236 Elevation of Concepcion. paet n. 



of Chiloe, according to Agiierros, 1 was in 1643 a good 

 harbour ; it is now quite useless, except for boats. 



Valdivia. — I did not observe here any distinct proofs 

 of recent elevation ; but in a bed of very soft sandstone, 

 forming a fringe-like plain, about sixty feet in height, 

 round the hills of mica-slate, there are shells of Mytilus, 

 Crepidula, Solen, Xovaculina, and Cytheraea, too im- 

 perfect to be specifically recognised. At Imperial, 

 seventy miles north of Yaldivia, Agiierros 2 states that 

 there are large beds of shells, at a considerable distance 

 from the coast, which are burnt for lime. The island 

 of Mocha, lying a little north of Imperial, was uplifted 

 two feet, 3 during the earthquake of 1835. 



Gonwpdon. — I cannot add anything to the excellent 

 acconnt by Captain FitzRoy 4 of the elevation of the 

 land at this place, which accompanied the earthquake 

 of 1835. I will only recall to the recollection of 

 o'eolooists, that the southern end of the island of St. 

 Mary was uplifted eight feet, the central part nine, and 

 the northern end ten feet ; and the whole island more 

 than the surrounding districts. Great beds of mussels, 

 patellae, and chitons still adhering to the rocks were 

 upraised above high- water mark ; and some acres of a 

 rocky flat, which was formerly always covered by the 

 sea, was left standing dry, and exhaled an offensive 

 smell, from the many attached and putrefying shells. 



1 ' Descripcion Hist, de la Provincia de Chiloe,' p. 78. From the 

 account given by the old Spanish writers, it would appear that several 

 other harbours, between this point and Concepcion, were formerly 

 much deeper than they now are. 



- 'Descripc. Hist.' p. 25. 



3 ' Voyages of Adventure and Beagle,' vol. ii. p. 415. 



4 Ibid. vol. ii. p. 412 et seq. In vol. v. (p. 601) of the ' Geolo- 

 gical Transactions,' I have given an account of the remarkable vol- 

 canic phenomena, which accompanied this earthquake. These 

 phenomena appear to me to prove that the action, by which large 

 tracts of land are uplifted, and by which volcanic eruptions are 

 produced, is in every respect identical. 



