THE PERUVIAN TIDAL WAVE. 283 



One of the most remarkable circumstances connected with these phe- 

 nomena is the rapidity with which such shocks are borne by the waves 

 across immense stretches of oceanic space. One thousand miles an hour is 

 not regarded as an unusual rate of speed, and, as will be seen below, the 

 transmission of the tidal wave under consideration approximated this 

 rate between the Sandwich Islands and San Francisco. 



The vast distances that such waves are projected are quite as remarka- 

 ble as their rapidity of motion. From a central point on the Peruvian 

 coast, say Iquique, to Hilo on the Hawaiian coast cannot be less than 5,000 

 miles, probably more, and the wave seems to have traversed this distance 

 within the space of ten hours from the date of the earthquake. At the time 

 of the destruction of Lisbon, in 1755, the marine wave resulting from the 

 shock was carried to a distance of nearly 4,000 miles, striking the shores of 

 America before stopping. 



In 1854, at the time of the earthquake of Simoda, Japan, the wave that 

 reached the coast of California had traversed the entire width of the Pacific 

 Ocean. 



The following descriptions of this wonderful but disastrous phenomenon 

 have been compiled from various local papers, and probably give reliable 

 details. Harper's Weekly gives the following condensed statement: 



"From the Peruvian coast there comes a thrilling tale of disaster and 

 ruin. The severe earthquake that occurred on the night of May 9th, and 

 the tidal wave that followed, breught destruction to many thriving towns 

 along the coast of South America, and death to hundreds of their inhabit- 

 ants. The earthquake seemed to result from the eruption of the volcano 

 Ilaga, situated on the southern frontier of Peru and Bolivia. The first shock 

 lasted from four to five minutes, and was succeeded by several others of less 

 intensity. Then the sea, receding from the shore, seemed to concentrate its 

 force for repeated attacks upon the land. At Arica the people were busil}' 

 engaged in preparing temj)orary fortifications to repel a threatened assault 

 of the rebel ram Huascar at the very moment when the roar of the earth- 

 quake was heard. The sea suddenly receded from the beach, and a wave 

 from ten to fifteen feet in height rolled in upon the shore, carrying every- 

 thing before it. Eight times this assault of the ocean was repeated. Strange 

 as it may seem, only a few lives were lost at this place. At Iquique the 

 wooden houses came tumbling down at the first shock, and a fire immedi- 

 ately spread among the ruins. The firemen, to procure water, had just 

 stationed two engines on the beach, when a fearful cry arose — "The sea ! 

 the sea !" and the angry waves rushed in, and the engines were carried 

 away. The inhabitants left the city to its fate, and fled to neighboring emi- 

 nences. The earthquake, the fire, and the water, all combined, destroyed 

 nearly the whole town, and also about 400,000 quintals of nitre stored in the 

 vicinity. It is supposed that at least two hundred persons were killed at 

 Chanavaya, where the shock was especially severe; Mexillones (or Mejil- 

 lones) was visited by a tidal wave sixty-five feet high, and two-thirds of the 



