Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.3)

35 G CHAPTER XVI. San Carlos, Chiloe — Osorno in eruption — Ride to Castro and Cucao Impenetrable forests— Valdivia — Apple-trees — Ride to Llanos — In- dians — Earthquake — Concepcion — Great earthquake — Effects of wave — Rocks fissured — Appearance of the former towns — Water in the bay- black and boiling — Direction of vibration — Stones displaced — Cause of great waves — Permanent elevation of land — Great lake of fluid rock beneath crust of the globe — Connexion of volcanic phenomena — Slow elevation of mountain chain, cause of earthquakes. CHILOE AND CONCEPCION. On January the 15th we sailed from Lowe's Har- bour^ and three days afterwards anchored a second time in the bay of S. Carlos in Chiloe. On the night of the 19th the volcano of Osorno was in activity. At midnight the sentry observed something hke a large star ; from which state the bright spot gradually increased in size till about three o'clock, when a very magnificent spectacle was presented. By the aid of a glass, dark objects, in constant succession, were seen, in the midst of a great red glare of light, to be thrown upwards and to fall down again. The light was sufficient to cast on the water a long bright reflection. By the morning the volcano* had resumed its tranquilhty. Large masses of molten matter seem very commonly to be cast out of the igneous vents, in this part of the Cordillera. I was assured, that when the Corcovado is in eruption, great masses projected upwards are seen to burst in the air, and to assume fantastical forms, such as trees and other bodies. One may form an idea of the immense size of these bodies, when it is stated that they have been seen from the high land * In another work I shall have occasion to refer to this eruption, which is connected with one of the grandest series of volcanic phenomena on record.