Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-12-11
EARTHQUAKE IN GUATEMALA.

DIR. J. Schuuhmactcr has given to the Paua
INA Star the result Of his observations III the
region o! Guatemala most affected by the great
earthquakes:
"As they (the Doctor and his companionl
proceeded onWards the fleets ul the earth
quake Increased in the form OF large cracks and
tlssures 10 the ground While riding cautious
" along the road their attention wa, cvntinu-
ally called 10 the beauty o the surrounding and
iarotf scenery. made up OF valleys aud thlvky-
wooded hills. chcckrrcG by the shadows OF TIE
passing clouds. The higher they assembled the
more uumcrpus The traces OF the earthquake.
As they rode along, the trees OF the foreground
everywhere we're covered with perfect not
work Of crccpers and eplphytes displaying an
endless variety Of flowers, gorgeous in loru as
well az color. Crossing the path OF another
mud avalanche and pressing onward through
The bush, they came to some huts nearly IN
ruins. The place Was surrounded by hills
which had lost their entire coverings OF soil
and the trees growing On it, leaving only the
bare rock. The people they met with az the
said huss told the III that the shock at first was
50 strong as TO throw every one Violently on the
ground, and the horrible din set up the falling
of slaut trees and the sliding down into the
valley of thousands of tons of earth was dread
tu! In the extreme. aud perfectly dcateulng.
Averse to return by the same road they had
come, they asked The men It they could not
pass between the "Ccrro del Iigre' and the
volcanoes and go from Calderas to Duenas.
They were told the road was lmprac:lcablc.
but offered a guide to show them shorter
road over the Cerro del Tigre, leading directly
to Ducnas, which lay III Il direction OF south to
east Irom where they were Their offer was
thankfully accepted Alter climbing over
low hill they came to the valley of Chlmachoi,
little prepared for the terrible sight that burst
Oh their view They had already seen awful
cracks and assures without number, and look
ed with awe aud wonderment en- the depths
where thousands of trees had rolled down for
many miles into the valleys beneath; but the
s!upendous cataclysm now before them, over
whelmed their feelings with SENSATIONS inde-
scribable The whole valley, with houses cat
tie, men, women and children living there, had
disappeared probably sunk down. The noun
tains from every side fell together aud buried
ny everything forever out OF sight, God only
knows how deep. Everything 10 this dread
iul valley was huddIed together IN the widest
confusion, and 50 changed IN It's general aspect
that the ncIghbors can no louRer trace the
least mbauce to the valley the earthquake
has filled up. This terrible place our travellers
had to cross on foot, leading their mules after
them whose feet every now and then would
break through the thin suadrled crust that
had formed on the surface OF avalanches OF
mud that crossed their route. They came to a
place where kind of uphcaval had been going
on which threw down great trees on all sides,
but with their roots all converglng toward a
central spot and the t3lnks disposed around
like the radii of a circle. 1t seemed to them
that here tue suhterrane:-n lvr.cs lad tried
aud failed to break through the strata
lu another place tree Of SIX feet III diameter
had been snapped across at IVY !c::t above It's
roofs, which still firmly held into the soil, pro,
duccd, no doubt, by thcstrunk and top acting
and oScilllatng like a lever. This tree and
hundreds of others laiu PROSTATE were covered
with living and gorgeous orchids, where bot.
anst might have collected with ease rare
specimens, which under other circumstances
lie could only get at by the expense and labor
OF cutting the trees down. From such contem.
platlons they had to move onward, and enter
sd the gloom of the forests, aboundlng every
wicre with animmense variety OF lycopodlums,
vines, orchids and ot!.er epiphytes, The sease
ol danger prevented them carrying with them
those beautiful and rare deniz4ns OF this region
Of damp and vegetable protusiop.
''Un reaching the summit of the Cerro del
liyre, they emerged into sunlight aud u more,
modest, system of otvegetaton. They found the
whole Of this mountain, or cerro, rent every
where and in all directions, the cracks and deep
hS>ures crossing each other IN the most per
picking manner. 1t was only with the great
est precaution that the animals could be led
over the ground 10 the right and to the left
Of them great avalanches Of earth had slid
dowu into valleys TWO thousand feet deep;
Some smaller ones which they had to cross still
hung over the abyss, held only by part yet ad-
herring to the rocks, trembling at every step
the mules took over it.
How TO Cook A PARrRlDGE. First take a
hecs,eak beaer and break the breast bone,
thea sprinkle with pepper and salt; lay the bird
on the grid-iron over fire OF live Goals; place
cold Hat iron over it SO as to press the bird
nat, and cook it alike all through: have ready
plate of melted butter, aud when one side is
Done dip the bird in it; turn the bird over and
lay the fat iron on the cooked side, and when
&ha Ia, hakr dru