he ocean had permanently
retreated.

Dr. Meyen, a Prussian traveller, who visited Valparaiso in 1831, says
that on examining the rocks both north and south of the town, nine years
after the event, he found, in corroboration of Mrs. Graham's account,
that remains of animals and sea-weed, the _Lessonia_ of Bory de St.
Vincent, which has a firm ligneous stem, still adhered to those rocks
which in 1822 had been elevated above high-water mark.[633] According to
the same author, the whole coast of Central Chili was raised about four
feet, and banks of marine shells were laid dry on many parts of the
coast. He observed similar banks, elevated at unknown periods, in
several places, especially at Copiapo, where the species all agree with
those now living in the ocean. Mr. Freyer also, who resided some years
in South America, has confirmed these statements;[634] and Mr. Darwin
obtained evidence that the remains of an ancient wall, formerly washed
by the sea, and now 11-1/2 feet above high-water mark, acquired several
feet of this additional elevation during the earthquake of 1822.[635]

The shocks continued up to the end of September, 1823; even then,
forty-eight hours seldom passed without one, and sometimes two or three
were felt during twenty-four hours. Mrs. Graham observed, after the
earthquake of 1822, that besides a beach newly raised above high-water
mark, there were several older elevated lines of beach, one above the
other, consisting of shingle mixed with shells extending in a parallel
direction to the shore, to the height of fifty feet above the sea.[636]

_Extent of country elevated._--By some observers it has been supposed
that the whole country from the foot of the Andes to a great distance
under the sea was upraised in 1822, the greatest rise being at the
distance of about two miles from the shore. "The rise upon the coast was
from two to four feet:--at the distance of a mile inland it must have
been from five to six or seven feet."[637] It has also been conjectured
by the same eye-witnesses to the convulsion, that the area over which
this permanent alteration of level extended may have been equal to
100,000 square miles. Although the increased fall of certain
water-courses may have afforded some ground for this conjecture, it must
be considered as very hypothetical, and the estimate may have exceeded
or greatly fallen short of the truth. It may nevertheless be useful to
reflect on the enormous amount of change