76 



A DIARY OF THE 



purpose of a rudder. A man was stationed at 

 each end of the launch with a long pole, which, 

 on first starting, was made use of a little, but 

 when in deep water she was merely kept end on 

 to the current by means of the rudder, until we 

 approached the shallow water on the northern 

 side, which covers an extensive flat of sand. On 

 grounding, the horses, bullocks, and pigs disem- 

 barked, and the launch being again afloat, was, 

 by the assistance of the poles, shoved some dis- 

 tance over the flat, but still a considerable way 

 from the beach. We disembarked, by mounting 

 our horses from the launch, and entered the city 

 of Concep9ion (situated on the Bio-bio), which 

 we found in a state of complete ruin, not a single 

 building standing, and the inhabitants living in 

 tents or wooden houses, which some of the more 

 opulent had been able to erect, as temporary re- 

 sidences. We learned that it had been destroyed 

 by an earthquake, on the SOth of February last : 

 the fatal shock which produced this devastation 

 was felt at mid-day, without giving the slightest 

 warning, when every house and public building 

 fell; and it appears miraculous that only a 

 hundred lives were lost. The port of Talcahuana 

 felt the shock with equal severity. The sea is 



