THE LATE EARTHQUAKE IN SOUTH AMERICA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 141, 24 October 1868, Page 3

THE LATE EARTHQUAKE IN SOUTH AMERICA.

The following account of the great earthquake and high flood, which we extract from the Panama Mercantile Chronicle of Sept. 22, is aaid to be by a gentleman who visited the places of desolation a few days after tiie catastrophe: — The ahock was felt along the coast from Callao in Peru, to Coquimbo in Chile, and also in the southern part of Chile, on the 13th of August, the time in the northern part was between 5.6 and 5.20 in the evening, whereas in the couth it was 9 o'clock ; the damaged or destroyed towns are Chala, Pisco, Arica, Tacna, Arequipa, Piaaqua, Mejillones in Peru ; Iquique and Talcahuana in Chile. In Arica the earthquake was felt at 5 o'clock 16 minutes, and lasted nearly six minutes, during which time the greater part of tbe town was destroyed and many inhabitants were buried in the ruins. The more substantial buildings stood the shock. Home of the oldest inhabitants say it waa tbe severest and longest ahock they had ever experienced. The poor people had hardly recovered from their fright, when they saw the water in the bay rise higher than uaual, which occurrence put them into a new alarm and everybody wiio could, fled to the adjacent hills to save their lives. The water rose about eight feet (some say 10, others 6 feet) above high water and then receded about one mile, leaving the whole bay dry. The receding water, however, had such strength as to draw the anchors of the American shipa-of-war Wateree, the America.an English bark, Cyren (Syres ? ) and several other vessels. The wave returning oarried everything before it and reached about half-way into the towo, taking with it the wounded and dead, as I have not seen a single peraon engaged in thia occupation. During the nights of the 13th and 14th there muet have been a terrible state of affairs in the town. The mob were drinking all night, and of courae robbing al) who fell into tlieir hands. The whole town is completely strewn over with empty bottle 9 In some places I found the tables prepared for supper with everything untouched, wbich shows with what extreme haste the people had to leave their housea. Four heavy piect s of ordnance were washed from the fort, which is on an ialand in the bay, and one was carried about 1_ miles. One large guncarriage is in the middle of the ruins. The moßt miraculoua escape was made by a seacaptain, after the earthquake. He waa at the dock auperintending the shipment of some goods aboard his vessel. He had two sailora of hia crew with him, and a small boat; these two men he sent on board to bring come of the crew on shore to assist in burying the dead, and to take care of the wounded; the boat reached the ship and brought off six more men before the water ■ rose-, when they were about half way back to shore, they felt a very heavy swell of the sea, and afterwards saw the water recede, when they put to sea, and after being tossed about some time, they came near the Wateree, and by means of ropes were taken aboaiid of her and saved; the captain was still at the l wharf when the water commenced to risfe, he jumped into a launch, taking with him all the family of a friend who waa near b} - , and was carried twice into the town and back again ; the second time he landed fortunately

into a house, where the wave could not take him back again; in this manner he and the family were saved. The water rose 56 feet above high water mark. In thia way the wave came and returned three times; the second wave was, however, the heaviest. This set the Wateree 450 feet from shore, high and dry, the third one brought the America on shore, the hulks of the English barque and the brig were placed about one hundred yards from the beach dry; the American steamship Fredonia was tco fast anchored to have her anchors drawn, and after tbe sea had calmed again nothing could be seen of her nor of two other sailing vessels. The number of lives lost in the ships are ks follows : — steamer America 1 1»5 men (others say 85) ; Wateree 1 ; Fredonia 27 ; English bark 8 ; other vessels not known. How many inhabitants were lost here cannot be stated, as many left the place immediately after the catastrophe. Some estimate the loss, including that of the ships, to be 800 ; definitely, nothing can be said about it, and the exact number will never be known, as many of the dead were buried without it being known who they were ; and how many were carried into the sea cannot be told. The former town of Arica presents the most terrible aspect. The place which I had seen a few months ago in Hie most flourishing state, and the suburbs all covered with gardens and trees, is now a total mass of ruin, not one house remaining fit to dwell in. The street is not to be seen, the places, where formerly the houses stood present the same view as the atreet every part covered with boards, tiles, bricks, furnitures, bedding, and merchandise, &.— everything mixed together. In some places I have found a terrible smell of dead bodies, but it seemed to me as if the authorities were not at all inclined to abate the same. In Iquique the occurrence took place at six minutes past five o'clock. The shock lasted about six minutes, and the water rose 60 feet. The greater part of the town is destroyed including all the business bouses. Some houses were carried a distance of three or four blocks into the town and landed in the streets. The number of lives lost is estimated at 200. The steamer Santiago of the P. S. N. Company, waa at anchor at Chala at the time of the occurrence. Her cable was broken and the ship was carried over a rock without damage, and, having steam up, she put to sea. As soon as the news reached Caldera the American man-of-war, Powhattan, which waa | lying there, was supplied with provisions and water for the relief of the sufferers. She sailed from Caldera en the 19th, at 6 p.m. i Ariquipa at the font of the Volcano Miste \ was nearly destroyed, the number of lives i lost is said to be 3000. fn Calko and Lima, ! the damage was very trifling. In Payta we j received the news that Quito and six other j towns in Ecuador were destroyed by the' earthquake. Quito is not entirely destroyed, but the other places sre said to be entirely swallowed up, the loss of lives is said to be 30.000. In Peru, especially in Lima, the people aye now collecting to relieve the wan's of the sufferers, many of whom have lost all, except what they had ou their backs. lam glad to be able to state that the subscription lists show the good will of the people there, amongst all nationalities, some hnve signed as much as 50,000 dols. Could nothing be done here ?