A vessel that had been stranded on
the coast, and whose wreck had been visited by the curious, in
boats, at low water, was left, after the earthquake, perfectly
dry. In traversing the shore of the sea, for a considerable
distance near Quintero, Lord Cochran, and Mrs. Maria Graham,
found that the water, even at high tide, did not reach rocks,
on which oysters, muscles, and shells still adhered, the
animals inhabiting which, recently dead, were in a state of
putrefaction. Finally the whole banks of the lake of Quintero,
which communicates with the sea, had evidently mounted
considerably above the level of the water, and in this locality
the fact could not escape the least attentive observers.

"At Valparaiso the country appeared to be raised about three
feet, near Quintero about four. It has been pretended, that at
a distance of a mile inland, the rise had been more than six
feet; but I do not know the particulars of the measures that
led to this last inference.

"In this case there was no volcanic eruption, no lava poured
forth, no stones or ashes projected, into the atmosphere, and
unless it be maintained that the level of the ocean have
fallen, it must be admitted that the earthquake of 19th.
November 1822, has raised the whole of Chili. Now the last
consequence is inevitable, for a change of level in the ocean
would have manifested itself equally along the whole extent of
the coast of America, while nothing of the kind was observed in
the ports of Peru, such as Paytu and Callao.

"If this discussion had not already carried us so far, the
preceding observations, from which it results, that in a few
hours, and by the effect of a few shocks of an earthquake, an
immense extent of country rose above its former level, might
have been compared with those which show, that there exists in
Europe, a great country (Sweden and Norway) whose level is also
rising, but in a gradual manner, and by a cause that acts
unceasingly, but which cause is unknown."

Thus, then, to whatever portion of the earth's surface we turn our eyes,
we find the proofs of igneous action; our existing volcanoes, protruding
themselves through the newer stratified formations, and even the
diluvium, being in some cases more recent in their origin than the last
great catastrophe to which the