THE EARTHQUAKE IN PERU AND ECUADOR.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 985, 6 October 1868, Page 3

THE EARTHQUAKE IN PERU AND ECUADOR.

(From the " Panama Star and Herald," Aua. 31.) The news which nppears in our columns to-day is the most appalling and heartrending it has ever been our painful lotto lay before our readers. Thousands upon thousands of lives called into eternity in an instant ; whole cities, towns, and villages swept away from the face of the earth as if by magic ; dozens of ships with their crews whirled from their anchorages like toys by the receding sea, and then swallowed up by a mighty wave, or washed far away up into the heart of the city. Such a picture of general destruction aud desolation, extending hundreds upon hundreds of miles along the coast, and reaching from the seaboard up into the topmost heights of the Andes, can scarcely be imagined as is contained in our correspondents' letters, and the reader stands aghast with horror when he tries to contemplate or comprehend the magnitude of the devastation that has occurred. Whether the desolation is yet at an end, or what greater ruin we shall yet hear of, no one can imagine, for there are many points in the interior and further south unheard from, whilst nothing whatever has reached us from tho Colombian frontier. Our Callap-£orrespondent says, under date, Aug. 22: — When the mail left us on the 14th inst., we little thought what a sad story we should have to write by to-day's steamer ; the story of a calamity so widespread and so awful in its severity that, to think of the loss of the life and property, the complete ruin, the misery and destitution is perfectly appalling. Cities, towns and villages once well known in the interior of Peru as well as many rising and important ports along the coast, are now no more. The earthquake, of which we advised you by last mail, is probably the most dreadful' and terrific that ever occurred in the world's history. Certainly nothing approaching to the dire catastrophe of the 13th inst., has ever been recorded of this Continent noted for volcanic eruptions. [Details of the earthquake in Peru, follow, as already published in our English telegrams.] Our Guayaquil correspondent writes us, under date of the 26th August, giving full particulars of tho terrible ravages committed in Ecuador by the earthquake. We translate the following from it : — On the 16th of the present month tliere occurred in the provinces of Pichincha and Imbabura a tremendous earthquake, unequalled in tho history of Ecuador. The towns of Ibarra, capital of the province of Imbabura, San Pablo, Atuntaqui, Imantad, &c, are in ruins. Where Cotacachi was is now a lake. In Ibarra, Otovala and Cotacachi, almost the entire population has perish ed in Quito the earthquake and its eifects have been proportionately less, but the buildings are so much injured thafc the slightest movement will throw them down. Thore are already in ruins the church and convent of Sim Agustin, the two churches of Senora del Carmen, the towers of the cathedral and San Marcos, the college of San Luis, &c. The towers of the other churches, the Government palace, and many private houses, have been all cracked, and are momentarily threatening to fall to pieces. The towns adjoining Qnito, as Perucho, Puollaro, and Cachiguanjo have almost entirely disappeared. The number of deaths in Quito have fortunately been very small, but in the other towns it is calculated that not less than 20,000 have perished. The few who are left uninjured in these places have been unable to assist those remaining alive or dying under the stench of the dead bodies which commence to putrify and infest the atmosphere. Letters from Quito bring dates to the 19th, up to which time the earthquakes continued at intervals of a few hours. It has been impossible yet to obtain data as to the cause of the terrible phenomena ; some attribute it to the A'olcauo of Agualongo and other to Cayambe. The news which was received in Guayaquil up to tho sailing of the steamer had been forwarded under the influence of great fright, and probably may not be quite correct. The next steamer, will bring us fuller accounts, but they may be even worse, but in Quito nothing was known of the fate of the neighboring towns either of Ecuador or Colombia. The venerable Patriot Theodore Gomez de la Torre was saved in a most miraculous manner in Ibarra, where scarcely a soul was left alive, but he escaped sadly injured. His brother Francisco was equally fortunate, but Don Jose Maria, their brother, perished with all his famib/. Senor Valenzuela, Minister of Colombia, remains in Guayaquil, have resolved not to continue his journey to the interior at present. lv Guayaquil the earthquake was felt at various times between the 13th and 16th, and another at a later date, but it did no damage The first lasted forty or fifty seconds, the direction being from east to west, aud the movement regular and slow. It is expected that there has been immense damage done in Esmeralda. In addition to the foregoing we have received the following items from another correspondent, written on board the Peru. I saw a letter from Quito, stating that a terrible earthquake had at I*2o a.m. on tho 16th inst., convulsed that Republic, resulting in the complete destruction of Itaburo, Ibara, Otavalo and Cotocachi. ' The loss of life was estimated close upon 30,000. Quito had been more tenderly de'altwith, although it hnd been shaken considerably and some 20 lives lost. The populace had deserted their dwellings aud were living in tents in the squares and open spaces about the city. '