QUINTERO. 321 
in the humane and courteous strangers among them, the horrible 
features and manners which it had pleased the priests to decorate 
the poor heretics with in their imaginary pictures. 
I went on board the Admiral’s ship soon after breakfast to call on 
some of my friends, who, with their families, had taken refuge there 
on the night of the 19th, and to whom he had given up his cabin 
and lived himself in a tent on deck. The officers with whom 
I talked on the effect of the earthquake on board, told me, that, on 
feeling the shock and hearing the horrid noise, compounded of the 
aweful sound from the earth itself and that of the falling town, they 
had looked towards the land, and had seen only one cloud of dust and 
heard one dreadful shriek : Lord Cochrane and others threw them- 
selves immediately into a boat, to go to the assistance, if help were 
still possible, of the sufferers. The rushing wave landed them higher 
than any boat had been before; and they then saw it retire fright- 
fully, and leave many of the launches and other small vessels dry. 
They fully expected a return, and the probable drowning of the town ; 
but the water came back no more, and the whole bottom of the bay 
has risen about three feet. Every one had some peculiar escape to 
relate. Poor Mrs. D. was alone, her father and husband having both 
gone out to spend the evening. Her servants fled from the house at 
the very first of the shock: she had two children, and could not 
carry them both out. She was with them in an upper room, — the 
infant was at her breast; she carried it to the cradle where her eldest 
lay, and leaning against the bed of one, with the other in her arms, 
she waited in mortal agitation to the end, when some one came to 
her relief, and carried her on board a vessel in the harbour. 
After spending a very interesting forenoon on board the O’ Higgins, 
listening to these tales of terror, I returned to Quintero in the Lau- 
taro’s launch, which performed the voyage in three hours ; and might 
have done it in less, but for the swell, the consequence of yesterday’s 
north wind. 
29th. — Only one very sensible shock to-day. 
vie 
