1835,] CHILOE 291 
CHAPTER XIV. 
San Carlos, Chiloe—Osorno in eruption, contemporaneously with Aconcagua 
and Coseguina—Ride to Cucao— Impenetrable forests—Valdivia—Indians 
—Farthquake—Concepcion—Great earthquake—Rocks fissured—A ppear- 
ance of the former towns—The sea black and boiling—Direction of the 
vibrations—Stones twisted round—Great Wave—Permanent elevation of 
the land—Area of volcanic phenomena—The connexicn between the 
clevatory and eruptive forces—Cause of earthquakes—Slow elevation of 
Mountain-chains. 
CHILOE AND CONCEPCION: GREAT EARTHQUAKE. 
On January the 15th we sailed from Low’s Harbour, and three 
days afterwards anchored a second time in the bay of S. Carlos 
in Chiloe. On the night of the 19th the volcano of Osorno was 
in action. At midnight the sentry observed something like a 
large star, which gradually increased in size till about three 
o’clock, when it presented a very magnificent spectacle. By the 
aid of a glass, dark objects, in constant succession, were seen, in 
the midst of a great glare of red light, to be thrown up and to 
fall down. The light was sufficient to cast on the water a long 
bright reflection, Large masses of molten matter seem very 
commonly to be cast out of the craters in this part of the Cor- 
dillera. I was assured that when the Corcovado is in eruption, 
great masses are projected upwards and are seen to burst in the 
air, assuming many fantastical forms, such as trees: their size 
must be immense, for they can be distinguished from the high 
land bebind §. Carlos, which is no less than ninety-three miles 
from the Corcovado. In the morning the volcano became tran- 
quil. 
I-was surprised at hearing afterwards that Aconcagua in Chile, 
480 miles northwards, was in action on this same night; and 
still more surprised to hear, that the great eruption of Co- 
seguina (2700 miles north of Aconcagua), accompanied by an 
earthquake felt over a 1000 miles, also occurred within six hours 
of this same time. This coincidence is the more remark- 
able, as Coseguina had been dormant for twenty-six years: 
