The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-09-24
A PERUVIAN SHAKE.
The TerrOrs of " Eel Temblor''-Iiow the
People Act.

.
People Act.
Lima Cor. Chicago Tribune.
Since | wrote you my last letter we
have had some of our customary earth
quake shocks, passing over Lima in the
direction of Arequipa, and not felt at
all, or very little, in the western part of
the city. Nor did the shock reach CAL
lao, although it was felt among the
shipping in the harbor, and the waves
were agitated for few seconds, as if
whirlpool were about to form in the bay.
The morning came damp, lowering and
cloudy so that our friends, as we met
them in the streets, said, with shrug
of the shoulders Irregular earthquake
weather this !" Exactly as we would
say to our friend in the United States,
on meeting him, eve shall have a storm
by and by" At about p. m., low, sui
len clouds settle lower and darker,
birds wheel wildly in frightened cir
cles, chickens and turkey -buzzards fly
in haste to some shelter, and the river
Rimac means noisily as it rushes over
its stony bed. The donkeys in the
street bray with tremendous frequency,
and cloud of dust, through the foot
deserted streets, warns all pedestrians
that some calamity is at hand. Shut
ters flap and creak the distant blue
hills surrounding Lima darken and
seem lost in gloom my horse, standing
Mt my paved courtyard gate, unhitched
and free to wander at will up and down
the paths, as is the Gust )m, suddenly
begins to tremble, giving shrill neighs,
and cold sweat runs down his shapely
neck and legs, as he shudders and grows
m )re and more uneasy. Now my dog
begins to howl, and crouchcs with
trembIing limbs, and mute, imploring
eyes, ut my feet. The wind walls, the
sky darkens, and hoarse, muttered
murniur comes on the air, near and more
near, low aud ominous. Now the doors
begin to quiver, the windows jar and
rattle. My bird-cage, with its fright
ened occupants, sways and falls; the
parrot shrieks, Gel temblor El TEN,
blor - (the earthquake the earth
quake y aud buried his head under his
wing. Now the very house.timbers and
ioists crack and strain, Chimneys fall
with adobe plastering flying; and ali
the frightened inhabitants. Peruviar
and foreign, rush madly, pell-mell, into
the street. Many run to the open plaza
or square, to escape the falling build
ings, should any fall,
4 sudden luil, hush OF wind and
moaning sound, and again, louder and
nearer, the dread earthquake comes
again. Here are frightened women
| with dishevelcd hair and tears of peni
tence here are wealthy senoras, half
clad, and just from their toilettes
kneeling in common fright and suspense
most trying, side by side with the Chi
uese beggar, sore and loNthsome, or be
side negro Cholo, fairly pale with ap
prchonsiou. There are cries and pray
ara, clasped hands and kneeling figures
in long, black mantas, looking NOR
chastity from the funeral aspect
"Where may we go?' cry one and al
as the ground rises and fells in billow
undulations; and children mingle thei
screams with the general uprOar. Hc
all of it passes over in less than sec
ond OF time, less than / have take
to describe it; and whenagain the sun
bursts forth, the clouds disperse, AM
all fears are allayed that the earthqnak
will come again this day, then the kneeI
ing figures Jump up as lively as the
knelt down, and the laughter and tn
goasiping begin. Beside the publ
fountains, the dark-eyed senorita, wit
the powder on half of her face, gather
and rolls mp her masses of heavy hair
and, smiling, fits into the house t
complete her toilette and the vOcifei
ons cries of the water-men, the calls {
the cake and dulce vendors, and tn
hustle of busy city life commence e1
actly where they were interrupted a
hour before
Such is the levity of these people, S
accustomed have they become to thes
earthuuake shocks that they will dance
and hirt, and sing; go through all th
different gradations OF horror, terror
abiect despair, iaintings, praving
kneelngs, mea-culpa cries and shrleI
inCs, during the few short seconds of q
earthquake vibration; and forget i
terrors as soon as it has passed qnivc
ingly by.
But with foreigner the case is vel
different. He may have been throuf
fire and food, through the dangers
shipwreck and through hairbreadth c
capes on land and sea but the long
he lives in this volcanic country, Il
more he treads it's thin, lavacrustt
soil and studies the inner volcanic forc'
of its strata. the oftener he experience
an ever-so. slight vibration of an eartl
ouake. the more he breads and fears Il
the more solemn are his reflections q
the earth and sea rock and j1r; and, Q
to becoming used to it, only native
born Peruvian can say that with an
shadow of truth.
OF all the horrors of an earthquake
those shocks which occur at night al
the most terrible. Your bed rocks yo
like a very cradle; and, throwing o
the first clothing that lies handy, yo
attempt to draw with trembling hand
the bolts of the doors of your hours
that meanwhile are jarring and crashin
so tnat you seem every lnOucHV III ut'
ger of being buried in living tomb b
the falling timbers-and then, whe
desperate fear has given you superhr
man strength to pull the displaced bolt
from their fastenings, you rush head
long, impelled by the oscillating latero
motion, into the dismal streets, with
darkness that can be felt all aroun
you-your knees quaking, and the erie
Of kneeling, awo-stricken wretches sing
ing in your ears.
Such feeling of insecurity come
over you, such sense OF yonr own lit
tleness, when tho solid ground rolls an
qnivels under your feet Such feel
ing OF awe, and shrinking OF very soul
after the shock has passed on and over
and you are left pallid and dazed, t
think Of it all.