320 JOURNAL. 
merely as discontented men. The disputes on this marriage have 
been violent; but Mr. B.’s firmness and temper have brought them 
to a proper conclusion. Many compromises and irregular ways, to 
save appearances for the church, were proposed to him; but he 
wished, not only for his own sake, but in order to establish an im- 
portant precedent, to have the matter publicly and legally settled. 
I intended to have returned to Quintero to-day, the launch of the 
Lautaro having been obligingly lent to me for that purpose. But, 
contrary to all experience at this time of the year, a strong northerly 
wind set in, which totally prevented it; and at night a heavy torrent 
of rain fell, which has done great damage by injuring the goods left 
exposed by the falling of the houses, and which has rendered the 
miserable encampments on the hills thoroughly wretched. Yet the 
people are rejoicing at it; because they say that the rain will ex- 
tinguish the fire that causes the earthquake, and we shall have 
no more. 
28th. — Notwithstanding the rain, which lasted till midnight, we 
have experienced no less than five shocks to-day. Superstition has 
been busy during this calamitous period ; thinking the moment, no 
doubt, favourable for regaining something of the ground she has been 
losing for some time past. This day was appointed for the execution 
of a Frenchman and three Chilenos, for having gotten on board of 
a ship in the harbour during the night, and after dangerously wound- 
ing the master and chief mate, plundering it of a considerable sum. 
The priests have been stirring up the people to a rescue, declaring 
that the misfortunes of the times will be redoubled if good Catholics 
are thus to be executed for the sake of heretics. The government 
was apprised of these cabals, and surrounded the place of execution 
with soldiers enough to destroy the hope of rescue, and the execution 
took place quietly: nor is this the only clamour of the kind. Some 
attempts, among the lower clergy, have been made to stir up the 
people to attack the heretics generally, but without success; either 
because they are really indifferent, or because they do not recognise, 
