The National tribune., 1884-01-24
J0LLYTARRE' STORY
OF the Great Earthquake al africa,
Peru, in 1868.

Whore do earthquakes mostly occur, Mr.
Joilytarre2" asked rom.
Well, there are several spots in tho world
where The people are generally on the lookout
for shaking up. All volcanic countries are
subject TO earthquakes, and there are many
places far distant from any active volcanoes
that arc visited in this way at times. There
have been many disastrous shocks IN Europe
Ter instauce, IN Switzerland. Portugal. and
Italy; in Japan, the west coast Of North and
South America. and ia the countries bordering
on ihe Cargishean Sea. We have had them In
our ONE country. not only in California but
~ the Mississippi Valley and IN New England.
They occur ia Iceland, and. IN fact / suspect
there are few countries wholly free from them
4 think he continued. after a pause, . /
have never told you OF an experience / once
had in GH earthquake. Gon haze heard your
father speak Of vessels called doubie-enders, on
account OF their having rGdder al both ends.
ono Of fhCin. named the Wateree, was wrecked
AZ &rics Tern. ia lsG3. and her bones are still
lying there on the beach In August Of that
sear There WAS q terrible earthquake, accom-
panied BIZ a tidal wave Oh that coast which
laid the t7w3 Of AREA in ruins. and wrecked
every SHIP in port. It happened that ] was on
board the Materee. / never told sou about
that. did ~
Why, no. said Ten, drawing his chair
nearer, Won certainly never did"
Well replied JollytarTe, ii you want 10
hear il Iii light another cigar and tell you
s9ngihiHg about Inc most fearful night ! ever
kneg.
I've had been lying in the road-stead of
Arifa far several months Besides our ships
th1re were the United States store-ship Ere
dtnia, the Peruvian corvette America, an
English bark and TWO brigs. We had often
-f 4ef 3D.
and had remarked upon he apparent timldity
OF Tie natives, who always rashed frightened
and panic-strirkcn TO the open plazas, lest tho
buildings should come tGnibling about their
ears.
Late IN the afternoon OF August -, while
We were 81 dinner on board, ne felt the ship
tHe8bie under US and immediately aftergyard
word was sent from the deck that heavy
shock Of earthquake had occurred. We ali
went up o. deck. and there VIC could sec the
open spaces filled with excited inhabitants
and the hills 10 the southwark dotted with
frightened men and women. 4 little range of
hills ran back OF the town. and ended abruptly
in a clid several hundred feet high just at the
waters edge.
We werc sfill talking, when a second and
much more severe shock shook the ship from
stem to stern. We could see several houses
topping, and then with horrible thud the
face Of this clilf fell in one huge mass. As the
dust Cloud s0wly drifted by. and showed US
Area once more. The sight was something none
Of rs can ever ferzet There was but one
house ieft standing We looked al each other,
anc for moment were SPECIFICS: then real
izing thai there must be urgent need OF assist
ance where SO many were undoubtedly injured,
boat was called away, ana our surgeon dis
patched 70 render what aid he might.
III 10 this time there appeared 10 be no dis
furhance 81 the sea; bat we well knew the
earthquakes Of such tremendous power were
generally accompanied by tiaai waves. we made
such rrcf2rsli rs We could 10 withstand pos
sible rush II Ike sea. We could not steam away,
for orr boilers we're UNDERGOING extensive re-
pairs. bat W. dropped another anchor. yeered to
long scope On both cables. aud were ready 10
battea down matches AZ a moments warning
The other vessels appeared 70 be doing the
same thing. as th5ngh those en- board felt as we
did-fhat there might be trouble il store Tor
III thai night.
Shortly the ships began 70 swing as 10
changing tide and the small boats close in
shore being lrfg high and dry. showed US that
the water sTas receaiug. IN a few minutes the
vessels again swung. the water came back,
hCated the little boats as il reached them aud
flowed well Up into the f3wn. From the beach
there T4a into the water long pier 10 which
many people had fsocISed 10 escape from the
falling buildings; when they say the water
Tlslng 50 rapidly they turned and fed back 10
The hills, crying, IL an agonized way, The
sea, the sHa.'
AT the beginning Of this water disturbance
the surface Was Tor sumo time quite unruffied
You woHld haFe Thought that there was huge
pipe underneath that successfully fed and
oraine6 the sea. Gradually, however. as the
water flowed ia and out, its strength increased.
TX reached farther into the tOwn, filing the
streets, and then flowing back, left a long
stretch ol beach completely uncovered Al
last j reoeded 50 far as 10 leare no water under
one OF tie biles ! told you Was anchored there,
and the little vessel quietly fell over on her
beam ends, while her crew scampered 10 the
EhoIe before the returning sea could oyertake
them
L was now growing dark, and We were
called upon 10 give our whole attention 10 the
ship We pad ont all the cable we had. bat
tened COVE tbe MATCHES with sarpaDlins, made
our battery and everything ab0ut our decks rs
secure - possible, and then awaited anxiousIy
the development Of the tidal wake. Constant
shocks o. earthquake were now felt coming
rapidly, ole alter another, but our eyes were
aEed Oh tic sea-
The Lnslish bark was anchored near us.
We Wele both swinging wildly abont 10 the
changing currents. which ran at the rate Of at
least tea miles an hour Suddenly we saw a
stream Of Gre shoot from the EnglishInans
hawse-bole. The cable fasienings had given
way ana 50 great was the friction thar the fly
1ng sparks made a brilliant and terrible Dis
play Ailnost Immediately one OF our own
CHAINS was carried away; il tore along over the
deck and into the sea, resembling u its move
menis a very serpent OF FIRE. Our other chain
held, but 50 strong had the rush Of water be-
Come Ltat we dragged the one anchor left and
lts hundred lath0ms Of cable as though ii was
never intended 10 hold us ia any one spot.
Boih vessels were adrift. at the mercy of
Lne currents and counter-currents that were
displaying such gigantic power. At cue time
we hew past each other SO closely that one
could have tossed a biscuit from one deck TO
the other. il we had colljded VIC must have
sunk then and there. We were driven sea-
ward only 70 be torn back toward the shore
IN and out, hithcr and thither, we were carried,
until In2lly We struck broadside on with ter
rl5le tliHtnp. The sea swept over us, and inland
Lar beyond, then ont again. leaving as stranded
bat upright, for the Wateree was a fzt-bot-
toned craft and stood up like house.
y on can imagine cur uncertainty and aux-
iety. No one had been washed overheard bat
we lelt that the worst had NOT yet come We
knew that the wave would return. Tt came
onward. Speil-bound by the awful sight We
watched the outline of its advancing crest
come through the darkness Of the night. and
dared not hope for escape 1t struck us. whirled
ms around, tossed us about, delugcd us with
water, and leaped madly on. As it took its
way back 70 the sea we Were carried with IL
the sport Of It's fury. Where we went and how
far, II is impossible 10 say. We were passive
because we were helpless. Back il came. and
once moro VIC were thrown upon the shore
this time with our bows pointing fairly to the