380 



CONCEPCION. 



March, 1835. 



spaces, and strange subterranean noises likewise heard over 

 nearly equal areas, yet few cases are on record of volcanoes, 

 very far distant from each other, bursting out at the same 

 moment of time. In this instance, however, at the same 

 hour when the whole country around Concepcion was 

 permanently elevated, a train of volcanoes situated in the 

 Andes, in front of Chiloe, instantaneously spouted out a 

 dark column of smoke, and during the subsequent year 

 continued in uncommon activity. It is, moreover, a very 

 interesting circumstance, that, in the immediate neighbour- 

 hood, these eruptions entirely relieved the trembling ground, 

 although at a little distance, and in sight of the volcanoes, 

 the island of Chiloe was strongly affected. To the north- 

 ward, a volcano burst out at the bottom of the sea adjoining 

 the island of Juan Fernandez, and several of the great chim- 

 neys in the Cordillera of central Chile commenced a fresh 

 period of activity. We thus see a permanent elevation of 

 the land, renewed activity through habitual vents, and a 

 submarine outburst, forming parts of one great phenomenon. 

 The extent of country throughout which the subterranean 

 forces were thus unequivocally displayed, measures "JOO by 

 400 geographical miles. From several considerations, which 

 I have not space here to enter on, and especially from the 

 number of intermediate points Avhence liquefied matter was 

 ejected, we can scarcely avoid the conclusion, however 

 fearful it may be, that a vast lake of melted matter, of an 

 area nearly doubling in extent that of the Black Sea, is 

 spread out beneath a mere crust of solid land. 



The elevation of the land to the amount of some feet 

 during these earthquakes, appears to be a paroxysmal move- 

 ment, in a series of lesser and even insensible steps, by 

 which the whole west coast of South America has been 

 raised above the level of the sea. In the same manner, 

 the most violent explosion from any volcano is merely one 

 in a series of lesser eruptions : and we have seen that both 

 these phonomena, which are in so many ways related, are 

 parts of one common action^ only modified by local circum- 



