Earthquakesalonearesufficienttodestroytheprosperityofanycountry。
　　IfbeneathEnglandthenowinertsubterraneanforcesshouldexertthosepowers，whichmostassuredlyinformergeologicalagestheyhaveexerted，howcompletelywouldtheentireconditionofthecountrybechanged！Whatwouldbecomeoftheloftyhouses，thicklypackedcities，greatmanufactories，thebeautifulpublicandprivateedifices？Ifthenewperiodofdisturbancewerefirsttocommencebysomegreatearthquakeinthedeadofthenight，howterrificwouldbethecarnage！Englandwouldatoncebebankrupt；allpapers，records，andaccountswouldfromthatmomentbelost。Governmentbeingunabletocollectthetaxes，andfailingtomaintainitsauthority，thehandofviolenceandrapinewouldremainuncontrolled。Ineverylargetownfaminewouldgoforth，pestilenceanddeathfollowinginitstrain。
　　Shortlyaftertheshock，agreatwavewasseenfromthedistanceofthreeorfourmiles，approachinginthemiddleofthebaywithasmoothoutline；butalongtheshoreittoreupcottagesandtrees，asitsweptonwardswithirresistibleforce。Attheheadofthebayitbrokeinafearfullineofwhitebreakers，whichrusheduptoaheightof23verticalfeetabovethehighestspring-tides。Theirforcemusthavebeenprodigious；
　　forattheFortacannonwithitscarriage，estimatedatfourtonsinweight，wasmoved15feetinwards。Aschoonerwasleftinthemidstoftheruins，200yardsfromthebeach。Thefirstwavewasfollowedbytwoothers，whichintheirretreatcarriedawayavastwreckoffloatingobjects。Inonepartofthebay，ashipwaspitchedhighanddryonshore，wascarriedoff，againdrivenonshore，andagaincarriedoff。Inanotherpart，twolargevesselsanchoredneartogetherwerewhirledabout，andtheircableswerethricewoundroundeachother；thoughanchoredatadepthof36feet，theywereforsomeminutesaground。Thegreatwavemusthavetravelledslowly，fortheinhabitantsofTalcahuanohadtimetorunupthehillsbehindthetown；andsomesailorspulledoutseaward，trustingsuccessfullytotheirboatridingsecurelyovertheswell，iftheycouldreachitbeforeitbroke。Oneoldwomanwithalittleboy，fourorfiveyearsold，ranintoaboat，buttherewasnobodytorowitout：theboatwasconsequentlydashedagainstananchorandcutintwain；theoldwomanwasdrowned，butthechildwaspickedupsomehoursafterwardsclingingtothewreck。Poolsofsalt-waterwerestillstandingamidsttheruinsofthehouses，andchildren，makingboatswitholdtablesandchairs，appearedashappyastheirparentsweremiserable。Itwas，however，exceedinglyinterestingtoobserve，howmuchmoreactiveandcheerfulallappearedthancouldhavebeenexpected。
　　Itwasremarkedwithmuchtruth，thatfromthedestructionbeinguniversal，nooneindividualwashumbledmorethananother，orcouldsuspecthisfriendsofcoldness——thatmostgrievousresultofthelossofwealth。Mr。Rouse，andalargepartywhomhekindlytookunderhisprotection，livedforthefirstweekinagardenbeneathsomeapple-trees。Atfirsttheywereasmerryasifithadbeenapicnic；butsoonafterwardsheavyraincausedmuchdiscomfort，fortheywereabsolutelywithoutshelter。
　　InCaptainFitzRoy’sexcellentaccountoftheearthquake，itissaidthattwoexplosions，onelikeacolumnofsmokeandanotherliketheblowingofagreatwhale，wereseeninthebay。Thewateralsoappearedeverywheretobeboiling；andit“becameblack，andexhaledamostdisagreeablesulphureoussmell。”TheselattercircumstanceswereobservedintheBayofValparaisoduringtheearthquakeof1822；theymay，Ithink，beaccountedfor，bythedisturbanceofthemudatthebottomoftheseacontainingorganicmatterindecay。IntheBayofCallao，duringacalmday，Inoticed，thatastheshipdraggedhercableoverthebottom，itscoursewasmarkedbyalineofbubbles。ThelowerordersinTalcahuanothoughtthattheearthquakewascausedbysomeoldIndianwomen，whotwoyearsago，beingoffended，stoppedthevolcanoofAntuco。Thissillybeliefiscurious，becauseitshowsthatexperiencehastaughtthemtoobserve，thatthereexistsarelationbetweenthesuppressedactionofthevolcanos，andthetremblingoftheground。Itwasnecessarytoapplythewitchcrafttothepointwheretheirperceptionofcauseandeffectfailed；andthiswastheclosingofthevolcanicvent。Thisbeliefisthemoresingularinthisparticularinstance，because，accordingtoCaptainFitzRoy，thereisreasontobelievethatAntucowasnowaysaffected。
　　ThetownofConcepcionwasbuiltintheusualSpanishfashion，withallthestreetsrunningatrightanglestoeachother；onesetrangingS。W。byW。，andtheothersetN。W。byN。Thewallsintheformerdirectioncertainlystoodbetterthanthoseinthelatter；thegreaternumberofthemassesofbrickworkwerethrowndowntowardstheN。E。Boththesecircumstancesperfectlyagreewiththegeneralidea，oftheundulationshavingcomefromtheS。W。，inwhichquartersubterraneannoiseswerealsoheard；foritisevidentthatthewallsrunningS。W。andN。E。whichpresentedtheirendstothepointwhencetheundulationscame，wouldbemuchlesslikelytofallthanthosewallswhich，runningN。W。andS。E。，mustintheirwholelengthshavebeenatthesameinstantthrownoutoftheperpendicular；
　　fortheundulations，comingfromtheS。W。，musthaveextendedinN。W。andS。E。waves，astheypassedunderthefoundations。Thismaybeillustratedbyplacingbooksedgewaysonacarpet，andthen，afterthemannersuggestedbyMichell，imitatingtheundulationsofanearthquake：itwillbefoundthattheyfallwithmoreorlessreadiness，accordingastheirdirectionmoreorlessnearlycoincideswiththelineofthewaves。Thefissuresinthegroundgenerally，thoughnotuniformly，extendedinaS。E。andN。W。
　　direction，andthereforecorrespondedtothelinesofundulationorofprincipalflexure。Bearinginmindallthesecircumstances，whichsoclearlypointtotheS。W。asthechieffocusofdisturbance，itisaveryinterestingfactthattheislandofS。Maria，situatedinthatquarter，was，duringthegeneralupliftingoftheland，raisedtonearlythreetimestheheightofanyotherpartofthecoast。
　　Thedifferentresistanceofferedbythewalls，accordingtotheirdirection，waswellexemplifiedinthecaseoftheCathedral。ThesidewhichfrontedtheN。E。presentedagrandpileofruins，inthemidstofwhichdoor-casesandmassesoftimberstoodup，asiffloatinginastream。Someoftheangularblocksofbrickworkwereofgreatdimensions；andtheywererolledtoadistanceonthelevelplaza，likefragmentsofrockatthebaseofsomehighmountain。ThesidewallsrunningS。W。andN。E。，thoughexceedinglyfractured，yetremainedstanding；butthevastbuttressesatrightanglestothem，andthereforeparalleltothewallsthatfellwereinmanycasescutcleanoff，asifbyachisel，andhurledtotheground。Somesquareornamentsonthecopingofthesesamewalls，weremovedbytheearthquakeintoadiagonalposition。AsimilarcircumstancewasobservedafteranearthquakeatValparaiso，Calabria，andotherplaces，includingsomeoftheancientGreektemples。[1]Thistwistingdisplacement，atfirstappearstoindicateavorticosemovementbeneatheachpointthusaffected；butthisishighlyimprobable。Mayitnotbecausedbyatendencyineachstonetoarrangeitselfinsomeparticularposition，withrespecttothelinesofvibration，——inamannersomewhatsimilartopinsonasheetofpaperwhenshaken？Generallyspeaking，archeddoorwaysorwindowsstoodmuchbetterthananyotherpartofthebuildings。Nevertheless，apoorlameoldman，whohadbeeninthehabit，duringtriflingshocks，ofcrawlingtoacertaindoorway，wasthistimecrushedtopieces。
　　IhavenotattemptedtogiveanydetaileddescriptionoftheappearanceofConcepcion，forIfeelthatitisquiteimpossibletoconveythemingledfeelingswhichIexperienced。Severaloftheofficersvisiteditbeforeme，buttheirstrongestlanguagefailedtogiveajustideaofthesceneofdesolation。Itisabitterandhumiliatingthingtoseeworks，whichhavecostmansomuchtimeandlabour，overthrowninoneminute；yetcompassionfortheinhabitantswasalmostinstantlybanished，bythesurpriseinseeingastateofthingsproducedinamomentoftime，whichonewasaccustomedtoattributetoasuccessionofages。Inmyopinion，wehavescarcelybeheld，sinceleavingEngland，anysightsodeeplyinteresting。
　　Inalmosteverysevereearthquake，theneighbouringwatersoftheseaaresaidtohavebeengreatlyagitated。Thedisturbanceseemsgenerally，asinthecaseofConcepcion，tohavebeenoftwokinds：first，attheinstantoftheshock，thewaterswellshighuponthebeachwithagentlemotion，andthenasquietlyretreats；secondly，sometimeafterwards，thewholebodyofthesearetiresfromthecoast，andthenreturnsinwavesofoverwhelmingforce。Thefirstmovementseemstobeanimmediateconsequenceoftheearthquakeaffectingdifferentlyafluidandasolid，sothattheirrespectivelevelsareslightlyderanged：butthesecondcaseisafarmoreimportantphenomenon。Duringmostearthquakes，andespeciallyduringthoseonthewestcoastofAmerica，itiscertainthatthefirstgreatmovementofthewatershasbeenaretirement。Someauthorshaveattemptedtoexplainthis，bysupposingthatthewaterretainsitslevel，whilstthelandoscillatesupwards；butsurelythewaterclosetotheland，evenonarathersteepcoast，wouldpartakeofthemotionofthebottom：moreover，asurgedbyMr。Lyell，similarmovementsoftheseahaveoccurredatislandsfardistantfromthechieflineofdisturbance，aswasthecasewithJuanFernandezduringthisearthquake，andwithMadeiraduringthefamousLisbonshock。
　　Isuspectbutthesubjectisaveryobscureonethatawave，howeverproduced，firstdrawsthewaterfromtheshore，onwhichitisadvancingtobreak：Ihaveobservedthatthishappenswiththelittlewavesfromthepaddlesofasteam-boat。ItisremarkablethatwhilstTalcahuanoandCallaonearLima，bothsituatedattheheadoflargeshallowbays，havesufferedduringeverysevereearthquakefromgreatwaves，Valparaiso，seatedclosetotheedgeofprofoundlydeepwater，hasneverbeenoverwhelmed，thoughsooftenshakenbytheseverestshocks。Fromthegreatwavenotimmediatelyfollowingtheearthquake，butsometimesaftertheintervalofevenhalfanhour，andfromdistantislandsbeingaffectedsimilarlywiththecoastsnearthefocusofthedisturbance，itappearsthatthewavefirstrisesintheoffing；andasthisisofgeneraloccurrence，thecausemustbegeneral：Isuspectwemustlooktotheline，wherethelessdisturbedwatersofthedeepoceanjointhewaternearerthecoast，whichhaspartakenofthemovementsoftheland，astheplacewherethegreatwaveisfirstgenerated；itwouldalsoappearthatthewaveislargerorsmaller，accordingtotheextentofshoalwaterwhichhasbeenagitatedtogetherwiththebottomonwhichitrested。
　　Themostremarkableeffectofthisearthquakewasthepermanentelevationoftheland，itwouldprobablybefarmorecorrecttospeakofitasthecause。TherecanbenodoubtthatthelandroundtheBayofConcepcionwasupraisedtwoorthreefeet；butitdeservesnotice，thatowingtothewavehavingobliteratedtheoldlinesoftidalactionontheslopingsandyshores，Icoulddiscovernoevidenceofthisfact，exceptintheunitedtestimonyoftheinhabitants，thatonelittlerockyshoal，nowexposed，wasformerlycoveredwithwater。AttheislandofS。Mariaaboutthirtymilesdistanttheelevationwasgreater；ononepart，CaptainFitzRoyfoundsbedsofputridmussel-shells_stilladheringtotherocks_，tenfeetabovehigh-watermark：theinhabitantshadformerlydivedatlower-waterspring-tidesfortheseshells。Theelevationofthisprovinceisparticularlyinteresting，fromitshavingbeenthetheatreofseveralotherviolentearthquakes，andfromthevastnumbersofsea-shellsscatteredovertheland，uptoaheightofcertainly600，andIbelieve，of1000feet。AtValparaiso，asIhaveremarked，similarshellsarefoundattheheightof1300feet：itishardlypossibletodoubtthatthisgreatelevationhasbeeneffectedbysuccessivesmalluprisings，suchasthatwhichaccompaniedorcausedtheearthquakeofthisyear，andlikewisebyaninsensiblyslowrise，whichiscertainlyinprogressonsomepartsofthiscoast。
　　TheislandofJuanFernandez，360milestotheN。E。，was，atthetimeofthegreatshockofthe20th，violentlyshaken，sothatthetreesbeatagainsteachother，andavolcanoburstforthunderwaterclosetotheshore：thesefactsareremarkablebecausethisisland，duringtheearthquakeof1751，wasthenalsoaffectedmoreviolentlythanotherplacesatanequaldistancefromConcepcion，andthisseemstoshowsomesubterraneanconnectionbetweenthesetwopoints。Chiloe，about340milessouthwardofConcepcion，appearstohavebeenshakenmorestronglythantheintermediatedistrictofValdivia，wherethevolcanoofVillaricawasnowaysaffected，whilstintheCordillerainfrontofChiloe，twoofthevolcanosburst-forthatthesameinstantinviolentaction。Thesetwovolcanos，andsomeneighbouringones，continuedforalongtimeineruption，andtenmonthsafterwardswereagaininfluencedbyanearthquakeatConcepcion。Somemen，cuttingwoodnearthebaseofoneofthesevolcanos，didnotperceivetheshockofthe20th，althoughthewholesurroundingProvincewasthentrembling；