EFFECTS OF THE EARTHQUAKE. 33 



value when brought there ; and made it more pro- 

 jS table to work poorer ores of more easy access. 

 There is said to be an intention to run a horizon- 

 tal shaft from the side of the mountain into the 

 mine, at the level of the lake, in order to save the 

 upward carriage ; but it is questionable, if there 

 be yet spirit enough in the country for such an 

 undertaking. There is no saying, indeed, what 

 British capital and enterprise, aided bymachinery, 

 may effect, especially as there are but few silver 

 mines wrought at present in Chili. 



After dinner, on our return to the town, we 

 sallied forth to take another survey of the ruins, 

 which we never tired of looking at; for scarcely 

 any two of the houses were shaken down exactly 

 in the same manner. 



It was no less interesting to mark the effect of 

 the earthquake on the state of society. Many of 

 the most wealthy and industrious inhabitants had 

 removed to other quarters ; some from apprehen- 

 sion of a recurrence of the evil, and some from 

 the natural effect of the destruction of property, 

 which, for a long time, seemed likely to paralyze 

 active exertion. One very serious consequence 



VOL, II. c 



