38 



CHILt. 



even in this land of fascination. The accounts 

 she had heard from others of the fashionable world 

 of Santiago, and of Coquimbo, had so complete- 

 ly turned the young lady'^s head, that earthquakes 

 had ceased to make the usual impression. " I 

 see,'' cried she, other people running out of 

 their houses, full of terror, beating their breasts 

 and imploring mercy ; and decency, of course, 

 obliges me to do the same ; but I feel no alarm — 

 my thoughts are all at Coquimbo. How can my 

 uncle be so unkind as not to repeat his invitation 

 We consoled the damsel as well as we could, and 

 as she had spoken of earthquakes, asked her if 

 there had been one lately ? " No," she answer- 

 ed, " not for some time — I really do not think I 

 have felt one myself for three days — somebody 

 said there was one last night, but I knew nothing 

 of it — I am tired of these earthquakes — and would 

 never think of them again if I were once at dear 

 Coquimbo V 



On putting the same question to another per- 

 son present, he said, they had not experienced one 

 since April ; meaning, as I discovered, April 

 1819, two years and a half before ; not conceiving 



