The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-16

Safety Of Some OF the Fredonia's Crew.
The commander Of the Peruvian soop.ofwar
America addressed account Of the disaster TO his
ship to the Peruvian Navy Department. We trans
nte as follows
~ RUINS OF AFRICA, August 10. 1868.
SiR-In compliance with my duty have the honor
70 inform you OF what has occurred to my vessel.
At q quarter-past five O'Clock r. NJ, on Thursday,
August 10, q strong earthquake was felt here, aud
We saw the buildings OF the town crumbiing. The
shock lasted four minutes. / at ordered 10
steam up. AS the sea was calm sent q launch
with four men and the means to put out the fires
which were breaking out on shore. I also sent
boat Tor the commender OF the port. Before our men
had got ashore and Just after the commander had
got In the gig heavy swell set In from the south
which carried with 1t both boats. let 20 the star
board anchor paying out sixty fathoms OF cable
and one hundred on the port anchor. The first
swell lasted i've minutes, for had Its duration
timed; 1t ran at the rate OF Ave and a half snots
After It had overilown the town second swell act
In from the opposite direction--that is. from the
north. This lett the bay almost dry and dropped the
English bark Chaharcill, our own vessel, the Rosa
Rivera, as well as all the small craft on the bottom
OF their anchorage This swell carried our two boats
back alongside OF our vessel, one having tue
commander OF the port aboard. The swells Of The
sea rom south 20 north followed rapidly and Tie
changes TO the opposite direction rapid thai
S %S found 9Sn at It imposs,ble 70 send boats "
on the palisado nd who were making repeated
signals VI distrc ~ u.s. In spite OF all this danger
iseht q launch 10 bring aboard q number OF ladies'
mat were pittIy near TO our vessel. Twenty. -four
hours afterwards our launch made its appear ance;
but It's brave carsmen had to struggle "A tbopsaud
times against death. STILL thanks 10 their bravery
ana GOODNESS, they had managed to save the ladies'
TO whose relief thcy had been sent They also picked
mp some OF the Eredonia's sailors. All OF these par
ties they had let ashore, before returning.
The America meanwhile had kept easing IN on
her cables, and Officers az well as the men and ma.
rines kept to work fastening down the guns ana YET
ting ready the main and mizzen topgallants for step
ping.
In the changes Of the currents we lost all the boats
because 1t was impossible TO hoist them aboard but
we saved the mate Of the brigantine Regalon which
vessel had been wrecked. We also managed TO save
Q marine Of the Wateree and some OF her sailors
Thus things wore on until quarter before seven
O'Clock p. NJ, when the rapidty OF the currents in
creased to the rate OF nine and half knots by the
log and their duration was from five ~ ten minutes
each. At I'VE minutes past seven O'Clock y. NJ a
swell came from the south with force OF about ten
and half knots hour, according 10 the report on
Lieutenant Freyre, who measured Il himself This
swell parted both our anchors after we had paved
ont all cable and threw our vessel ashore Ia
twinkle. That moment was a terrible one. Although
she order ego ahead had been given IL was impos
sble to do so, owing to steam being down. u w0uld
have taken dfteen minutes 10 raise IL. The
darkness was such that we could not tell whittier
We were being carried, as we could see nothing
Five minutes after parted we we're high ashore Va
eeward One Of the many seas that We shipped
washed overheard our commanding officer with
Lieutenant Herrera who at his side on the deck.
1he lev boaN that had been Ieb ~ we're tern rom