The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-07-13
| GRAPHIC PICTURE OF THE PERUVIAN
EARTHQUAKE

a GRAPHIC f1SISKE aRTHoMsxF Ts THE ERoVlAN
Captain, Collcy, of the ship Aida, whose
vessel was destroyed by the great earthquake
which occurred off the coast of Peru last
month, has just returned to this city A
Herald reporter yesterday afternoon visited
the Captain at the Office of Messrs w. r.
Grace d Co., No. GG Pine street, and vas
given the following graphic account of the
occurrence:
SCENE OF HORROR.
Con the 10Th of last May" said the Cap
tain, 1--WE were anchored in the port of Pa
bclon dc Plea. The weather was fine and
nothing unusual was noticed. All of a sud-
den, about ten minutes past eight o'clock in
tths.esepiuss. We Experienced a very heavy
shock of earthquake. The night was very
dark, but simultaneously with tho shock
blush phosphorcscent light seemed to burst
from the hilltops. The earth appeared to
have cracked open and to be vomiting forth
flames. The first shock was immediately
succeeded by another still heavier, anG this
was followed by great tidal wave The
sight became at once terrific. There were
twenty-scven vessels in the harbor, all drag
ging their anchors and floating about at the
mercy of the waves. The sea was very high,
and currents were running in all directions
at the rate Of eight or nine knots an hour
No small boats could keep ahoat. The laun-
chcs were put out, but the sea turned them
right over. In less time than it takes to tell
it an immense wave was bearing us to the
shore. Our ship, the Aida, struck the rocks
and commenced to break up very fast
There were eighteen feet OF water in her
when left the wreck. When We struck
the depth Of water on the rocks was about
fifteen feet, but twenty minutes aftcrward
threw the led over and found this had in
creased to ten fathoms. The length of the
wave might be calculated from these data
Seven other ships were driven along shore
with US, and were lost. All the other YES
sells i'll the harbor were seriously damaged
Fortunately, however, the crews all got off
safely.
TIE TOWN DESTROYED.
"Thc people on shore were not so lucky
The shocks Of earthquake had laid PROSTATE
all the buildings Of the little town. The
kerosene lamps used to light the houses had
been broken and the town began to burn up.
When the wave came it put out the connag-
ration, and on rcccding took with it all the
town; swetpffg tilt fRtvu HEui g, 5tbG
as clcanly as new broom. The inhabitants
who numbered about four thousand, had
takca to the mountains at the first shock of
the earthquake. But the wave was too
quick for some of them and about one hun
drcd and seventy persons were drowned.
NATURES BURST OF ANGER.
"Thc blue flames rising from the noun.
tans, the burning town, the flying inhabi-
tants aud the unmanagcablc vessels in the
harbor made sight never to be forgotten.
We had absolutely no warning of the ter
riblc disaster. The direction Of the shock
seemed to be from north to south a vol |
cano twenty eight miles to the north of
where we were, which had long been quie-
scent, broke out again. The greatest cleya-
ton Of the tidal wave that followed was
about sixty feet over the highest part of the
town. The place was considerable depot |
Tor guano All the guano boats, condenscrs
and machines were totally destroyed. The
actual loss must have been very great and
the damage to the town will not be repaired
for many years. We had twenty -onc men,
all told, on the Aida, and none were lost |
The American Consul at Callao took charge |
of us and sent us home. For fortnight |
after the tidal wave had occurred there were |
severe shocks of earthquake along the coast
of Peru. We often experience slight shocks
in sailing in those regions, but never saw
the like of this before and never want to |
experience it again
----e-
RECIPE WORTH Ten DoLLARs.-Take |
one part (by weight rosin, one part bees
wax, and four parts good fresh or sound lard.
VI TX and melt Inmnt hnr nynr q sluw firn ca