Jerry and I agreed that we had never seen anything more
beautiful. The doctor told us that this phosphorescence or luminosity
of the ocean is caused by a minute animal, scarcely perceptible to the
naked eye, though sufficient to tinge the water of a brown or reddish
colour. Other marine substances are, however, luminous. While we were
waiting to step into the boat, the bay having returned to its original
darkness, on a sudden it appeared as if it had become a vast caldron of
molten lead. The waters tumbled and rolled about in sheets of flame.

"It is indeed a beautiful sight," exclaimed the doctor; "never saw such
a display of luminosity."

"Grand, grand!" cried Jerry. "A thing to talk about--ah! what is that?"

We were all silent. There was a low, rumbling, awful noise, neither
like distant thunder nor the report of cannon--nor, indeed, anything
else I ever heard; the earth seemed to sink under our feet, and then as
if it were being crushed together--rocks, and earth, and sand, all in
one lump by some mighty force. It was very dreadful. Our knees
positively trembled under us, at least I felt mine doing so. The boat
rose and fell several times. I remembered the way in which old Callao
had been destroyed, and I began to fear that a similar catastrophe was
about to occur. For a time there was a perfect rest, no movement of
earth, or water, or air--not the less awful on that account though.

"Is it all over?" at length exclaimed Jerry, who was the first to break
the silence.

"I hope so," answered the doctor; "but let us get into the boat, and
pull on board; we shall be safer there than on shore, at all events."

We followed his advice. As the boat clove her way through the water she
seemed to be gliding over a surface of gold, overlaid by some dark sand
which was parted as she went by. When we got on board, we found that
our shipmates had felt the shock, the vibration of which must have come
up as they supposed by the chain cable. For a long time we walked the
deck, expecting another shock, but the night passed off quietly, and
when morning returned there was nothing to indicate that an earthquake
had taken place. I ought to have said that the present town of Callao
was built at a little distance from the site of the old town destroyed
by the earthquake, and on a higher and more commanding position.

Once more we were at sea. One of the most interesting places we called
at, on account of its positi