4-1 Return of tlie party from San Felipe. ,,„,. . Volcanic mountains of Chili.— Population of 



Effect! of earthquake*. — Ki*e <.filic const. ^ tl 1 1*1, Santiago.— Population of Vnlp*ralso. 



good deal cif delay, owing to the stupidity of their 

 peon, who had indulged ton much in hi* favourite 

 chic.hu. Nothing, it is proper to add, could exceed 

 the kindness mid attention shown thorn hy Mr. 

 Newman, his Judy, and Mr. Chase, Mr. Aldcrson, 

 the agent, devoted himself to them for two il.iys, 

 during which time he left nothing undone fhitt 

 could promote and forward the object of their visit. 

 It affords me great pleasure to hear testimony also 

 to the numerous tine specimens of copper, eve., 

 from other mines, which Mr. Newnien presented 

 to the Expedition, and to return him mir thanks 

 for them, and the kind attention of his lady. 



Having heard much ahout the rise of the coast, 

 from the effects of earthquakes, I was desirous of 

 gaining all the information in relation to this sub- 

 ject. From tin- residents the accounts are ho con- 

 tradictory, that no correct intelligence can he ob- 

 tained. The decrease in the depth of the bay. I 

 have before said, can be accounted for, and un- 

 doubtedly is owing, so far as it lias taken place, to 

 (he wash of the hills ; and the formation of a new- 

 street which ban been reclaimed from the bay, has 

 given ris© to the idea, ami it is pointed out as 

 having been built upon ground left dry hy the 

 earthquake of 11132. Several of our naturalists 

 made a close examination of the coast in the 

 neighbourhood, the result of which on the minds 

 of all was, that there was no proof of elevation. 

 That changes in the beaches, through the agency 

 of the heavy rollers and the northers that yearly 

 occur, are constantly going on, is quite evident ; 

 but these, as one would naturally suppose, increase 

 the shore only iu some places, while in others they 

 are wearing it away. 



Earthquakes do not appear to happen at any 

 particular season. The great one of 1 730 was in 

 July ; that of 1731, in May ; and the*: of lfl'22 

 ;ind 1835, both of which did much damage, iu 

 February. 



Slight shocks of earthquakes are experienced 

 very frequently tliroughout Chili. One during t.ur 

 stay, on the 28th of May, started every one from 

 their beds, but the shock was not repeated. No 

 peculiar state of the weather, or other phenomenon, 

 seems lo precede them. That of 1835 nearly de- 

 stroyed the towns (if Conception, Tulcahuana, 

 Arauco, Angeles, Coluua, Chillian, Talca, and 

 Cauqucnes. It was very slightly felt iu Valparaiso, 

 and scarcely at all further north. The sea receded 

 in Valparaiso two feet, and returned immediately. 

 The ground seemed to swell under the feet. In Juan 

 Fernandez it was very severely felt; and the follow- 

 ing extract from the report of the then governor of 

 that island to the supreme government is interest- 

 ing : "I was walking at the castle of Santa Bar- 



lain, with tlie commandant of the garrison, when 

 we suddenly observed that the sea had come over 

 the mole. Fearing great damage, I hastened to 

 have the boats drawn from under a shed, and pre- 

 pared for use. At the same moment we heard a 

 loud roaring, as of thunder, and saw a white column, 

 like smoke, rise from the sea, a short distance from 

 tin place called ' tit Punto <U Baadlaoj and then 

 felt the earth move. The sea retired ahout two 

 hundred feet, when it commenced returning with 

 great violence. This time it carried nearly every 

 thing with it ; broke down all the houses and huts 

 but the one recently built of stone and mortar to 

 contain provisions. Happily, this withstood its vio. 

 lenee, although the water "ascended more than six 

 feet up its sides. It then retired again to its usual 

 height. Constant shocks were felt during the 

 night ; ami the sea, at the place before mentioned, 

 continued throwing up water and smoke like a 

 volcano." 



Chili abounds with volcanic mountains, but few 

 of them are in an active state of eruption ; which 

 may account for the frequency of earthquakes. The 

 peak of Tupongati is the only one in activity in this 

 section. Our travellers to the Cordilleras were not 

 fortunate enough to get a sight of it at nipht. 



The population of Chili may be estimated at one 

 million two hundred thousand. 



Santiago contains about sixty thonsand inhabit- 

 ants, and is one of the ft-w south American capi- 

 tals, perhaps the only one, that is increasing in 

 wealth and population. It has various private se- 

 minaries for both sexes, a national institute or 

 college, on a liberal footing, an extensive hospital, 

 a medical college, and a military academy. The 

 Congress meets on the 1st of June every year, 

 when the President delivers his message. 



Valparaiso numbers thirty thousand inhabitants, 

 ami is one of the most nourishing sea-ports in the 

 world. Its population has quintupled within the 

 last twenty years, and it is rapidly advancing in 

 every improvement, growing out of an increasing 

 foreign commerce, and (he enterprise of its inha- 

 bitants, fostered and encouraged as they are by 

 government. 



The mining districts are to the north, and the 

 grain country to the south. Extensive Hour-mills 

 lire now iu work in Concession and its neighbour- 

 hood : the machinery is brought from the United 

 States. 



There is very little variation in the climate. 

 During what is willed the winter the thermometer 

 occasionally falls for a few hours to 62°, but the 

 mean of it throughout the year, at mid-day, w<iuld 

 >■ ' i."> . In the evening and morning, it is at 



m - 



