S90 
GUATEMALA. 
San Salvador, and tlie next month many in the Depart¬ 
ment of Chiquimula in Guatemala; while during the fol¬ 
lowing October the “ earthquake of San Eafael ” shook 
many Guatemaltecan towns to pieces. 
On July 29, 1773, Antigua was again destroyed,—if 
such a thing was possible; and although her inhabitants 
yielded to the momentary discouragement and permitted 
the Government to be removed to the Valley of the Hermit¬ 
age, they have never allowed the ruins to become desolate, 
and to-day the traveller gazes in astonishment at the 
shattered walls of nearly eighty churches still the orna¬ 
ment of the town. The Antigua that once sheltered 
eighty thousand inhabitants, beautiful in its situation and 
distinguished by its architectural display, is still attrac¬ 
tive in its ruins ; its forty thousand inhabitants go in and 
out under the shadow of the volcano and await the next 
destruction, which may come to-morrow or years hence: 
the lesson that is past is all forgotten. I confess my¬ 
self that the ruined churches, so fresh after the sun and 
rains of a century have penetrated their shattered walls, 
inspired no apprehension of danger ; they were objects of 
great interest rather than warning; and it was no strange 
thing that those born in that charming place should cling 
to it still. 
In 1774 nearly all the towns on the Balsam Coast of 
San Salvador were ruined. I hope my readers understand 
the delicate gradation in the terms used in speaking of 
the misfortunes of earthquake countries. A place is 
“ shaken,” then “ shattered, ’ then “ ruined,” and finally 
“ destroyed ” by the visit of a temblor ; and it is a very 
nice matter to decide exactly where one term is appropri¬ 
ate and another not. 
