, 1877-11-23
Eruption of Cotopaxi.

Inc last eruption Of the volcano Of
Cotopaxl (the tenth, according to NV
computation) took place on the 26th ~
June last, with every circumstance thot
could increase its horror-utter darkness
IN broad day, thunder and ligbtpino
fearful explosions that made the earth
tremble, subterranean noises and wild
gusts of wind, accompanied by A rain of
asnes. An eyewitness told me that the
volcano poured out a cataract ten times
the bulk of Niagara, which carried all
before 1t In its headlong course, and sub-
merged the whole surrounding countrv
The torrent divided itself in two opposite
dire ections, as if to give greater scope 70
It's devastation and to make the confusion
still more dire. One branch took a
southerly course toward the city of Lata-
cunga, situated twelve miles from Coto.
paxi On its way the torrent Converted
the plain OF C2llao into an immense Lake
There is but faint hope that the ruins
OF the palace of the Incas, described bv
Humboldt and all other travellers THROUGH
the central valley of the equatorial Andes
have escaped the ravages of the food
Near Latacunga the furious current tore
up from its very foundations the cotton
factory of Don Jose Villagomez, whose
value was estimated at $500, 900; crops.
cattle, buildings, were swept awa ay; the
massive bridges Of Cutuche and Pansal.
vo were destroyed, as well as part of
the fine carriage road (scarce eoualed
even in Europe) which connects Quito
with the towns in the south of the
republis.
The branch that headed toward the
south of Cotopaxi devastated the pros
porous and enchanting valley of Chillo.
and 10 particular the estate of the Senior
Aguirre, noted for having been the resi-
dence of Humboldt. There, too, as in
Latacunga, arose the building of thriv
ing factory which, only the year before,
had been destroyed by fire and had Just
been repaired at great expense. The tor
rent rooted it from the ground, and bore
it away in thousand fragments. 1t is
asserted that mill OF Don Manuel Pa
lacios floated on the water like a ship at
sea until shattered by the current The
loss in the valley of Chillo alone is esti-
mated at over two millions Of dollars, and
the loss in other sections is equally great.
1t is likewise calculated that the number
of the dead exceeds one thousand. AL:
though the surroundings of Quito have
been laid waste, the city itself suffered
only from rain of ashes and complete
darkness, which began on the 26th of
June, at three in the afternoon. At Ma
chache and other places the night lasted
for thirty consecutive hours, In the
midst OF this Opaque gloom one could
hear the believing of the cattle and the
cries of other animals who, deprived of
their usual food by the shower of
ashes, sought, in species of frenzy, for
the means of satisfying their hunger.
Other beasts, frantic with terror,
careered hither and thither as if in des-
pair, and the piteous bowling of the
dogs pierced the air with its ominous
sound. In Quito the darkness was as
that Of night; it was like that described
by the younger Pliny in letter to Taci-
tus, in which he relates the eruption of
Vesuvius, and the destruction of Pom
pei. ut was" he says, "as if the lights
in room had been extinguished." At
Quito the shower at first was of coarse,
heavy sand, which subsequently turned
into ashes so fine and impalpable that
they penetrated not only into apart
ments, but into the most carefully closed
receptaclcs. In the depth of the dark
ness men and women, bray ing he rain
of ashes, sailed forth into the streets,
screening themselves with umbrellas and
lighting their way with lanterns, and all
the while these strange apparitions rent
the air with their cries and prayers for
mercy. The umbrellas, as we'll as the
green Eyeglasses used here on journeys,
were no superfuous precaution, although
they afforded but scant protection against
the subtle power, which it was remem-
bered had in many cases produced blind
ness during the eruption Of 1843, and the
rain of ashes of thirty hours that attend
ed it.
From the outset the people had unan-
imousy ascribed the disaster to chas-
tisement of heaven, brought down by the
irreligion of the Government, which had
arbitrarily closed the churches and de-
prived the people of those spiritual con-
soations that were made doubly neces-
sary by the sad condition of things in
general. Tue idea of Divine punish
ment spread like wild-fre, and as the
tempest ragged more wildly this convic-
tion gathered intensity, until at last
groups of men, without leader, without
any concerted plan, and without arms,
threw themselves upon~he guard at the
military hospital, while Others attacked
the guard stationed at the powder-maga-
zine on the hill of Javira. There were
but few troops in the garrison, the
greater part having been sent to suppress
the insurrection in Imbabura; but the
assailants, lacking arms and direction,
were promptly overpowered, with no fur,
ther loss than that of two soldiers ana
two citizens. On the day following, be-
fore the CITY had recovered from its con