48 



CENTRAL AMERICA. 



the 44 Temblor," or trembling ; and the other, 

 more frightful both in name and its ravages, 

 44 Terremoto," or earthmoving ; the first su- 

 perficial, and the second felt at great depths. 

 I was relating, a short time past, to a mili- 

 tary friend at the head of a government 

 scientific department, on how many occasions 

 I had had an opportunity of observing the 

 effects of earthquakes at the bottom of mines ; 

 and how very differently the two sorts above 

 mentioned were felt there, and on the earth's 

 surface ; from which I naturally enough 

 drew my own conclusions, but was stopped 

 in the development of them by the following 

 remark : 44 We do not want conclusions or 

 opinions," said my friend, 64 we want facts ; 

 give us facts, and then we can see if those 

 facts agree with our principles, and we can 

 draw our own conclusions." Now I will 

 relate the facts I gave him, and give a very 

 small part of my conclusions. 



1st. I have been repeatedly at the bottom 

 of a deep mine during a Temblor earthquake, 

 and have invariably heard the noise pass 

 high over my head, and seldom felt any 

 motion, although on regaining the surface I 

 have been informed there had been a smart 

 earthquake. 



