The Republican journal., 1869-03-11
Wonderful Escape

A Lima correspondent of the New York
Times relates the following remarkable narra-
tive
Mrs Davidson, one of the sufferers by the
terrible earthquakes Of August l3, died in Val
paraiso on the 10Th instant. Her escape was a
perfect miracle, and after innumerable escapes
and 5utferings, she has at last given up to the
shock upon her nervous system. She was Il
wealthy widow lady, living in Alica with her
only SON aud after the first heavy shock, her
son, a fine, estimlble young man; rushed home,
through the falling ruins, TO fud his mother
partially buried under the beams and timbers
OF her fallen house After frautic efforts to eN-
tricate her, and being unable to do So alone
Hu1 uuaided, he vanly tried to tlnd some one
to help kim release her; but at such time help
from others is almost impossible, every one
seeking Ills own and his friends safety. At
last he found some Kind gentlemen, and by
their aid, ana after incred bic labor, his moth
er was released from the fallen RUNS, but so
bruised and injured that she was nearly uncon-
Scio0s and totally unable to stand OF rise.
Wne seeking again for some person to aid
him iii removing her to a place OF greater safe
ty-as the SECOND shock had compelled the kind
men helping him to flee to secure the safety of
lheir own f4Iniles-Ae was obliged to wander
away to Il distant part of the town, and as he
was returning with help the cruel sea came in,
fore his very eyes, clingiug to a door upon
which he had laid her. Bnt rs She lay extend
ce! upon it, it kept her a1oat, and after two
hours She was washed as hone upon small is
land. Here She lost all consciousness, but re-
covered her senses to lind herself again loated
OF 10 sea, after about au hours refuge the
Island. Her son had miraculousy kept her in
sight, watching her tossing among the bTe ih-
erS, even amid The convulaions around him, and
he now succeeded in getting y boat scnt of to
lar rom the Peruvian corvette, America. BY
/ the liue the boat had picked her up, anOt Othet
tie!ai wave had Iilled the boat half full Of water
and there was great danger Of being sWampeti.
Mrs, DAVIDSON had been in the water nearly
nine hours. and The men, finding the sea rum
ming SO ll9l, said they could not return to The
ship, and ; their only salvation, put the boat
out to aud walled and watched for the day
light. Al 6 o'clock tho next morning they land
ed at A.ica, 10 find the corvette ashore and the
whole place in ruins. They brought Mrs. Da-
vtson ashore, however, and for three days
longer she lay exposed to the scorchiug rays OF
the sun and the cold night deWs without any
shelter OF covering except a small blanket that
her sou secured for her. Her property was all
de- troyed, and yet this brave woman kept up,
and WAS cheerful and confident Her sou made
All un,raliing effort to get her to Valparaiso,
ny lhe first mail steamer, but in the crush and
flight of the fleeing people it was an inpOssi-
bllity At last, the 21th of September, she
reached Valparaiso, by The steamer ESmerada
and every care and attention was bestowed
upon the unfortunate lady. But she sank un-
der the shock and attendant suffering, and died
Un the l0th as above stated. II any sou de
serves culogy, young Davidson does. So at
tacAtd WAS he to his mother that many predict
tnat he Wii not long survive her. 1t seems
hardly Credible that u ffail Womin could Ell
dur. such suffering.