Mrs. Graham on Earthquakes in Chili. 415- 



of granite covered by sandy soil. The granite on the beach is intersected by 

 parallel veins, from a line to an inch in thickness, most of which are filled with 

 a white shining matter, but some are only coated with it on their sides, and 

 present hollow fissures. After the earthquake of the 19th, the whole rock 

 was found rent by sharp recent clefts, very distinguishable from the older 

 ones, but running in the same direction. Many of the larger of these clefts 

 might be traced from the beach to the distance of \^ mile across the neigh- 

 bouring promontory, where in some instances the earth parted, and left the 

 stony base of the hill exposed. 



It appeared on the morning of the 20th that the whole line of coast from 

 north to south, to the distance of above 100 miles, had been raised above its 

 former level. I perceived from a small hill near Quintero, that an old wreck 

 of a ship which before could not be approached, was now accessible from the 

 land, although its place on the shore had not been shifted. The alteration 

 of level at Valparaiso was about 3 feet, and some rocks were thus newly ex- 

 posed, on which the fishermen collected the scallop shell-fish, which was not 

 known to exist there before the earthquake. At Quintero the elevation was 

 about 4 feet. When I went to examine the coast, accompanied by Lord 

 Cochrane, although it was high water, I found the ancient bed of the sea laid 

 bare and dry, with beds of oysters, muscles, and other shells adhering to the 

 rocks on which they grew, the fish being all dead, and exhaling most offen- 

 sive effluvia. 1 found good reason to believe that the coast had been raised 

 by earthquakes at former periods in a similar manner ; several ancient lines 

 of beach, consisting of shingle mixed with shells, extending in a parallel di- 

 rection to the shore, to the height of 50 feet above the sea. The country has 

 in former years been visited by earthquakes, the last of any consequence hav- 

 ing been 93 years ago. 



The shock of the 19th was felt as far as Lima to the north by the ships then 

 riding in Callao bay. To the south it was experienced at least as far as Con- 

 ception ; and to the East beyond the Andes, at Mendoza, and St. Tuan. The 

 distance from Conception to Lima is about 20 degrees of latitude, or 1400 

 miles. 



1 am, dear Sir, 



Yours, &c. 



Maria Graham. 



\0L. VI. 3 H 



