The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-10-20

10 " Ia W ~ IL IL q
i that on the occurrence of any serious shoe
the inmates might put themselves in what j
San Jose proved to be the place of creates
peril For several nights mine was |
pose the only house where people
and went regularly to bed.
mountain of almost solid rock
US; and I was satisfied then
more go now, that We are as
of this kind as We could expect
part Of this country; which inc
fered very little from earthquSk
occupation BY the Spaniards mo-
years ago. The fact that no har
been experienced here from
that probably no shock has
more severe than the slight t,
perienced on the Goth of May, il
guaranty for the future our only sure {
tranquil refuge here as elsewhere, however,
being that g strong tower" which no earth
quake can ever shake "whereunto the right
eous runneth and is safe. T" He that dwell,
eth in the secret place of the Most High,
shall abide secure under the shadow Of the
Almighty"
A slight crack or so in few houses, not
calling for any repairs, was the extent of the
damage experienced here. But the little
town of Simacota, six miles diss ths
other side of the river Suarez,
from San Jose than We, did
we'll. The church and church I'd
several places rent from top to
we're thrown off many houses
number of buildings were NOR
aged, though none were thrown
towns, three or four days jot
ther to the south, suffered moro
Simacota; the damage falling q
churches, or "mass. house" as ou.
the Reformation were wont to cas
which all their painted images we're No; se-
to protect, or even to keep themselves on
their own feet; for the tumbling about of
impotent painted wood idols was an inStruc-
tive incident Ito all except the wilfully
blind even where the churches did not fall.
Slight shocks have been felc from time to
time up to this present, though barely per-
ceptible here; we at least have been dis
tinctly conscious of none since May 10th.
A small town or village, however, between
US and Pamplona, is reported to have been
destroyed last Sunday night, and part of
it sunk. A gentleman just from Bucaramau-
90 remarked to me that this seemed to be the
only place where people could sleep tran
gully. This long state of intranquility has
been in some places even worse than the
earthquake Conceive if you can of city
like Pamplona, some 5000 feet above the sea,
enveloped in clouds and mist, with tenn
perature Of about coo, ia which it is hard
enough (for me) to feel comfortable when
ell.clothed and under good shelter; con-
ceive of its whole population living for a
month in tents and temporary shelters, in
the plazas and Sn the outskirts of town, un-
der daily and nightly drenching rains, with
put occupation, and without motive to do
looking on their shattered roofs
and riven walls, which they expect at any
moment may come down, like the churches
and buildings that have already fallen. This,
o newspaper published three weeks or month
after the destruction of San Jose, reported
as being still the condition of people in Pam
plona. What added to this state of terrible
suspense and insecurity, was the fact that
there were some three hundred penitentiary
conVicts confined there, who had of course to
be removed to the open fields and guarded
there by soldiers.
The mention of soldiers and couvicts brings
me back to San Jose again. The scenes of
pillage that followed the earthquake added
peculiar aggravation to its horrors. Being
the richest city in this State, (Santander) as
well as port of entry from Lake MaracaibO,
second only | believe to Barranquilla, the
opportunity was too good to be lost. Armed
bands of pillagers, counted by the hundred,
from the city itself, from the country arerpd'
and from beyond the Venezuela border
on the ground as promptly as if
had weeks previous notice, aD.
fear of God or regard for ma
their business with the utmost
four or five days, till citizen
be sent down to restore some SO
A gentleman remarked to me S
day or the day after the disasta
chants and others of the mOst
people were standing in front Of
House, hundreds of pillager5 we
at work and as unconcernedly, bre
boxes, ripping up bales of goods, d burs
ing open the money safe, as if they we're en-.
gagged in their lawful calling. Even the
soldiers who we're stationed there for the
protection of government property, Joined
the ranks of the robbers; and it was not till
Ebolk lie