The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-06-23
TVI TIT O''IT W 1T :
HARD YARNS BY AN OLD SALT.

Calla0-Hs Harbor-1 Tda Wace-P ru
Her Prospects,
Before weighing anchor to proceed north
ward from Lima permit me to say few
words in reference to the harbor Of Callao,
the principal rendezvous of the different
foreign naval squadrons of the world sta
toned on the western coast of South Amer
lea, and their presence is always needed
there, as scarcely year passes without a
civil revolution taking place.
The harbor is one of the finest on the
coast; spacious enough for all the navies of
the world to ride securely therein Except
when visited by tidal wave), and is we'll
projected from the swell caused by the pre-,
Vailing southwest trade winds Where
many Of the shipping lie anchored, in five
fathoms OF water, sleep the remains of the
once thriving commercial town of old
Callao, engulphed by an earthquake, with
its whole population. And on the 9th of
last month"; the same scene came very
nearly being enacted again. qaote from
an eye witness, who writes that son the
night of the above date, when the whole
population OF the present Callao were
buried in sleep, a heavy rumbling noise
was heard, and trembling of the earth
felt, warning the unfortunate people Of the
coming danger. The police saw the waters
silently stealing into the city. They sprung
their rattleS, fire and church bells rang,
drums beat the troops to quarters-the
troops stationed in the various fortitica-
tions. In the midst of the terrible coufu-
sion, the terror-stTicken people rushed from
their beds into the streets, begging to know
what was coming. The answer was, Tie
sea; tie remOrseless sea" Then began the
wild flight for life. Some fled to Lima;
some to the surrounding hills; or wherever
a rise of ground gave hope Of safety dixie
in the days of Noah! from the all devour-
ing sea: mothers ;laaped their babes. hus-
bands carrying wives, strong young people
removing the sicE and aged, or some article
of value or religious reverence. All half
naked, in the darkness of the night seek
ing some little spot Of refuge, where the
teruble waves could not engulph them and
their household treasures. !ut God was
merctul. The sea after rising ten feet
above the usual tide water mark silently
retired back to its bed. Only two lives
were lost. Yet the splendid Mote Darsena
was damaged to the amount of two mil
lion of dollars. 1t was not tidal wave
properly so called, but silent upheaval of
the waters of the bay. Had it been real
tidal wave, Cailao with its forty thousand
sleeping people would have been numbered
among the other thousand victims along
the coast. But from the south of Peru
comes the wall of sorrow. africa, Antofo.
gasta, Mollienda, Iruique, and Cobago are
nearly all destroyed. People who We're
wealthy few days ago, arc now penuyiess
sud hungry. Tho earthquake tGmb.ed
down their names, the fire burnt the ruins
up, and the ever remorseless sea swallowed
up whatever remained. All these places
are shipping ports for nitrate and guano.
There is no agricultural country near them.
All provision is brought from other places
far distant. Even drinking water is ob
tanned only hy condcnsiug, or is brought i'll
vessels from other ports, hundred ci miles
away. When the sea rose and swept away