The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-10-03
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
from Franetseo Bulletin, Sept issh-l
Appalling News from South
America.
TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKES IN PERU
AND ECUADOR.
AND ECUADOR.
THOUSANDS OF LIVES LOST.
Three Men-ot-war and Numerous Mer-
chant Vessels Lost.


chant Vessels Lost.
We are indebted to the Purser Of the North
Americnn Steamship Co. : steamer Ner0da for an
extra from the Office OF the Panama Star and
if~rad containing particulars Of the great earth
quakes on the Central and South American Coast
A letter dated Callao, August I'D says:
When the mail left on the 18th inst, we
little thought what n sad story we should have
10 write by to-day's steamer the story OF
lamity 80 widespread and 30 awful IN its severity
that 10 think OF the loss OF life and property, the
com plste ruin, the misery and destItutIon ~ per-
fectlv appalling. Cities, towns and villages once
we'll known in the interior OF Peru n we'll as
many rising and important ports along the coast
are now more
The earthquake. OF which We advised You by
ln-t mail, il probably the most dreadful and ter
rife TINT ever occurred in the worlds history.
Certainly nothing approaching To tho dire eatas-
trophe of the 18th INST. has ever been recorded Of
this continent, noted for volcanic eruptions-
We have no intelligence further south than
Cobia and, from what have ascertaincd, the
shock there was much The same we experienced
IN CaIlao; the sen rccesled not more than fifty
yards and gradually returned 10 its original level.
At Iauique the town " completely swept away.
Nothing but q OF ruias remains The loss
ofIife must have been very great at present no
estimate eaa be given (; by next mail We may have
definite information.
The ports OF MejiItDues, Pisagua, Araca, Ilo
and Chalu have likewise shared the unfortunate
fate OF Iquique. Arequipa, the second city Of
the Republic, il leveiled To the ground not one
house Is left standing. unless n few wooden
tious on the outskirts Of the city. The maguif-
cent cathedral IL not completely destroyed, but
the towers are gone, and the building s doubt
less in n very dangerous condition, liable to fnll
Mt any moment
Moquequa, IN the neighborhood Of Arequipa,
is likewise Overthrown- Tacna has escaped with
only the loss Of sixty houses
There are endless 10 entire towns
and districts having been swallowed up, but it
were idle To repeat or give them currency until
we have reliable news The earthquake, it
reasonable To suppose, must have been 80 severe
in many places that great chasms may have been
formed, and many new streams OF water broken
out IN the hills.
II is reported that in Tambo Valley, just be-
you'd the new port Of Mejia, (near to Isay),
small town was swept away, and out of 500 in
habitlnts, only - managed to escape.
The Earthquake at africa.
From Aric=s we have the most graphic picture
Of the sad event The Agent of the Pacific Steam
Navigation Company, in his letter to the Mana
ger, writes:
Into other matters il is now useless TO enter. as
I write under the shadow OF great grief africa
no longer exists Mt about O'Clock in the after
noon OF the 18th visited with tremend-
earthquake / had barely time to get my
wife and children into the street, when the whole
word, rs they were blown out ii they were
spit mt me- at the same time the earth opened,
probably two three inches, and belched out
dust, accompanied with a terrible stencil of
powder, the air darkened and could not see
NV wife who was within two feet of me with the
children. II this had lasted any time must
have been sufOcatcd, but in about n couple Of
minutes it cleared, and, collecting together nv
household gods then started for the bills. How
We passed through falling houses, when we saw
men struck down, some stone dead, others main-
ed, IL TO me a mystery, but merciful Providence
was over U.s. We wcnded our sad way as we'll
could towards the hills with the earth
shaking, making US stagger as drunken people,
when n great cry went up To Heaven. The
had retired (. / hurried on and had barely got to
the outskirts Of The town when / booked back and
the vessels in the bay carried irresistibly
20 sen, probably with speed OF ten miles
hour. In n few minutes the great outward cur
rent stopped, then arose n mighty wave, should
judge about fifty feet high. and came in with
fearful ru-h, carrying everything before it in its
awful majesty; the whole of the shipping came
back with IL, sometimes turning in circles but all
speeding on TO an inevitable doom. Meanwhile
the wave bad passed in, struck the mole into
atoms, swallowed up my office a. giants mouth
ful, and roaring swallowed up the Custom
House, and rushing down the same street. carried
everything before u in it, irresistible Course The
remains OF my dwelling house disappeared faster
than the change OF scene in n Christmas PantO-
mime, my launches had long since disappeared
and my ruin was completed
DISTINCTION OF SHIPS.
I stood breathless looking Mt the awful sight,
thanking God life had been preserved To me and
my loved ones, but each second was a life time
looking seawards | saw the ships still hurrying
on to their doom, and in n few minutes all was
Completed Every vessel was either ashore or
bott5m upwards. The Peruvian war steamer
America Iost about IS hands. The United States
steamer WateTss escaped with the l0ss OF one
Life; with n snail draft Of water she was carried
bodily on the top OF the and landed about u
quarter Ut mile inshOre Of the railway track.
The United Stntes store ship Frsd0Hia was bottom
upwards, every soul on board perished, (exceptiug
the captain, surgeon and paymaster, who were
on shore and were saved The British bark
Chd',GTcIhO, Of Liverpool, was lying high up on
the beach, the remains of n hull half Of her
crew perished- An American bark, laden with
gaano, was swallowed up and has not left a vest
Ige To tell her fate. The last Of the iii fated
s4aadro1, Peruvian brig, was placed on the
railway track, apparently without losing rope
OF spar On what has since happened it is need
tess 10 dwell; for nearly two days we lay on the
mus without covering and without food, in a
HAnt state OF alarm, the shocks Of earthquake
were inces-ant.
The United States steamer Porhatan went
sOutn 10 Arica two days ago, and the Government
nave forwarded stores and funds to relieve the
present necessities of the sufferers. Mr.. Calde-
,3n has given liberal donation Of $50, ,OOO and
'lr. AeIggs, the railroad contractor, similar
sun In behalf Of the Thousands who have been
mus suddenly and Unexpectedly left destitute of
a. their possessions
Later AID Fuller Particulars.
me AFRICA correspondent of the Star and Her
Sa gives additional particulars of the destruction
sr lne ports OF Chala, Islay, MaIindo and Ilo, as