the coast. This is the first person we have seen direct from the scene of the catastrophe. He estimates the killed to be 11,000. He confirms the news of the total destruction of the place. He reports that some fifteen individuals had been shot by the authorities for acts of robbery. The oscillation of the earth still continued at intervals. The courier conveyed to us his thoughts in a very incoherent way he appeared like a man overcome with fear. He avoided answers, when appealed to, respecting individuals whom our fellow-passengers inquired after. My native friend fancies that a part of his family must have perished, but he cannot ascertain who are living. The poor fellow hardly dares to ask a direct question.

"April 7-Reached Rio Cuarto, a village of some extent. Met two other men direct from Mendoza. They confirm the news given us yesterday, with heartrending details. The site of the place cannot be approached for three or four miles, owing to the pestilential state of the atmosphere. These men, like the courier we met yesterday, answered our questions very indistinctly. We now perceive that the scene of horror they have themselves escaped forbid free allusion to the disaster: their looks are even vacant. One of these men lost all his family but one child. We were overtaken by a deputation of five priests and three medical men, from the city of Cordova, proceeding likewise to Mendoza. In that city 10,000 dollars had been collected in a short time, which they had with them.

"April 8-We are progressing rapidly, with a desire to reach Mendoza. In the van containing our luggage we have a quantity of medicines and tents, forwarded by the National Government, for survivors. We are the bearers also of several boxes of specie.

"April 9-At a place called San José we passed a Galéra, which left Mendoza five days back. No doubt remains of the entire destruction of Mendoza. The passengers give us distressing accounts. Whole families have been swept away in a moment of time; others have since died a slow death among the ruins, which were partially destroyed by fire. The fires are still burning. We heard great blame thrown upon the Governor, who took no action to disinter living beings till after three days, so that multitudes died who might have been rescued. The Governor lost three of his own children. The greatest confusion prevails. I have heard of three Englishmen only who resided in Mendoza: one is Mr. Green, partner of the firm of Nicholson, Green, and Co., of Valparaiso and Buenos Ayres, who is dead; another, Dr. Day, a medical man, was absent from home, but, returning, found that his wife and one child had perished: two of his children, however, were rescued; the other is Mr. Nathan, who was absent in the adjoining province of San Juan. The road to Chili, we are told, is yet open. The shock has been felt in the great Cordillera. It is supposed that a volcano has been smothering in the bosom of the chain of Andes; but there is no visible smoke or fire. Mendoza is situated at the foot of one of the lower ranges of the great chain. The shock has been from west to east: it was felt in the locality where this note is recorded, which is 330 miles east of Mendoza, but not violently; it was also felt in Rio Cuarto and Cordova, distant quite 500 miles. In the former place the shock was somewhat severe, causing the people to run to their doors. It now appears that in the city of Buenos Ayres the shock was felt by a clockmaker, who noticed an irregularity in the pendulum of a large clock in his shop. He noted the time (half-past eight P.M.), and communicated the fact next day to the editor of the Tribuna,' who published his communication. Buenos Ayres is distant more than 1100 miles. course from Rosario is due west; from Buenos Ayres to Rosario (250 miles) the course is west north-west. So far as we can learn, the places to the north and south of Mendoza have not suffered for any great distance.

Our

April 10-Reached San Luis, the capital of the province of the same name. We gain more particulars of the earthquake the farther we proceed. We were told how this community first received the sad news. It appears that a German gentleman, who crossed the Andes from Valparaiso, had recently reached Mendoza, on his way to Buenos Ayres. On the fatal night, he had casually left his room in the hotel Catús, for a stroll in the street, which he had scarcely

reached when the terrible shock commenced. Not one of the thirty other inmates escaped. (I passed a night in this hotel in January last) In less thin two minutes the whole town and neighbourhood presented a mass of ruins. The inhabitants were buried alive. His first impulse was to make his way to the open square, where he found 200 or 300 persons, who had escaped to that locality. Although the moon shone brightly, the place was in darkness for about half an hour, by the clouds of dust, &c., that followed the convulsion. The shrieks of the people were horrifying. Mr. H, the German, in the wildest despair, scarcely knew what to do, for everybody dreaded that the whole place would sink below its natural level. Large fissures, leagues in length, can be traced. With some difficulty he secured a stray horse, which he hastily mounted, and in two days, with change of horses on the road, he reached this spot, San Luis. On arriving at the town, he communicated what he had felt and witnessed, but no one credited his story. Everybody regarded him as a madman. The more anxious he was that help should be obtained to rescue the inhabitants, the more did it increase the belief of his insanity: his looks and gestures assisted their doubts. The Governor himself, to whom he communicated the disaster, partook of the general mistrust. In despair, Mr. H-proceeded on his way, telling everybody all along the line of route what had happened, begging that the provincial Governments would lend a helping hand. But everybody doubted the truthfulness of his story. He ultimately reached Buenos Ayres; and there, too, scarcely any one cared to credit him. At Rio Cuarto, a native told us of a generous impulse of soul displayed by Mr. H. Seeing the general disbelief of his tale, he assured his hearers that he thought he might be glad even if their apprehensions concerning his madness were true, so that he himself might disbelieve the sad facts, which he had witnessed. But it was of no avail; he was still regarded as an impostor, and his own mind, agonized with anxiety, found scarcely any sympathy. What must have been the feelings of this man under such painful circumstances, he himself escaping from a scene in which the solid foundations of nature were disturbed like the shaking of a tree! The entire population of Mendoza is estimated vaguely from 12,000 to 14,000. Some say only 500 have escaped, others more; but no one knows with certainty. There are no details of the survivors, who are dispersed in various spots, living beneath the shade of trees. My native friend has learned with satisfaction that his father and mother are both alive, but the fate of his brothers and sisters is uncertain. He ventures to smile occasionally.

"The Governor of San Luis, Don Juan Sáa, is the chief of the expedition that lately butchered the inhabitants of San Juan, an event which caused much political agitation. He was once an Indian cucique, and lived with the tribes to the south, of which this is the border territory. Hordes of wild Indians rove at pleasure twenty to thirty leagues southward. The National Government has placed two forts, defended by a few soldiers, fifteen leagues off, to repel their incursions. They occasionally do so, carrying off cattle, and, when able, murder the inhabitants. The Governor is unable to read or write. Gave away three Bibles to my fellow-passengers, which they were glad to accept. The season is noticed by every one as unusual: in this month cold is generally felt, whereas now there is a great deal of heat.

(To be continued.)

DOMESTIC.

Harvest Thank-offering.

THE following note has been received from a warm-hearted friend of the Society, and suggests an example which the recent auspicious harvest may dispose many persons to imitate :

"I have much pleasure in again remitting my thank-offering of five pounds to the Bible Society, for the mercies of an abundant harvest. Will you be good enough to insert it as usual from a Derbyshire farmer.

The Railway and the Bible Society.

THE Rev. W. Spencer refers, in the following statement, to an interesting Meeting recently held on behalf of the Society at the Midland Railway station, Derby :

"On September the 9th I attended an exceedingly interesting Meeting of the Midland Railway Bible Association, held in a large room at the Derby station. The attendance was considerably larger than last year, and the Report was very encouraging. At the various stations of the main and branch lines of the Company Bible Boxes are conspicuously placed, and, during the past twelve months, these have produced 304. 128. 4 d., being an increase upon the former year of 91. 8s. 3 d. If other Companies would adopt the same practice,—and I see no reason why they should not,-it would be an interesting testimony in favour of the Bible, as well as promote an increase in the funds of the Bible Society. All persons, indeed, would not-as there are some who in this case do not-approve of the movement. In a Box at one of the stations a paper was found with the words, 'Destruction to this iniquitous Society.' But, on the other hand, in another Box there was a paper, enclosing a sovereign, with the words, For the Italian Fund, if there be one; but if not, for the general objects of the Society. As a Christian nation, professing to receive the Bible as the supreme rule of faith and practice, and as an Institution wherein all Christians may, without any compromise, unite in the universal circulation of the Scriptures without note or comment, it appears to me there could be no real cause of offence to any party, were a Box for Contributions to the British and Foreign Bible Society to be seen at every railway station in the United Kingdom."

6

Contributions may be sent to the Society's House, 10 Earl Street, Blackfriars, London, E. C.; or to the Society's Bankers, Messrs. WILLIAMS, DEACON, & Co., Birchin Lane, London, E. C.; advice being sent to Mr. WILLIAM HITCHIN, Accountant.

LONDON: Printed and Published by WILLIAM MAVOR WATTS, at No. 12, Crown Court, Pickett Place, Strand, in the Parish of St. Clement Danes, in the County of Middlesex.-Friday, November 1, 1861.

OF THE

British & Foreign Bible

Society.

The Mission of Bible- Women in London.

THE annexed deeply interesting statement contains a periodical review of the work of the Bible-women in London, and is from the well-known pen of the Lady Superintendent. The Committee deemed it a duty to give publicity to the document, for the purpose of showing the blessed effects which have sprung from this mode of distributing the Scriptures amongst the poor and neglected classes of the metropolis; and also with the view of once more assuring the Subscribers that the Society is in no wise identified with the social element of the Mission, but solely and simply with that department of the work which relates to the legitimate object of the Society, the circulation, by sale, of the Holy Scriptures, and making such pecuniary allowance as compensates for the portion of time given by the women to canvassing for Bible Subscribers.

"TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE BIBLE SOCIETY

"GENTLEMEN,

"13, Hunter Street, 2d November, 1861. "As the Rev. Mr. Tiddy informs me he will present to the Committee on Monday next, the figures which concern the colportage of the Bible-women in London for the last six months, I am impelled to add, at the same time, an expression of most sincere gratitude on the part of our Superintending Ladies for your continued help, and an assurance that we have felt great comfort in work, ing with you on the new plan which was devised in the spring of this year.