The Earthquake at Mendoza, 20th March, 1861. 87 



" The earthquake movement came from south and east, and 

 was impelled to north and west; these movements continuing 

 about five or six seconds. This once smiling city is now level 

 with the plain. Although I was wounded by the falling of a 

 wall, I exerted myself in the hope of assisting others. I heard 

 groans and calling for help from beneath me at every step. 

 Some, who appeared to have lost their senses, screamed for their 

 fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, children 

 and friends. Men, women, and children were dragging at the 

 robes of a priest, praying for absolution. I saw heaps of 

 mutilated fellow- creatures, I heard their dying and despairing 

 groans. 



" In a few days I fear the few who have been spared will 

 become victims to the knife of the assassin-robbers. Putrefac- 

 tion of the dead bodies has commenced, and we have but little 

 food. 



" Just after the great shock, I went to the public walk, where 

 I beheld a group praying round a monk, who instead of com- 

 forting assured them that flames and burning sulphur would 

 soon consume them, beseeching all to repent and pray. This 

 was not my opinion ; I urged the desponding party to be up and 

 doing in aid of those who were buried amongst the ruins. My 



friends P and C had been buried alive for an hour, 



whilst striving to save a child, and, although separated, could 



converse freely. c I fear we are lost/ said P . ' I believe 



we are/ replied C . ' Had we not better try to sleep, and 



so not feel the agonies of death V ' Perhaps we had better do 

 so. Farewell, farewell ! Should you be saved, say to my 

 mother that in my last moments I thought of her. I will do 

 the same for you, if I am preserved. Farewell ! ' ' Dear 

 friend, I am choking with the dust ; more walls are falling on 

 us ; I am getting squeezed more and more down to the earth. 

 Let us alternately cry for help. Hark ! I hear footsteps above 



us/ In truth, B had arrived, and heard the voice of his 



son, C . Digging was commenced; but ere tho two 



friends were got at, C had died. Many such scenes 



occurred throughout the ruins. Our friend Urizar was buried 



for ten hours. S was half an hour below ground ; his 



position was discovered by his dog ' Othello/ Munoz was 

 saved by falling under his horse. We Lear from San Juan 

 (some 50 leagues to the N. of Mendoza) that tho town has 

 suffered much ; tho river there has left its bed, and inundated 

 the city. To the S. and E. the earthquake effects have been 

 less. About a ■ hundred years since Mendoza suffered very 

 considerably from an earthquake, which is known as the Terc- 

 moto of Santa Rita." 



Seven or eight months before this present earthquake, at a 



