XXV. — An Account of some Effects of the late Earthquakes in Chili. Ex- 

 tracted from a Letter to Henry Wauburton, Esq. v.p.g.s. 



By Mrs. MARIA GRAHAM. 



Dear Sir, London, March 4, 1824. 



J. SEND you_, at your request, some extracts from my Journal concerning- 

 the great earthquakes which visited Chili during my residence in that country 

 in 1822-3. 



The first shock, by which the towns of Valparaiso, Melipilla, Quillota, and 

 Casa Blanca were almost destroyed, and Santiago much damaged, was felt at 

 I past 10 o'clock in the evening- of Tuesday the 19th of November 1822. 

 It lasted 3 minutes. I was then residing about a mile from the coast at Quin- 

 tero, situated on a promontory about 30 miles to the north of Valparaiso. It 

 was a very still and clear moonlight night ; the aurora australis had been visi- 

 ble, and some lightning had been seen over the Andes. In a few minutes 

 after the first shock, there was another less severe ; and from that time, the 

 whole night long successive shocks were felt, twice in every five minutes, 

 each lasting from ^ to 1 minute. On the morning of the ^Oth, a little before 

 2, at 4, and at ^ before 6 o'clock there were three violent shocks, and the earth 

 continued trembling in the intervals. This day was hot and sunny, with 

 wind ; the night was clear and windy. On the morning of the 21st, at ^ past 

 2, at 10 minutes before 3, at ^ before 8, at \ past 9, and at ^ past 10 ; and in 

 the afternoon at | past 1, and at 2, violent shocks were felt. The weather of 

 this day was like that of the preceding. On the morning of the 22d, at ^ past 

 4, at|^ past 7, and at \ past 9, there were violent shocks. A little before 10 

 three successive loud explosions were heard, like the sound of heavy artillery, 

 the earth trembling very much after each explosion. At 11 was another vio- 

 lent shock, and between that and 1 o'clock were 3 slight ones. The earth 

 then remained quiet until i past 7. This day there was a thick fog with cold 

 drizzling rain. On the 23d, the shocks were less violent and frequent. This 

 day was cloudy and mild. On the 24th, there were continual earthquakes 

 until 1 1 at night. On the 25th, there was a severe shock at ^ past 8 in the 

 morning, and others until a little before 10. On the morning of the 26th, at 

 ^ before 3 there was a shock, which lasted nearly 2 minutes. This day we 

 had a violent northerly wind, with rain, which was considered very unusual 



