The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-05-16
A SOUTH SEA CYCLONE.


The sloop Elgin arrived at this port
on the 18th of February, bringing the
sad intelligence that the Pomotu Islands !
have been the theater of immense disas- |
tiers, caused by the cyclone which raw
aged the islands. Immediately the Gov
ernor issued orders to the commander |
of the war-ship SECOND to proceed to |
She scene of eveRts and render all the
aid possible to the unfortunate sufferers |
The SECOND has returned, and reports
that the loss of life and property has
been very large. In the district OF
Tuuhora, island of Anaa, the losses
alone will reach s120, 900. Over liz 900
cocoanut trees were destroyed. In this
estimate no valuation is placed upon
the great disasters to residences, ware
houses, wharves, cisterns, and the num-
Der of coasters thrown on the shore. AT
Faatte dano Fakarava several villages
suffered, but not so disastrously as else
where. At Manibi and Arutua houses
were tossed upside down, as also on the
island of Niau. The damage was very
grave at Apataki, the village being de-
stroyed and a number of small craft
cast ashore as if they had been straws.
At Rairoa two vessels at anchor were
lifted from the water and cast inland.
Many lives were lost, and the bodies
were ravenously devoured by dogs and
hogs perishing from hunger.
But the most terrible events trans
pired on the Island of Kaukura. This
island was so situated so as to be in the
center of the cyclone. The wind swept
over it like an infatuated demon, des-
tined to avenge itself upon unfortunate
humanity settled there. A terrible
tempest of rain accompanied the merci-
less winds, both bringing terror to the
people. All fled for safety in their
canoes to the lagoon, but during the
night of the 9th of February an enor-
nous tidal wave swept across the island,
and of the one hundred and seventeen
souls that had taken refuge in their frail
crafts, but one escaped to tell the tale OF
the awful fate that befell them. The
survivor, by a miracle, as it were, was
washed out of his canoe and chung to
rock. All the others were swept away
into the remorseless depths of the
ocean. The force of the waves was
such as to completely change the physi-
cal aspect of the island. Mountains of
sand were cast upon the coral reefs,
crushing and burying beneath them
cocoanut trees from fifty to sixty feet
high.
1t has been ascertained that the enor-
nous body of water known as tidal
wave, which swept over Anaa and re
suited in such lamentable losses, WAS
l. - Al oh % "a al NO
which attended the cyclone. At the
same moment that the island of Anaa
was deluged tidal waves struck the set
Element of Hitiaa, island of Tahiti, and
Papotoei, island of Morea, but not with
such terrific force. The distance be-
tween Anaa and Tahiti is over 100
miles. The old natives on the island
have no traditions that any such cyclone
ever passed over the island before. The
PomOtu group are subject to heavy
SQUALLS at certain seasons of the year,
but they are not considered as within
the cyclone belt, as are the Samoan and
Fiji groups. 1t is usually plain sailing
from here to Tahiti, with fair winds,
without a thought of cyclones or tidal
waves, but vessels when off the PomOtu
group are always on the lookout for
squalls. 81. .
At Anaa, an American, a colored
man, was surprised by tremendous
sheet of water which threatened his in
slant destruction. With great presence
of mind he fed for the nearest Cocoa
nut tree, and carrying with him little
native child, whom he found crying and
terrified, climbed the nearest tree with
the child on his back, and thus both
lives were saved. At Moturaa, island
of Kaukura, native policeman, at the
peril of his life, saved a little child,
eight years of age, by climbing cocoa-
nut tree. The child proved to be the
daughter of 81. Aumeran, the mother
having been engulfed by the tidal
wave. The French Resident Director
at Anaa had narrow escape for his
life The full particulars of all the in
cidents, disasters, and loss of life are
not yet known, but sufficient is now be-
fore the public to make the cyclone ever
memorable in the history of the Islands.
The PomOtu islands are French pos
sessions and lie south by west of Tahiti.
There are said to be over one hundred
ISIdnuS III TIC SIOuP dIlu oil dAO "HoO 10
known as low islands. They are of
coral formation, and but few feet
above the level of the sea. In the cen
ter are lagoons, some of which are shall
low, while others have been sounded and
no bottom could be found. The pearl
fisheries are within the lagoons, and are
very valuable. The coeoanut tree pro-
duces the principal source of food, and
there is scarcely any other vegetation.
Gathering cobra, the meat of the cocoa
nut, is one of the chief employments of
the native. This, diving for pearls, and
fishing are the chief occupaions. The
natives are quiet and simple in their
habits, and friendly to the whites. 1t IS
said that there are some cannibals on
the more distant part of the group, but
the fact is not authenticated. The Amer
lean, English and German houses, at
Tahiti do large trade with the Pomotu
group, and will certainly suffer heavy
losses in the general calamity that has
befallen the islands. ..--...