QUINTERO. 309 
on the hill behind the town.* His Lordship writes me that my 
cottage is still-standing, though every thing round is in ruins. Mr. M. 
says, that there is not a house standing whole in the Almendral. 
The church of the Merced is quite destroyed. Not one house in 
the port remains habitable, though many retain their forms. There 
is not a living creature to be seen in the streets; but the hills are 
covered with wretches driven from their homes, and whose mutual 
fears keep up mutual distraction. The ships in the harbour are 
crowded with people; no provisions are to be had; the ovens are 
ruined, and the bakers cannot work. Five English persons were 
killed, and they were digging out some of the natives; but the loss 
of life has not been so great as might have been feared. Had the 
catastrophe happened later, when the people had retired to bed, the 
destruction must have been very dreadful. We hear that Casa 
Blanca is totally ruined. : 
Friday, November 22d. — Three severe shocks at a quarter past 
four, at half past seven, and at nine o’clock. After that there were 
three loud explosions, with slight trembling between ; then a severe 
shock at eleven; two or three very slight before one o’clock; and then 
we had a respite until seven p. m., when there was a slight shock. 
As we are thirty miles from the port, and ninety from the city, the 
reports come to us but slowly. To-day, however, we learn that 
Santiago is less damaged than we expected. The mint has suffered 
seriously ; part of the directorial palace has fallen; the houses and 
churches are in some instances cracked through: but no serious 
damage is done, excepting the breaking down the canals for irrigation 
in some places. A gentleman from Valparaiso describes the sens- 
ation experienced on board the ships as being as if they had suddenly 
* Don Bernardo O’ Higgins, the Director, whose business at Valparaiso was of a na- 
ture decidedly hostile to Lord Cochrane, narrowly escaped with his life in hurrying out 
of the government house.- He received on that terrific night protection and attention 
from the Admiral, which I hope for the honour of human nature caused him at this 
time to suspend his hostile intentions: But I fear that his temporary retirement from the 
government on reaching Santiago, was only to leave others at liberty to do as they pleased, 
