Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-02-28

their feet, returning to their homes
with noisy ordinations and laugh
ter, my comrade, the major, relink-
ed his arm in mine and strolled on
with a resumption of his cheerful
ness.
1.-THE difficulty u.s." said he, in re-
ply to my somewhat contemptuous
comment on the unnecessary APP
prehension of the recent scene, "you
don't know how much of shock
it is going to amount to. This one
is the sharpest have felt during a
stay of six months; but there is no
telling when the world may be turn
ed inside out by them. However,
there are never more than three sue
cessive shocks. If you escape the
last you may consider yourself
save"
experienced two earthquakes
during a stay of four days at Quay
aquil. Indeed, volcanic agitations
are of more frequent occurance in
Ecuador than anywhere else in the
world
Strange as it may appear, in Quito,
the capital, though situated on a
high table-land and literally folded
in by volcanic peaks, the shocks of
earthquakes are felt at comparative
ly rare intervals, though the city
has more than once been subjected
to disastrous visitations. In the
low lying provinces of the western
slope, and especially in Guayaquil,
they may be said to be of almost
daily occurance.
Snow-capped Chimborazo and a
number of other fre-heated noun
tains are to be seen from the latter
place looming up gradually in the
far distance, silvery clear in the
bright sunshine, or partially hidden
in the faint blue heat-hazs of the
tropics; and whenever the columns
of smoke are seen ascending from
one or more of these stupendous
chimneys of the ever-blazing fur
naces in the bowels of the earth,
the natives experience a sense Of
security; for they suppose, and
with an excellent show of reason,
that there is comparatively little
danger of disastrous CONFUSION be-
meath the plains, so long as the
subterranean fires find a vent
= through the craters of the Andes.
Earthquakes are of such frequent
occurrence in Guayaquil that even
} he low, thick-walled adobe houses
! which are elsewhere deemed a suf-
ficient security are not here relied
} upon. Most of the houses are made
I of wood, the walls being composed of
! planks dove-tailed or dashed loosely
} together at the ends, so that upon
being shaken violently they will
! sway to and fro according to the
} inclination of the movement, with
out being dismembered or cast down.
| learned many interesting facts
concerning earthquakes, the recital
of which would consume too much
space for the limits of this sketch
J During the last hours of my stay
in Guayaquil / experienced three
) shocks which were accounted un-
} usually severe. There was the Gus.
: tomary excitement among the peo-
ple-the clangor Of church bells
he rush to the plaza and the open
country, and the terrified accent.
of wailing and despair.
1t was then that witnessed the
singular sight of long rows Of
J wooden houses rocking about, sway.
! ing to and fro and creaking hid
4 eously, like the sides of ship in 9
I gale Of wind. But in few second:
it was all over, and the careless
. children of the equatorial sun were
? resuming their lazy occupations as
} if nothing had happened, though il
. was some time before the fearful
. fluttering of my own heart wa.
: stilled; for by this time repeated
: sensations Of the underground
I character had instilled the general
cowardice into my breast, and l hat
! come to regard the Terremoto with
4 far other feelings than interest ant
, curiosity.
! On my voyage from Guayaquil t
! Payti, on board the steamer Favo
! rita, the sea was twice disturbed by
\ the volcanic convulsion, though
I not very forcibly. But the shocks
were very perceptible. The sea wa
= as smooth as glass, it was an un
clouded midday, and we were NOV
: ing rapidly through the water, will