The Hawaiian gazette., 1877-12-05
COtopa1i's Latest Eruption.
QuITo. July 4th.

QUITO, July 4ih.
The eruption took place on the Goth OF june
with every circumstance that could increase its
hoHor-utter darkness in the broad day. thunder
and lightning, fearful explosions that made the earth
tremble. subterranesn noises, snd wild gusts Of
wind. accompanied by rain Of ashes. An eye
witness told that the volcano poured out q
cataract ten times the bulk OF Niagara, which car
ried all before it iu headloug course and sGbmerg-
ed the whole surrounding country, The torrent
divided itself into opposite directions ifto give
greater scope TO it's devastation, and to make
the confusion still more dire. Oue branch took
southerly course toward the city of Latacunga,
situated twelve miles from Cotopexi
On its way the torrent converted the plain of
CallaO into an immense lake. There is but faint
hope that the ruins of the palace of the Ineas de-
Eeribed by Humboldt aud other travellers through
the central valley Of the equatorial Andes, have
escaped the ravages of the food Near Latscuu-
ga the furious torrent tore up from its very foun
daions the cotton factory Jose Yallagonez whose
value wss estimated at $50. 900; crops, cattle,
buildings were swept away; the massive bridges
Of Catuche aud PansalEo were destroyed; as well
as part Of the tine carriage road (scaree equallei
in Europe) which connects Quito with the towns
IN the south OF the republic.
The branch that headed toward the south OF
Cotopaxi devastated the prosperous and enehsnt-
ing valley of Chillo and in particular the estate OF
the Senores Aguirre, noted for having been the
residence OF Humboldt. There, too. as in Laia-
cungs arose the building OF a thriving factory,
which, ouly the year before, had been destroyed
By fire, and had just been repaired at 4 great ex-
pense. The torrent rooted il iron the ground, and
bore Il away Thousand fragments. Ii Is asserted
that mil. OF Don Manuel Palacios noated on the
water like ship sea until scattered bY rhe cur
rent The loss in the valley Of Chillo alone Is es-
timated AZ over two millions Of dollars. aud the
loss in other sections is equally great Ii is Ike
wise calculated that the number Of dead exceeds
thousand
A third cataract took an easterly direction, de-
stroying the bridge OF Palate, aud doing grievous
injury 70 the estates in that neigbborhood, OF
which the most important is celebrated for its fine
wines, well known as the Vino de Palate"
Although the surroundings Of Quito have been
laid waste, the city itself has suffered from only
rsiu OF sshes and complete darkness, which be-
gau the 10th OF Juue, 81 three IN the afternoon
AT MschacSs sud other places the night lasted fol
thirty consecutive hours In the midst Of this
/ Opaque gloon one could hear the believing 9th
cattle aud the cries Of the other animals, who de-
prived of tEeir usual food in the shower Of ashes
sought In species of frenzy for tue means Of
satisfying their hunger Other beasts, frantic with
terror csreered hther and thither if In despair
and the piteOus bowling OF the dogs pierced tbs
air with Its ominous sound. 10 Quito the dark
ness was not that OF night; IL was like that de
scribed by the young Pliny IN letter to Tseitus
10 which he relates the eruption of YesuTius anC
the destruction Of POmpeii. at vas" be says
ssas II the lights in room had been extiuguish
ed" Al Quito the shower al frst coarse
heavy sand which subsequently, turned into sshe
SO due and impalpable that they penetrated int
the most carefully closed reeeptaeles In the dept
Of the darkness men aud women, brsviug the rail-
OF ashes sailed forth into the streets screening
themselves with umbrellas, and fighting their wal
with lanterns, and all the while of these strsng
apparitOns the air was rent with cries and prayer
for mercy. The umbrellas as we'll as The greei
eyeglasses used here onlourneys super
huOas precAution, although they sfOrded but scan
protection against the subtle ORder. which il wa
remem bered had in many cases produced blind
ness during the eruption Of 1913. and the rain c
ashes Of thirty hours thst attended it,