Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

416 VALDIVIA — CHILOE. Feb. beyond its proper place, at that time of tide ; but each swelled from time to time and again sunk down. This happened once or twice in an hour. After the great convulsion, other slighter shocks occurred at intervals of a few minutes during an hour. In the afternoon, at about five, a smart shock was felt, which made the people run out of their houses. * One man and one woman were drowned by the sudden rise of the sea near Niebla: it was supposed that they were upon the rocks gathering shell- fish. Excepting in this instance, no injury was done at Valdi- via. No noise preceded or accompanied any of the shocks, "f Tliis great earthquake extended to the island of Chiloe, and probably still farther to the southward. The shock was there slight, but lasted during six or eight minutes ; it was neither preceded nor followed by any subterranean noise. At about thirty-four minutes after eleven, J the beginning of the shock was felt. The motion was undulating and not strong. The swell of the sea was felt there, but I know not at what time. A man was going to leave the shore § in his boat; he went a short distance to fetch something, and returning found the boat aground and immoveable: puzzled and vexed he went away, but had not gone many yards before his son called to him that it was afloat. • Although built of wood. t (Valdivia has since been ruined). " Valdivia, Nov. 7, de 1837- "El gran terremoto que ha esperimentado este pueblo en la maiiana de este dia, sin tocar los limites de la exajeracion, se puede asegurar sea el mayor de los hasta aqui acontecidos. Di6 principio a las 8 y 5 minu- tes ; y termind a las 8 y quarto : advirtiendo que el movimiento de la tierra en este espacio detiempofue tan extraordinario que con difieultad podia un hombre sostenerse en pie. Continue en seguida hasta las 9 y media con interrupcion solo de momentos, y desde esa bora hasta las 12 y tres cuartos que son actualmente se esperimentan los mismos movimientos, aunque no con igual fuerza. Las dos unicas iglesias que habia en este pueblo, y todos los edificios fiscales, se ban arruinado completamente y si no les ha caido igual suerte a las demas casas de esta poblacion ha contribuido sin duda la circumstancia de ser ellas de niadera, aunque por lo general ban sufrido grande detrimento. " Isidro Veegara." " Al S'. Ynt®. de la prov. de Concepcion, Dn. Manuel Biilnes." — Ex- tracted from the ' Araucano' of Chile, Dec. 8, 1837. I Mean time (exact ?). § Point A rena— San Carlos.