between the seasons of the wooded and the open parts of this coast,
that on September 20th, in lat. 34 degs., these birds had young ones in
the nest, while among the Chonos Islands, three months later in the
summer, they were only laying, the difference in latitude between these
two places being about 700 miles.
CHAPTER XIV
CHILOE AND CONCEPCION: GREAT EARTHQUAKE
San Carlos, Chiloe--Osorno in eruption, contemporaneously with
Aconcagua and Coseguina--Ride to Cucao--Impenetrable Forests--Valdivia
Indians--Earthquake--Concepcion--Great Earthquake--Rocks
fissured--Appearance of the former Towns--The Sea Black and
Boiling--Direction of the Vibrations--Stones twisted round--Great
Wave--Permanent Elevation of the Land--Area of Volcanic Phenomena--The
connection between the Elevatory and Eruptive Forces--Cause of
Earthquakes--Slow Elevation of Mountain-chains.
ON JANUARY the 15th we sailed from Low's Harbour, 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 action. At midnight
the sentry observed something like a large star, which gradually
increased in size till about three o'clock, when it presented a very
magnificent spectacle. By the aid of a glass, dark objects, in
constant succession, were seen, in the midst of a great glare of red
light, to be thrown up and to fall down. The light was sufficient to
cast on the water a long bright reflection. Large masses of molten
matter seem very commonly to be cast out of the craters in this part of
the Cordillera. I was assured that when the Corcovado is in eruption,
great masses are projected upwards and are seen to burst in the air,
assuming many fantastical forms, such as trees: their size must be
immense, for they can be distinguished from the high land behind S.
Carlos, which is no less than ninety-three miles from the Corcovado. In
the morning the volcano became tranquil.
I was surprised at hearing afterwards that Aconcagua in Chile, 480
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