extracts, then, it appears that in the opinion of 

 Capt. FitzRoy some of the land was first raised in February four or 

 five feet, and that it afterwards gradually returned towards its for- 

 mer level, so that in about two months the temporary increase of 

 its height was diminished by more than one half. 



The observations which follow respecting Santa Maria, an island 

 seven miles long and two broad, in the Bay of Conception, deserve 

 particular attention, and I shall give them in Capt. FitzRoy's own 

 words ; for although in so doing I anticipate a communication which 

 I trust will hereafter be given in full to the Society*, I am only sup- 

 plying the proofs of the elevation which was asserted as a fact in 

 Capt. FitzRoy's notes read before you during the last year. 



" It appeared that the southern extreme of the island had 

 been raised eight feet, the middle nine, and the northern end up- 

 wards of ten feet. The Beagle visited this island twice, at the end 

 of March and in the beginning of April. At her first visit it was 

 concluded, from the visible evidence of dead shell-fish, water-marks, 

 and soundings, and from the verbal testimony of the inhabitants, 



* Since the above was written the whole memoir has appeared in the 

 Nautical Magazine for March 1836. 



