intwoorthreesecondsrecoveringtheirbreath，theywipedthesweatfromtheirbrows，andapparentlyquitefreshdescendedthemineagainataquickpace。Thisappearstomeawonderfulinstanceoftheamountoflabourwhichhabit，foritcanbenothingelse，willenableamantoendure。
Intheevening，talkingwiththe_mayor-domo_oftheseminesaboutthenumberofforeignersnowscatteredoverthewholecountry，hetoldmethat，thoughquiteayoungman，herememberswhenhewasaboyatschoolatCoquimbo，aholidaybeinggiventoseethecaptainofanEnglishship，whowasbroughttothecitytospeaktothegovernor。Hebelievesthatnothingwouldhaveinducedanyboyintheschool，himselfincluded，tohavegoneclosetotheEnglishman；sodeeplyhadtheybeenimpressedwithanideaoftheheresy，contamination，andeviltobederivedfromcontactwithsuchaperson。
Tothisdaytheyrelatetheatrociousactionsofthebucaniers；andespeciallyofoneman，whotookawaythefigureoftheVirginMary，andreturnedtheyearafterforthatofSt。Joseph，sayingitwasapitytheladyshouldnothaveahusband。Iheardalsoofanoldladywho，atadinneratCoquimbo，remarkedhowwonderfullystrangeitwasthatsheshouldhavelivedtodineinthesameroomwithanEnglishman；forsherememberedasagirl，thattwice，atthemerecryof“LosIngleses。”everysoul，carryingwhatvaluablestheycould，hadtakentothemountains。
14th——WereachedCoquimbo，wherewestayedafewdays。Thetownisremarkablefornothingbutitsextremequietness。Itissaidtocontainfrom6000to8000inhabitants。Onthemorningofthe17thitrainedlightly，thefirsttimethisyear，foraboutfivehours。Thefarmers，whoplantcornnearthesea-coastwheretheatmosphereismosthumid，takingadvantageofthisshower，wouldbreakuptheground；afterasecondtheywouldputtheseedin；andifathirdshowershouldfall，theywouldreapagoodharvestinthespring。Itwasinterestingtowatchtheeffectofthistriflingamountofmoisture。Twelvehoursafterwardsthegroundappearedasdryasever；yetafteranintervaloftendays，allthehillswerefaintlytingedwithgreenpatches；thegrassbeingsparinglyscatteredinhair-likefibresafullinchinlength。Beforethisshowereverypartofthesurfacewasbareasonahighroad。
Intheevening，CaptainFitzRoyandmyselfwerediningwithMr。Edwards，anEnglishresidentwellknownforhishospitalitybyallwhohavevisitedCoquimbo，whenasharpearthquakehappened。Iheardtheforecomingrumble，butfromthescreamsoftheladies，therunningoftheservants，andtherushofseveralofthegentlementothedoorway，Icouldnotdistinguishthemotion。Someofthewomenafterwardswerecryingwithterror，andonegentlemansaidheshouldnotbeabletosleepallnight，orifhedid，itwouldonlybetodreamoffallinghouses。ThefatherofthispersonhadlatelylostallhispropertyatTalcahuano，andhehimselfhadonlyjustescapedafallingroofatValparaiso，in1822。Hementionedacuriouscoincidencewhichthenhappened：hewasplayingatcards，whenaGerman，oneoftheparty，gotup，andsaidhewouldneversitinaroominthesecountrieswiththedoorshut，asowingtohishavingdoneso，hehadnearlylosthislifeatCopiapo。Accordinglyheopenedthedoor；andnosoonerhadhedonethis，thanhecriedout，“Hereitcomesagain！”andthefamousshockcommenced。Thewholepartyescaped。Thedangerinanearthquakeisnotfromthetimelostinopeningthedoor，butfromthechanceofitsbecomingjammedbythemovementofthewalls。