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



moments he exclaimed with joy, 'now take breath.' I cannot 

 describe what feelings of gratitude I had for that generous 

 man. He now tried to extricate me, and to put me on my feet. 



" My legs were swelled in a monstrous manner and covered 

 with wounds ; I could not stand, for one had become shorter 

 than the other. My hands, face, and head were dreadfully 

 bruised. 



" Gonzales wished to carry me to the public walk, but this 

 he found impossible to do ; so he proposed to transport me from 

 where I was, which spot was full of deep inequalities, caused 

 by his throwing up the ruins to get me out, but this he failed 

 in, for where I lay I was still in peril in consequence of a ruined 

 wall which threatened to fall with the continued earthquake 

 movements of the earth. Gonzales at this juncture did not 

 even know the fate of his own family, and had to leave me. 



" There I was alone and uuable to move. I took a glance at 

 the scene around; how frightful it was ! how horrible ! The moon 

 still shone on that huge heap of ruins, a few hours before a city 

 of life and joy. At the distance of five or six yards from me 

 there escaped dying groans from some ruins, which appeared to 

 me to be those of Cesar Solar, his wife and little daughter. 

 Farther off I heard screams and cries which went to the heart, 

 begging for assistance ; these were from Teresa Garcia, whom 

 I afterwards saw attending the sick and wounded. Fire had 

 broken out not far from me, and was advancing towards the 

 direction I was laying ; but, thanks to kind Providence, I was 

 not unnerved. There were many who were actively engaged 

 in assisting and rescuing their fellow-creatures ; but there were 

 others plundering, whatever they could lay hands on, during 

 this awful convulsion of nature. Nicolas Villanueva passed 

 hurriedly by in search of help to assist him to rescue his large 

 family, whom I could hear from under the ruins, recommending 

 themselves to God's mercy, and preparing themselves to die ; 

 the fire had now reached some combustible matters, and all 

 around was in a blaze. There now came up to mo Seiior Arroyo, 

 who told me with broken heart, ejaculating, that he had lost six 

 of his children ; still he went searching for his unfortunate 

 friend Zavalla, in which search lie rescued a poor maniac woman 

 who was buried near to me. 



" But how am I to rclato to you all tho frightful scones I 

 saw on that awful night P 



"To those who passedj whom I thought able to move me, 

 and would do so for money, I offered gold to carry me to tho 

 public promenade, which was only (wo hundred and fifty yards 

 distant; hut no one gave heed to mo. Early in the morning 

 l.'aiuon Munoz, a Chileno political emigrant, mercifully came to 

 my assistanco with a party of men, and transported me to the 



