408 



EFFECTS UPON THE SHIPPING. 



Feb. 



ally rushing in again to overwhelm them. Nearly all the inha- 

 bitants, excepting a few who went on board vessels in the har- 

 bour, passed the night upon the hills, without shelter : and next 

 day they began to raise sheds and huts upon the high grounds, 

 still dreading the sea. It was said, and generally considered 

 certain, that every dog at Talcahuano had left the town before 

 the shock, which ruined the buildings, was felt. 



Without explanation it appears astonishing how the ship- 

 ping escaped destruction. There were three large whale-ships, 

 a bark, two brigs, and a schooner, very near the town, in from 

 four to seven fathoms water : they were lying at single anchor,* 

 with a good scope of cable one only was well moored. 



With the southerly breeze, which was rather fresh at the 

 time of the earthquake, these vessels lay to seaward;]: of their 

 anchors, having their sterns towards the sea ; and were left 

 aground in this position. The captain of the port, D. Pablo 

 Delano, was on board one of the whale ships at the time, with 

 the hatches battened down, and dead lights shipped. All 

 hands took to the rigging for safety. The first great wave 

 came in an unbroken swell to the stern of the vessel, broke 

 over and lifted her along without doing any material harm, 

 more than sweeping her decks : and the slack chain dragging 

 over the mud checked her gradually, as the first impetus of the 

 wave diminished. Whirling her round, the water rushed out 

 to seaward again, leaving the vessel stranded nearly in her 

 former position. From two fathoms, when aground, the depth 

 alongside increased to ten, as the water rose highest during 

 the last swell. The two latter waves approached, and affected 

 the shipping similarly to the former : all withstood their force, 

 though the light anchors were dragged. Some of the vessels 

 were thrown violently against others ; and whirled around as 

 if they had been in the vortex of a whirlpool. Previous to the 

 rush of waters, the Paulina and Orion, two merchantmen, were 



* Or steadied by a second anchor which was too light to withstand 

 any great strain, 



t Chain. — The holding-ground is excellent, a soft, tenacious mud. 

 I Nearly half a cable's length ; or from sixty to one hundred yards. 



