"Several shocks followed, with little intervals, until two-thirds of Arica lay in ruins. The ships sent their boats ashore with surgeons to assist the wounded, but they had hardly landed before the water began to recede as though the tide was running out. It reached the point of low tide, and then began to rise again; and it kept on and on till it had reached a point thirty-four feet above high-water mark; it overflowed the town, poured through the streets, and flooded many of the houses. Then it flowed back again as fast as it had risen, and carried with it the custom-house, the residence of the English consul, and other buildings. Hundreds of the people had rushed to the mole or landing, and as the water swept out through the harbor they were carried with it, and many of them were drowned. [Illustration: UNITED STATES WAR-STEAMER "WATEREE," STRANDED AT ARICA IN 1868.] "It was an awful spectacle, enough to terrify the bravest man that ever lived. Again the water rose to the same height as before, and again it fell, carrying with it houses, merchandise, and even a locomotive and some cars that were standing on the railway track. Altogether there were eleven of these waves, and then there was another shock of an earthquake, lasting about eight minutes, accompanied by repeated rolls of thunder and loud rumblings. This was followed by a rush of water from the ocean; it came on in a great wall breasted with foam, and poured over the land like an avalanche. Nothing could stand against it; the anchor-chains of the ships were snapped like threads, and the _Wateree_ and three or four other ships in port were swept inland and stranded. The sea retired and left her high and dry about four hundred yards inland, in a position where it was impossible to get her afloat again; the same was the case with an English vessel and a Peruvian gun-boat; but the American store-ship _Fredonia_ was less fortunate. She was knocked to pieces on the rocks, and all on board were lost; her captain and four of the crew were ashore at the time, and were saved." Frank asked if there had ever been any earthquakes in the United States, and if so, whether they amounted to much.