The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-12 00:00:00

The Cyclone at Mae pate
-1?-;
The following are extracts from privet -tht " -
ere.veeNe eeea
" Maeulipatane, e veeer ee - y
"T" ti only write a short note to tell you.teibea s---
thankful for us and our preservation. A most awful
calamity has happened to this place. On the night
of the Ist we had a most furious gale, with torrents
of rain, which brought up the sea upon the place,
though we are three or four miles from it. In our
compound it was Oft or 7ft deep, carrying every-
thing movable before it. Our house is well raised,
so little came in, but those who were lower had the
water in according to their position; and you may
fancy the condition of the poor natives and the
8(4)03'8, who live in mud-walled huts on the
ground. The Sepoys' houses were literally swept
away, and about 200 nun, women, anti children,
perished. It was in the dead of night, which
made it more a ;slut. In the large native
town the loss can hardly be ea:ciliated ; but psoPio
cs
ua t
y is
2,000.t0 u
bury
ry hopethe
dead,ht alsot is x Att orcaattetdle., The difli4
so numerous. We have lost a valuable horsewhih are
c tend
three of our fine cows, all our turkeys, fowls, &e.
Many of our outhouses fell down; but I am thank•
ful to say none of the servants who live there were
killed, which has happened to many others. la..
deed we have been mercifully dealt with in compa-
rison with many, the sea water:having ruined the
whole of their property, their carriages broken by
the falling in of coachhouses, kc. The trouble now
is to get good water, as of course the wells have
been filled with sea water ; also to get provisions.
We live almost upon rice, and that scarce; no bread
can be made at present,—flour spoiled and appara-
tus destroyed. Today is Sunday. I heard it just
now with surprise, as I had lost all reckoning of
days.
" On the evenieg of the day after the night of
the storm the rain began to abate. All but the
Europeans, and some of these, too, and a few native
servants were utterly prostrated. There were fears
of want of food for, the people and Sepoys, and of
an outbreak in consequence; fears of not being -nblo
to get away or open communication ; and fears of
the awful stench which must ensue, From the
morning of the 3d, I believe, no European who has
not been ill, and few of the best natives have
been idle from sunrise to sunset. In the ,Sepoys'
lines or barracks alone about 300 bodies were
buried; these parties were organised with Sepoys
to press the natives to work, and for two days
I was burying ine charge of a party, like all
others. Then the rice warehouses bad to be
opened and guarded by Sepoys under us, so as to
supply the people and prevent looting. Then there
was terrible fear of failure of water. At last one
well was found for the whole town and cantonment.
Now we are digging in all the high places, and I
think sweet water may come soon. Yesterday I
took a cask of water to the fort, which is two miles
off, standing by itself ; about a quarter only of the
population is left there. But, thank God, all of 13
men, women, and children are well, and we are all
very hopeful. I am in hopes that sickness may
keep off, and the sun is now bright, so that we can
burn the bodies and drift in a few days."
" Masulipatam, Nov. 4.
On ,the night of the let a most terrible cyclone'
blew bore. At ten o'clock the cry of The sea is ia
upon us!' took us out into the verandah, and the
taste told us that this was true, with no hope of
life. J— and T—, in whose house I was, saved two
or three drowning servants on the steps of the
verandah, though nearly blinded and blown away
ourselves, and after feeling the sea water rise over
the verandah into the house, retreated upstairs.
This is one of the few storied houses here. There
for five hours we sat, alternately fearing to be swept
away by the sea or crushed under the falling roofe,
we knew not which was our most terrible foe. liar-'
iog swept round the compass nearly, the 'wind
abated a little, and, wet through, with 12 people
besides ourselves, we slept from sheer fatigue.
"By God's mercy NV '3 were more favoured Wan
others, some of whom, ladies with children at homer
alone, sat on tables downstairs all night ; some
with no light, some people standing up to their
waists in water all night. Ntxt morning's light
showed us not a tree standing—nothing but water
to be seen on every side. We went and brought to
our house one lady, three children, and her hue,
band, who bad floated in the one room left in their
house for some hours; we waded through the can-
tournent up to wgers al:41,101nd vo Eurcp.san life
lost ; but life was din'ost all that was left. In fear
of the return of wind, or rain, or sea, wo passed the
day.
"The native town is entirely washed away ;
5,000 natives at least have perished. Food for the
living, to enable them to bury the dead, and so
prevent cholera, is most needed. Wo are cut off from
most places,—Your loving son,

ft 14". 13.9

THE BROTHERS DAVENPORT AT OXFORD.---,
RIOTOUS PROCEEDINGS.--The Brothers Davenport
visited Oxford on Thursday, Dec. 8, and gave a private
seance at the Town-hall and adjoining council chamber.
The public entertainment was announced for seven o'clock
in the evening, and notwithstanding the counter attrac-
tions of the Oxford University Amateur Musical Society,
the hall was well filled with members of the University—
the undergraduate element vastly predominating. Dr.
Ferguson proceeded to explain the nature of the
performance of the brothers, but from the moment he
appeared on the platform a most determined opposi-
tion set in against him from the " choice spirits" in the
body of the hall, who kept up a perpetual disturb-
ance to the conclusion of the seance. Those who
remember the reception given to "Barnum" and other
impostors by the undergraduates, who have always appre-
ciated genuine talent, will no doubt think there was some-
thing more in their conduct than appeared on the surface,
and from the animosity displayed to the lecturer when he
informed them that certain conditions wore necessary for the
realisation of the phenomena, it was at once observa'ule
that the performance of the brothers was regarded by the
students as a " false pretence." Dr Ferguson having at
short intervals of quietude explained the conditions,
called upon some of the audience to come forward and
tie the brothers, etc., and several gentlemen imme-
diately offered their services, and after a little delay
Captain .Owen, the chief constable of the county, and
Mr Talboys, a gentleman commoner of New Inn HO,
were selected to represent tho public. Without going
minutely into the performance we may say that the brothers
acquitted themselves most satisfactorily, and the most rigid
scrutiny of the captain and his colleague failed to throw the
slightest light on the mysterious cabinet. Dr. Ferguson;
was assailed with all sorts of remarks during the entertain-
ment, and his approach towards the cabinet was regarded
with the gravest suspicion, and caused repeated cries of
,4 Keep away, Ferguson." The suggestions of the audience
to "open the doors of the cabinet," while the manipula-,
tions of the cord were proceeding in the interior, seemed
at one time likely to be realised ; but a feeling of
honour prevented the undergraduates from making
such an attempt. After the success of the cord trick
suggestions were made by the audience that Capt.
Owen should tie the brothers with tape or whipcord; but
they remained unheeded. As the performance approached
its termination the students became more unruly, breaking
down the barriers which separated the room, and destroying
the city seats in the most reckless manner in their desiro to
reach the platform, Having gained this end with the cake
tensible object of inspecting the cabinet, they commenced a
series of "manifestations" of a character strange to the
brothers (who looked on with feelings of surprise and fear),
and the cabinet was in immediate danger of total destruc-
tion, as they commenced swaying it to and fro with a deter..
mination which at once implied wilful mischief. At this
critical period the Junior Proctor, the Rev. Mr Harrison, of
s
d
Oriel College, mseycarDs,ksdp,
uevebarae)hil
g)i
yusaaehpcti
htph,
oereeeftracedrkns2aeeioclnydemtella.
ueeesento,dritonitehntirotetel
devastation,
appearance
nefteetailatt ionritl:ai
0,1
Lei attended(
utybes:rpeooitctit,
tirdheef:rja
date,hewb
exhibited
was ti
bwirrwteheeesehd restored. ohfc rieesi
empty,
s
N:p:,pwlaut
caterer for the Oxford public (Mr Thomas Hall) who en,
gaged them will regret, more then Knv one else, the uric
popular recreation awarded tire Brothers Davenport at Os*
ford. Later in the evening the brothers gave their dark
seance at half a guinea, which was attended by about sixty
persons. The Proceedings were most orderly, and the re-
markable performances of the Brothers Davenport and Mr
Fay gave the utmost satisfaction and created an immense
amount of interest. Yesterday (Friday) the performances;
we!, freely canvassed in the town, and the unanimous
opinion was one of wonder and admiration for then rcwark-f
able talents. _ _

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