Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-09-25
IHE EARTHQUAKE.
Account by u Midshipislan oftlle U. S.
.r,.l ~ Steamer Natcrcc.


s.,,l9 9NE Steamer Waterce. 7.
The St. Louis Democrat publishes letter
from Midshipman Edward D. Taussig, late of
the United States steamer Wateree, describing
the earthquake in South America. Mr.. Taus-
sig, a son Of Charles Taussig, of st. Louis,
seems to have had narrow escape from death.
He volunteered to take command OF a boat
which put off from the Wateree to pick up
man who was seen drifting by that ship on
mass of earth and weeds, but was caught by the
tidal wave and prevented from returning. FL
nally his boat was thrown against the Peruvian
corvette America, and he got ashore in a GU
rious fashion. This parto the narrative we
give in his own words:
''The Peruvians cast us small line, which
we made fast, and then seeing 1t was lmpossl-
bic for the boat to livei such q sea, L ordered
the men to climb up, which they did as rapidly
as possible. We had o good deal OF slack rope,
and the sea would sometimes bring us close un--
der the America s counter and then would tau
ten out the line to it's fullextent. AS we always
came alongside with thump, we soon sprung
some Of the plank. The boat was half full OF
water, the line was taut, and there were still
three men in the boat beside myself Men
give way I cried, and with 1our oars out we
nued with all our might. The Peruvians had
another line out for us, which two of the
men grabbed, leaving the ooxsWaln and
myself in the boat, which brought up
against the Americas side with such violence
as to fill the boat Immediately. The coxswain
and had barely time to catch the rope hold
ing the boat, ere it parted beneath our feet,
leaving us suspended between wind and water,
the coxswan above me about eight feet; owing
to the want of presence Of mind on the part of
the Peruvians, the rope was not hauled up as
rapidly nor as steadily as it ought to have been,
so that we were three times lowered into the
eight or ten knots per hour. l managed to.
get one of my feet around the rope, and SO.
held on very securely, although [ had fears
that the rope might chate on deck, when l
would inevitably have been drowned. They
finally hauled us half way up, let down an
other line, and some OF my men catching hold,
we were soon safely landed on deck.
"We had hardly touched deck ere l heard
dull sound, felt the vessel shake and knew we
were aground-all this while the vessel was
rolling tearfully, the crew Of the America were
crazy with liquor and clamoriug for more, in
fact both vessel and crew were unmanagebe.
The Captain had been drowned few moments
before | came on board, and the First Lieuten-
ant could not make his voice heard above the
roar of the waves and the wailing and crying
of his crew, until he finally gave it up in des
pair and wept. Having recovered my breath,
descended from the poop to the spar deck on
the starboard fright hand slde), but a wave
sweeping the ship, took me first against the
ship-bulwarks, barely escaping a port, then
against the cabin bulkhead, with such violence
that could hardly stand for some time after.
The ship was very much canted to port, so
We all crowded together to starboard. She
righted, however, and being steady for few
minutes, noticed that her rigging was wire,
and and so strong thatitwould be sure to hold,
50 concluded We had better 60 below again
Our lives were not worth a tarthiDg at this
time. The cries Of the crew were dreadful.
The lights OF the Wateree were In sight, and
the yells with which she was hailed by the
drunken crew of the America were such that
even now they ring in my ears, filling me with
madness, for [ knew that they were useless ;
that all the Waterees boats had been swept |
away, and, even had she had boats, the sea
would have swallowed lhemup Soon after, the
ioremast went by the board, and the maintop
mast followed Fearing that the mizzen would go
also, the boats crew and huddled on the poop
1ecE, holding on to the backstays fortuna
'e!y found small piece of rope, which is called
rafting stuff, with which lashed myself to
the royal backstay The ship was canted to
starboard, SO We all kept to port. We were
now hard aground, yet the sea continually swept
Us tore and att. | now began to feel pretty
secure, as unless the sea rose again, which l
uid not think, the ship would remain where
sue was all right, being an extraordinarily
strong one.
Suddenly the sea receded, and we were
f; Sit without an inch of water under us; After
discovering that the sand was hard, all Of the
p1 BEATS crew but two left the ship with me-
we formed in two ranks, graspGd hands, SO as
y % hau up stumblers and help the weak and
:'en ran for dear life, for the sea was coming
again, fortunately not with velocity, SO that
tSenreched dry land after a run Of about a
lalf a mile. a tramp Of about four miles
'ought us to Arica where, on the Hills, |
"and Captains Gibbs and Doty, and several
O'ne!s OF our officers were there, waiting for
as"s OF their ships and aiding the wounded
WIS johnson, the wife of Lieutenant Com
sRaIe 4Ranaer N. l.. johnson, was killed by the first
UuoeA. Her death was instantaneous. She
,o "Ss Very much liked by us, and had intended
~ W. ~ home in q month or two. The next
ISuofnIIng returned to the Wateree, and found
ma. usa ABOUT live hundred yards from high water
Saa sasFk and twelve feet above the level Of the
st fos;u Inc tidal wave by measurement, was
'0f'y-two feet high.
va Wednesday last an unknown man COM
'"eu suicide in the most horrible manner
lSt HaVerly, New Jersey. He was walking
VI, vi tue railroad track near that place, and
tha d. -