The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-22

Destruction Of the Capital Of Mindanao by an
Earthquake-Dreadful Night Of Anxiety
and Suffering-The Island Shaken to
Its Very Centre-Natives Flee
ing from the Place.

MADRID, March 25 1872.
The mail inst in brings the news OF the destruc-
ton by an earthquake of the town Of Gotta bato,
capital Of the Spanish East Indian Island OF Min
danao. The following is from the letter Of resident
and is published here-
THE EARTHQUAKE.
At ten minutes past six In the afternoon Of De-
cember COtta-bato was joyous place. whose in
habitants walked TRANQUILITY by the banks Of the
beautiful river which bathed its feet. At twenty
minutes past six-that is to say within ten minutes
it was heap OF ruins. A fearful but short trem.
bling Of the earth, OF an intensity unknown in the
Philippines, destroyed In one moment the industry
ofyears. The subterranean rumbling which preceded
1t, the noise Of hundreds OF houses falling the hor-
rible spectacle of the earth waving as II it
were liquid, and the sad conviction that no one
could fly, for the place is situated In delta, in
spired terrors in the inhabitants utterly impossible
to describe. The open fields the trees and the hill
locks served as a dangerous lodging place for the
natives. pitiless rain storm was falling, accom-
panied by lightning and shaking Of the ground.
The accidents would have been great but for the
serenity OF the garrison-duc to their military dis
cpline-so useful in such cases. After attending to
the nvalids OF the hospital, which fell down. they in
twenty minutes covered the fields with hun
dreds OF tents, under which they and the people
took shelter. BY this means the casualties were
limited to sundry persons confused and one boy
killed.
TERRIBLE NIGHT.
The night was awful through the constant Oscl-
latiOns OF the earth. Frightfuf confusion reigned,
augmented by the idea which ran through the pOpu-
lace that the surrounding hills might be converted
into volcanoes as happened not many months ago
In neghboring island. At midnight the rain
of an entire population on the march, traversing
over ruins, chanting fervent ltany; the European
COMPOUNDED with the native, the master with the
servant, the officer with the soldier.
NEXT MORNING (9rH),
which may be said to have been continuation OF
the previous night commenced with fog 80 great
that 1t was hardly possible to see anything ahead
This caused fears of fresh misfortunes. At half
past seven the EARTH as II moved by the hand of
giant became more agitated than II was the pre-
viOus night. The aspect all around was desolating;
the ruins seemed to boil, the still standing walls
fell down, and lamenton, crying and praying CON-
peted the most affective picture that could be con-
ceived.
SIX DISTINCT SHOCKS.
The earthquake presented the singular phe-
nomena OF being repeated six times. Fearing q
general caving In Of the ground, the navy, repre-
sented on this occasion by two gunbOats in the
river, offered to convey on board as many their
boats could carry. The Governor, Brgadier Fer
nandeZ de COrdova, ordered the embarkation of as
many females as possible. His wife and other ladies'
offered the brave spectacle of refusing to leave their
husbands on shore. One afflicted mother Of two
young cadets chung to them so closely that force
had to be used to separate her and to carry her
board
DREADFUL SUSPENSE.
Fortunately the trembings at last ceased; but
every hour we felt some slight rumbIing, from
which gather that the subterranean gases had not
found means OF escape through any of the numer-
Gus extinct volcanoes in the neghbOrhO0l This
risk and uncertainty, which the authorities tried in
vain to hide by music and TIE Deums, spread con-
sternation to all the inhabitants i'm this unhappy
land. The native Indians fed in canoes anu rafts
but the garrison with an abnegatiOn and patriot
posts determined to sink with this piece OF earth,
gained at the cost Of Spanish blood rather than
abandon It to the thousands of savages who, from
the opposite banks waited an opportunity for seiZ
ing on this important place.