EXPEDITION TO THE SOUTHEBK HEMISPHEEE. 199 



these terrific visitations, some derived from national records, others 

 witnessed by the author himself. 



Of the former class is the celebrated earthquake of 1835. The 

 description jefers chiefly to Concepcion and Talcahuano. 



At forty minutes past eleven o'clock, the tremor commenced "without noise, 

 its violence gradually increasing during the first half minute, yet not so much as to 

 cause general alarm. Meanwhile the rumble was heard, and at the end of that 

 time, the convulsive motion became so strong, that the whole population fled to 

 open places for safety. Before a minute hail elapsed, the awful motion so in- 

 creased, that people could scarcely stand ; and in ihirty seconds more, an over- 

 powering shock caused universal destruction. Concepcion was a fourth time in 

 ruins — its people shrieking under the agony of terror and bodily injury ; the very 

 ground on which they were prostrated gaping wide with every throb, and the 

 atmosphere almost irrespirable with i^ust. From the first tremor to the termina- 

 tion of the great shock was two and a half minutes, during the longer portion of 

 which time, none were able to stand unsupported ; even animals spreading out 

 their legs to avoid overthrow, and birds taking to the wing. 



* -X- * * VT * * # * * * 



Simultaneously with the beginning of the convulsion, the water rose about a foot 

 in the river at Concepcion, and in the bay of Talcahuano, without hist retiring, 

 swelled up to high-water mark; but the great sea-waves came not for a long time 

 afterward. 



An hour and ten minutes had elapsed from the d' struciion of the 

 town of Talcahuano, which was also destroyed, when, 



The sea retired nearly a mile, leaving in the mud vessels that had 

 anchored in from four to six fathoms water. A few minutes after, the 

 first great wave approached iu ::u unbroken wall of water, thirty feet high 

 between the island of Quinquina, and the western shore of the bay. It broke 

 over everything within that distance of tide level; dashed the ships along like 

 boats ; bore one from the stocks where it was nearly ready for launching 200 

 yards inland ; removed 24-pounder cannon some yards and overturned them ; 

 and fiually, rushed back with such a torrent, that everything moveable not buried 

 under the ruins was carried out to sea. The inhabitants occupied the heights at 

 the back of the town, not less appalled at this display of resistless power than 

 despondent at the ruin it caused them. Ships were again left aground in the bay, 

 until half-past 1, p. m., (i. e. after aniuterval of one hour,) at which time a second 

 wave was seen rolling through the same channel, with more impetuosity than the 

 first, whirling them about each other as they floated, and w T as only less 

 destructive in its effects, because there was less to destroy. Twenty minutes 

 later, a third came onward. But this was crested — foaming like the breakers 

 across a dangerous bar during a storm ; and as it swept tumultuously along the 

 shores, bearing everything irresistibly before it, the roaring noise was horrible. 

 Quickly retiring, the sea was seen covei'ed with wrecks of houses, furniture, and 

 goods of every character, from the shattered magazines. Apparent exhaustion 

 followed these efforts, for there were no more great waves, though for some hours 

 the sea rose and fell two or three times each hour, and both earth and water 

 trembled. * * * * * * * - * 



