The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-13

AZ
| former Inhabitants came on board and the
| Chilean commander went thther but yesterday,
having taken up some provisions. Three-fourth
parts are in ruins, many lives lost ana hunger and
thirst general The loss OF one single German house
(Gldemeister h Coz amounts to 100000. In
Iquique the earthquake took place seventeen minutes
past five, lasting four minutes and twenty seconds
before 1t experienced the least Interruption. After
this the sea receded about three-quarters OF mile
so as to leave the island facing the town entirely
dry. In this manner an enormous wave was formed,
which presently advanced against the shore like
wall. 1t rose to the height Of fully sixty degrees,
and came in southwestery direction breaking
down and scattering everything that came in Its way
Heavy Ordnance Swept Inland of the Forts
SickeniDg Sights Amid the Ruins.
AFRICA, August %, 1858.
we nave the effects Of the earthquake before US.
Ihe sight dehes description. africa, which, so to
speak, but yesterday numbered seven thousand In
habitants is to-day one vast heap of ruins, and q
beggared multitude is standing helplessly on the
beach, So thorough has been the work Of destruction
that the very owners Of houses are unable to find
the spot where they stood; terrific has been
the force OF the cOnvulsed waters that they have
swept away the heavy cannon mounted on the island
battery, and thrown them high up the shore, where
lie buried in the sand. Four vessels which
two are splendid war steamers, are high and dry;
the Fredonia United States storeshp) lost with
all hadds but two, while the brig Cha
harcillo lost eight men. The launch Of the
America was lost, with fortytwo lives, while
the United States steamer wateree lost but
one Railroad rails, cars, machinery, gun car
riages, household furniture, baby linen, chests and
daad nj md p,uti tod
lying about in chaotic disorder. The stencil was
sickenng. Here also the first and most fatal shock
took place shortly after I'VE. and was speedily sue
ceeded by the rising Of the sea- which oyerstepped
Its accustomed limits by at least fifty feet More than
three hundred lives have been lost. Tacna and Are
quipa also. the latter town Of the interior, number
| ing upwards Of forty thousand inhabitants, have
been terribly visited. The shocks are even now
| continuing, though feeby. To the earthquake
was soon added q general connagration, and
what the fury Of the elements spared was destroyed
| by the drunken and Infatuated rabble who broke
open every store and liquor keg. town after hav-
ing been sacked does not present spectacle nearly
80 horrible as the one before us; yet few flowers
| were still poisoning in a hafbured garden that
bore witness to the its former owners had be-
slowed upon it, Everything had fallen as 1t had
been left. could not help being deeply impressed
| by what saw Letters, checks and merchandise lay
scattered everywhere, the intoxicated guards pro-
tecting property but indirerently. AS far north
information reaches rushes the destruction. Its ex-
| tent cannot be judged till we arrive at Callao.
Account by an Eye Witness mt Arequipa.
AREQUIPA, August 49, 1858.
| At about four minutes past i've p NJ, last
Thursday, the 18th, slight movement of the earth
was noticeable here by persons who CHANGED to be
seated; there was no rumbling. In about eight to
ten seconds more the movement became strong
enough for persons not seated to notice. This move
ment gradually increased in strength until, after
about thirty seconds, pieces Of timber began to fall
from the houses. In about q minute all were salts
fed that great earthquake was ct hand. Then
began terrible rumbng, similar to the noise OF an
avaanche-every one ran to the open spaces.
1t seemed as II the earth was about to
open; the earth shook and every structure swayed
to and fro from north to south. It seemed in my
own house as II the walls were about to meet and
smother u.s. In about three minutes the soil shook
that it was almost impossible to hold ones feet.
The strongest buildings began then to cast or stones
bricks, pieces of wood, &C., and the weakest began
to fall almost all Of them level with the ground. In
about five minutes from the first movement the
whole city was enveloped in clouds of dust and
darkness, and resounded with the crash Of falling
buildings. There Is not one house left standing In
| Arequipa. The only church tower left is that OF
Santa Catalina but it, like the cathedral, will have
| to be pulled down. Santa Domingo church is
| down to the ground. The Portal de Flores is all
| down. well as al the surrounding blocks. Nearly
all the inmates OF the prison and hospitals persisted.
Many persons are known to have been crushed to
death In the streets.
We are now living in tent on the river bank. No
dares go TO town, the shocks still continue to
bring down what little is left standing They occur
at intervals OF half an hour each. This evening
some OF the shocks have been very violent. So far
there have been about six shocks up to eight
p. M. The river Paucarpata has changed to three
colors, which makes US believe that the volcanoes
are at work. Everything Is confusion, and
the cries and lamentations that we hear
are heartrendiug Thus the work OF the Arequipenos
for three hundred years has been des troyed in few
minutes; 1t will take five hundred years to do the
same work over. The debris of the Jesuts' church
was hurled to distance Of one hundred yards
The picture presented by our desolate city s sad
indeed. God grant that our fears be not realized,
for Mount Msti Is vomiting lava, clouds OF smoke
and quantities Of mud, and darkness hides its bech-
ing from our view. We hear the constant noise of
falling rocks and earth and the river Ia impossible
owing to Its black color and sulphurous odor.
THE EARTUOUAKC m rCVADOR