The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-29

pendenca was lett high and dry 400 yards inland
Five lives were lost. Seven small coastng vessels
were destroyed. In the remaining ports nothing OF
moment took place.
Congress, as have already mentioned, fastened
to place 500 900 at the disposal OF the sufferers In
Peru and voted the of 300 900 for the relief Of
the distressed in this republic.
Movements in Favor of the Peruvian Suffer.
ers-Serious Alarm in Chile.
VALPARAISO, Sept. 8, 1868.
Since my last communication, dated the 9th Of
last month, there has occurred hardly anything OF
sufficient importance to chronicle. The interior az
fairs of this republic always preserve such per-
picking sameness that the duty Of writing fort
nightly letters not only becomes somewhat difficult
for the correspondent, but the act of reading them
must necessarily be relatively tiresome for the ad
mirers of the HERALD. Our great topic of
ton and motive OF action has been the recent ter
rible earthquake, which has nearly ruined Peru
and at the same time was SO severely felt In
portions OF this republic. Excepting always the
great disaster of similar nature which laid Lisbon
In ruins in 1885, never we believe, has an earthquake
been known to extend over such an expanse OF ter
rtory, and indeed i'll this relation we may except the
Lisbon SHOCK although the loss OF life in that Ill fated
In Peru The HERALD has been already advised
OF the active and hearty cooperation lent by the
made by the authorities Of Peru in alleviating the
mournful condition OF the sufferers. Immediately
e OF h lists were S M
chants and by private circles and more than $4,000
have already been collected for the humane purpose
OF aiding the afflicted. We may say that far
greater attention has been shown to the
wants of our Peruvian neighbors than has been
accorded to those who In our own country have
been ruined by the same cause. Still, the immensely
and extension Of the calamity in Peru have 90
cant losses In Chile that the action Of our people
cannot be criticised.
For q moment serious fears were entertained that
the catastrophe might be reproduced In this country
Hardly had the populace been made acquainted with
0G IN e[ crefea 1ne oaa as
panic that the volcano Of Aconcagua, one OF the
largest in the republic, was IN action AS this vol
the credulOus believed that the clouds hanging
around the mountain top were the vapors arising
from It's crater and hence the rumOr. Fortunately
the truth OF the matter became evident and the
people were convinced Of the mistake.
Arrival of Officers Of the Wnteree and Free
donIn i'm this City-Experience of Those ON
Board the Wateree.
Yesterday there arrived in this city in the steam
ship Alaska, from Aspinwall, number OF the
officers and Of the late United States steamer
Wateree and one OF the TWO survivors Of the store
ship Fredonia--viz., DIR. Dubois. His co-survivor,
| Paymaster Williams, is at present In charge OF
| stores at Calao. The names Of the 0fcers Of the
| Wateree, who are stopping at the Aston House,
| are:-Captan James II. Gillis Lieutenant Com
| mander M. L. Johnson, Assistant Master Alfred
| Weston, Assistant Ensign John Brown, Paymaster
D. G. Billings Chief Engineer J. P. Sprague, Second
| Assistant Engineers r. b. Hine and Bryce Wilson,
| Third Assistant Engineers ]. w. Lyons and N. H.
| Lowden Paymasters Clerk G. J. Barrett and Cap
| tains Clerk G. X. Powell.
From one of these gentlemen we have o relation
| OF the experiences of those board the Wateree
| Immediately before and while the Ship amid the
roaring OF the and tremblings Of the earth,
was swept from her anchorage ground inland to the
distance Of nearly quarter OF mile, or, to be more
| exact AIS yards by measurement
During the whole Of the 18th Of August, and even
tho while city was falling to pieces and the rising
In enormous waves-in one instance, as was shown
by subsequent examination, foriy-three feet and five
inches above high water mark-the air was perfectly
calm and the surface of the waters Of the sea and
port of africa like FURNISHED silver Suddenly
and while the majority of the officers were below at
i've minutes past five p. NJ, prolonged roar howl
was heard which seemed to those who listened to be
like the moaning, howling. screeching cry of the
damned given at the instant OF time by united
| millions In supreme moment of intense. inexpres-
to the main deck, where, within the space Of thirty
mini soee saSt
| The first perturbation lasted, Captain ellis esti-
mated full ten minutes and 50 intense was its char
acter that when II finally subsidized twothrds Of the
ground The second, third and fourth shocks,
1GSsh the oa oua S
the side Of hill called the Mole, began apparently
| the earth below, while In ghostly rows were lifted
| and exposed to view the mummies-all placed
| upright and crOss-egged-Of the old race which
had Inhabited that region OF Moquehua before Pr
zarro IN the early half OF the sixteenth century, con.
the Tl xe insas A e same
and for . time the city was obscured by vast clouds
| Of dust which seemed to I'LL all the space between
About the 9TH shock the ground Of the city was
| raised, or seemed to be, and broad assures were
made IN II, from which rushed In volumes cold and
| pure waller.
At thirty-two minutes past five O'Clock that is sew
shock, the first wave was experienced. These waves
for a short period followed each other with great
regularity ami rapdiy. The experience OF those on
the Wateree was peculiar The water retired from
the shore and then, unlike the regular pulsation or
roll of the sea- rose from beneath, placing the ship.
IA 1t were, poised on the apex VI cOne-ke hill. This
wave fell as suddenly as 1t rose the steamer mean
tue shaking ike q leaf In the WIND; and then com;
menced series OF tidal rollers, first moving In grand
masses toward the Shore and next retreating until
those ON the ship could see the ground
to the shore. The vessel was swung and thrown
| hither and thither like cork, and finally, on tue
| ninth movement OF the waters--the earth trembling
without cessation, while the sky overhead was
ceedingly clear and not breath Of wind stirred
was driven IRON her m09rdngs and ,nn
Der, the shore line and across the railroad the
truck OF which was DESTROYED some distance inland,
| on an otherwise level plain Immediately north OF
the city, where she now lies apparently but little
damaged ana, n she were worth Il, In such posi-
| ton that she can be moved back TO the sea. The
plain on which abe lies was, previously to the EARTH
| qnakcs. exceedingly fruitful. IL Is now covered
with sand several inches and, In some places, feet
| Ia depth.
| b The wateree being fiat bottomed, met with little
| obstruction; while the storeshp Fredonia, being
deep keeled, was dashed against the rocks. and on
the morning following the disaster there was not
| plank OF her left that was whole
| The stores OF the watcrce were Immediately re-
moved ani distributed by the commander, with the
consent OF Admiral Turner, among the impoverished
| innahilants whIle the armament and ammunition
| were removed from the decks and magazines the
| larger guns being placed on the ground beside the
hull and ready Tor shipment at days notice. The
Wateree was left charge OF two OF the officers, and
nothing further Will be done with her until instruc
| tons are received from the Navy Department by the
| Admiral
| Captain ellis estimates that there were in all
eleven great tidal waves experienced on the 18th Of
| August
| Subsequent soundings have shown that-whle the
| shore lines nave not been dsturbed-where the