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

We may become used to almost
anything in time; but there is one
thing which men never get used to
the earthquake. / have seen
brave men, in Granada, who would
fearlessly face the perils of a "revo-
luton" or encounter almost any
danger by food or field, throw them
selves frantically upon their knees
in an agony of fear at the slightest
quivering premonition of the dread
ed Terremoto.
And those foreigners who have
lived longest in the countries sub
jected to volcanic agitation, are the
very ones most readily and strongly
impressed with fear. As l found
in my case, with every successive
sensation the dread is increased.
This is probably owing to its UNI
certainty.
1t is not the same capriciousness
of fortune which belongs to the
battle field, and which at last rem
ders the tried soldier careless or
thoughtless of his fate. The very
fact of the solid globe itself going
away beneath ones feet engenders
a strange, lost sense of insecurity
and helplessness which can be eff
fected by no other natural means;
and added to this is the vague I'M
certainty as to what will be the ex-
tent of the shock which humans the
stoutest hearts.
The Terremoto may be nothing
more than series of slight, HARM
less quiverings of the earth, or it
may be the giant throe which swal-
lowed province of Portugal, drop
ped Callao four hundred feet below
the sea, and destroyed the populous
city of Mendoza, with nine-tenths
Of it's inhabitants.
spent nearly five months, not
more than year since, in passing
through Granada, Ecuador, Peru
and Chilli-all of them earthquake
countries-and during that time
felt upward of thirty shocks of this
nature. The first one l experienced
at Barbacoas, New Granada, where
it rains every day in the year.
On the second morning of my ar.
rival 1 was walking through the
narrow streets of this wretchec
town, when l was surprised by q
strange, rumbling, subterranear
sound, which seemed to approach
US slowly from the northeast.
| We happened to be on the edge
of the plaza, and in a few seconds
the large space was filled with hu.
manity.
The church bells began to rine
an alarm; priests ran through the
streets, exhorting toprayer, and from
all directions the motley population
whites, Indians, negroes and mes
tizoes-came streaming from the
adobe houses IN wild excitement tt
the open plaza, where they threw
themselves into attitudes Of devo
ton, while the air was filled with
dismal sounds of terror and suppl.
cation.
My companion was man of nerve
and adventure; but his countenanc'
Immediately became grave and anx
ious, and he quickly drew me to thu
centre of the plaza, where the ter
ror-stricken people were rapidly
gathering around US.
what is the matter?" / asked
in blank amazement.
IAN earthquake. Don't b.
frightened, but be ready for any
thing"
I did not feel a particle of fear
but observed the phenomenon will
great interest.
The rumbling sound ! have des
cribed continued and grew louder
until it seemed directly under oul
feet. Itthen suddenly ceased. Thu
cessation was instantly followed b!
a slight trembling of the ground
so slight that l should hardly hav'
noticed it if not previously wal ned
Then came another shock which
should have noticed under any cir
cumstances.
| Neither lasted more than tive
seconds, and the intervals between
them was not more than twenty
But the last was succeeded by {
sharp, jerking agitation, which
nearly destroyed my balance, quick
ly followed by a decided earth-shak
inor xuhinh lasIoI =, aarlu &a,, aannnds