The Dickinson press., 1889-07-27
LAND OF EARTHQUAKES.
THE EXPERIENCES OF A TRAVELLER
IN SOUTH AMERICA.

uN SOO n RMEHlCA.
Sudden Breaking Up Of a Dinner Party.
Tie Entire People of a City OIL Their
knces-How tho First, Second and Third
Shocks Arc Considered,
In earthquake countries, particularly in
portions of South America where destructive
earthquakes arc not of raro occurrence, as a
rule the first shock is comparatively light
and harmless. 1t is considered as warning
signal to look out, and is preceded by a
rumhlinS sound not unlike distant thunder,
gradually approaching and increasing in
strength until the crash and full force of the
shock is felt. The second shock of the same
character soon follows 1t is, as rule, sell
dom dangerous The third is looked for with
anxiety and dread, and the consequences are
feared Should it occur its effects arc al
most Invariably disastrous. The relator had
seven years experience in tho several repub.
lies of South America and passed through
many shaky scenes at first, with no fear or
dread and was disposed to ridicule tho eyi
deat alarm OF the inhabitants on the occur
renee of an earthquake; but soon he became
Hcrod i'll hunting a safe place at the first
prrmonitory symptoms Of shake.
THE LAST COURSE INTERRUPTED.
His first experience was in Santiago, Chill.
i'll lS42. 1t occurred during the forty days
OF Lent. Religious professions were of daily
occurrence, attracting tho attention of tho
sight seeing citizens wherever they passed.
One day he was seated at n family dinner
table III tho residence of Don Santiago Valen-
cla. The several courses had been served and
lmrtaken of, and chocolate for the gentlemen
and matte (the national tea of the country)
for the ladies' had been ordered Each had
his or her tiny porcelain cup in hand, slipping
tho frothy contents Of tho rich chocolate or
sucking the fragrant tea through the silver
tube, When, rs of by one impulse, tho cups
tell either to tho table or floor and were shat
tered. Theory of 'Temblorl Temblor!' was
raised, and the guests. both male and female,
rushed for the door without standing OH the
order of their going. Tho writer simply
looked on with astonshment. Tho earthquake
was light and he had not felt it, and lie quiet
ly set his cup down, either thinking that his
companions were crazy or that something un
usual Ill tho way of a procession was passing
Going to the door he found tho center of the
street filled with men, women and children
on their knees, hands upturncd in the attitude
of l,rvent prayer The second shock did not
occur, and these devotees soon arose and re
entered their several domcles and our party
returned to tho dining room and ordered
moro chocolate and matte as if it were III, or
dinary occurrence and a part of tho pro.
grammc.
His next episode in tho ''temblor" line was
more enirening and was decidedly instruct
i've 1t occurred several months after he
had mastered sufficient Spanish to know the
meaning of tho word. He had been making
night of it with somo of his countrymen
and Europeans who were OH n visit from
Valparaiso, and returned about A. Ill., His
Sleeping apartment was Oh tho ground floor
ana was large, square room. On retiring
for the night it is customary in all earth
quake countries to uso brace set against
tho door in place of turning the key in the
lock- rs i'll the event of an earthquake the
bolt gets jammed and cannot be thrown
back But he locked tho door and was soon
IN Led and sound asleep. He dreamed that
he had been bodily taken up by Il man of gi-
gantic stature and thrown on tho floor, and
awoke to become painfully conscious that
such was the fact or at least that he was on
the floor. The franc work of tho building
and the carthen covering of tiles and cane
raltcrs were grooming and crcaking with
fearful din. The crash of falling buildings,
tho screcchcs OF men, women aud children,
the bowling of dogs, tho braying of asses and
the snortinS of horses and mules produced II
bedam of unearthly sounds. He recognized
the fact that he was experiencing tho effects
of the much dreaded third shock of an earth
quake
A SPECIMEN OF HORSE SENSE
fic Mt once arose, but reeled and staggered
from the effects of the unusual movement of
the earth's crust, and reaching tho door
found no brace. 1t was securely locked and
oolted. He tried to turn tho key, but did not
snccecd. He was prisoner, expecting every
moment that the roof would fall in. He
made frantic movement, and the bolt
lie" back and lie was free and soon in the
street. w hen he looked around he saw ruins
In every direction Clouds of dust obscured
the coming dawn, md men, women and
chilareh We're ID the main thoroughfaro and
adJacent plaza praying with fervor to tho
Virgin for succor. The roof OF the cathedral
had fallen in, and hundreds who had rushed
to it as place of safety from tho coming
wrath were either crushed or killed outright.
The frantic groans, screams, curses and
prayers of the wounded were heard even
above the din Of tho falling buildings, and
made so lasting an impression on his memory
that even now he often imagincs that he
hears them repeated. This experience had
the effect to make him veritablo earth.
quake coward.
Shortly after he had occasion to visit the
city of .,lendozu, in the Argentine Republic,
situated in a beautiful and fertile valley that
lay east Of the Cortlillera range of mountains.
En- route from Santiago he had to cross u
plain Of forty miles. About midway his
horse suddenly came to a halt and spread out
his legs so that his feet covered as much space
as possible. Astonished, the rider piled tho
spurs, but the horse was fixture and refused
To move. The narrator soon heard low,
rumbling sound, tho premonitory symptom
of an earthquake, which increased in strength
and was followed by crash and a shock that
nearly threw him from his horse, which treln-
ble'l, snortcd and showed every symptom of
fear; the ground cracked and opened in many
places from few inches to several feet, from
which sulphurous vapor and water issued
nls first impulse was to get off his horse and
seek safety in fight, but on sober second
thought he came to the sage conclusion that
the morse had four legs and covered more
groum, than he possibly could with his two.
and -eclued to stay. Fortunately the dis.
turbai,e Gu not last moro than three or four
minutes, though 1t seemed an age when it was
over anu all was quiet, with the exception o.
the usual trenors that follow ALI earthquake
shock. His horse gathered himself together
and moved on as it nothing nad happened. -
San Francisco Bulletin.