CHAP. XIV. THE EARTHQUAKE OF 1868. 267 



larger ones of the Province, were still in a very ruinous condition 

 from the effects of the earthquake of August 16, 1868. This 

 occurred at 1 a.m., and is generally believed to have originated in 

 the space between Otovalo and Cotocachi (village), and to have 

 been an affair of a few seconds. The havoc was confined to the 

 basin of Imbabura. A shock appears to have travelled north- 

 wards, and to have rebounded upon Ibarra from the mountains of 

 Colombia ; ^ for the destruction at this place was more complete 

 than in the towns closer to the great quebrada which opened in 

 the night. I Avas told that not more than two dozen houses w^ere 

 left standing, and that lists were in existence shewing that 20,000 

 persons perished at Ibarra alone. ^ I imagine that the disturbance 

 of the earth which caused the shock (or shocks) occurred at no 

 great distance beneath the surface. If the focus of disturbance 

 had been deep-seated, the area influenced would have been larger. 



At Ibarra, I brought letters of introduction to Senor Teodoro 

 Gomez de la Torre, the greatest landowner in the north of 

 Ecuador, — a gentleman who was spoken of everywhere with 

 respect. Amongst other things standing to his credit was that, 

 when nominated for the Presidency upon the assassination of 

 Garcia Moreno, he retired in favour of Borrero, rather than divide 

 his party. ^^My house," he was accustomed to say, "is the 



1 The mountains of Colombia shut in the Province of Imbabura like a wall. 

 Though their general elevation is very considerable, in the month of April they 

 were without snow. 



2 If these lists were examined it would I expect be found that this number is 

 a gross exaggeration. I think Ibarra never contained 20,000 persons. The place, 

 however, was very badly wrecked. At the time of our visit, six churches, a con- 

 vent, schools, and the hospital were in ruins. 



In the earthquake of 1868 the Indians suffered less than the rest of the popula- 

 tion, principally in consequence of the greater fragility and elasticity of their 

 dwellings. Some may have been swallowed up by the opening of chasms, for in 

 this rather thickly populated district a fissure several miles long could scarcely open 

 anywhere without this happening. 



In a Report from Mr. Alfred St. John to the Foreign Office, dated Quito, July 14, 

 1891, the entire population of the Province of Imbabura is said to be 67,940, and 

 that of the town of Ibarra to be 6000 (see note to page 1). 



