The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-04-17


could not live, and many life
was saved through their efforts
Americans and Germans were treated alike no
thought was given 10 the state of war existing
between the Germans and themselves and the
men who fought the Germans at Vailele few
months before now bsttled with the waves and
risked their own lives to save their enemies
from q watery grave.
The storm ragged furiously for nearly two
days, and when the wind finally abated the
scene of destruction was awful. On the shore
houses were unroofed and blown down, and
trees and fences were thrown across the streets
so that passage was almost blocked. Out of
seventeen vessels which were moOred in the
hzrbor, only two small vessels remained afoat
and these were badly damaged. The survivors
OF the disaster seemed dazed. They had seen
friends and comrades swept away from their
grasp and go down to their death, and had ex-
pected to follow them every wave broke
over the ill-fated vessels. Long exposure had
rendered them weak and exhausted. Very
few had tasted food for thirty-six hours. Many
had chung 10 the rigging without a particle of
clothing and all bore marks of terrible suffer
ing. The houses of Apia were thrown open
and both native and foreign residents did all in
their power TO accommodate the shipwrecked
sailors.
Apa harbor, where the frightful disaster
occurred, is a little semi-circular bay situated
on the northern side of the island of Upalu.
The distance across the entrance to the bay is
is visible at low water, extends in front of the
harbor, but is broken for distance of three
fourths of a mile about half way between
Matalu point on the east and Milinua point on
the west. This break in the reef forms a gate
way for ships 10 enter the harbor
The space within this reef where ships can
lie at anchor is very small, as there is a shoal
of large dimensions in the eastern part of the
bay, ana the western portion is Obstructed by
another coral reef which is located from two
n rdC off Sho nd
extends almost from the western extremity of
the bay TO point directly in front OF the Amer
lean consulate, which is situated near the mid
die OF the crescentshaped town. 1t was on
this inner reef that most of the vessels were
wrecked, as the wind blew into the harbor from
the open sea and forced them back against it.
The water in the open space between the outer
reef on the north and the inner reef and shoals
on the west, south and east, is very deep, but
the space is not capable of accommodating
with safety the number of large vessels which
were lying in the harbor when the storm CON-
menced. There is no holding ground
at the bottom of the bay and it has
been no uncommon thing for ves-
sells TO drag their anchors whenever a stiff
breeze would spring up. Another great disad-
vantage which the harbor possesses is the rapid
currents which shoot about in several direo-
tions, the velocity of which was greatly in
creased by the immense volume of water
emptylng into the bay from several rivers. The
principal one of these currents rushed along
shore, past the point where the American YES
sells struck. One hundred yards further west
1t was met by roaring torrent of water pour
ing ont OF the mouth of the Naisigano river.
The consequence was that whirlpool was
formed at the mouth of the river and dozen
men, who were tossed overheard from
the Vandalia, were swept down 10 this point,
only to be whirled round in the water
for a moment and then be forced out into the
bay; The men-of-war which were anchored in
the harbor were necessarily very close together.
The vessels nearest 10 the shore were the Eber
and Nipsie. The Eber was directly in front of
the American consulate about quarter of
mile from shore, and the Nipsic was about two
hundred yards east of the Eber The Adler
was ahead of the Nipsic, and the Olga and
CalliOpe were ahead of the Eber. The Van
dalia was beyond the Calliope a mile
of shore. The Trenton was the last of the
war-ships to arrive here, and being much
larger than any other men-Of-war in the bay,
there was no room for her near shore, so she
obliged TO drop anchor beyond the Van
dalia, just within the outer reef. The sailing
crafts were in shallow water, west OF the men,
of-war. The Trenton and Nandalia had the
most dangerous berths IN the harbor, while the
position OF the Nipsic was considered the safest.
For few days preceding the hurricane the
weather was cloudy and the barometer had
been steadily falling, but no one anticipated
the storm which commenced to set in Friday
afternoon, March -. BY IL o'clock that night,
the wind increased to a gale, and nearly all the
war-ships had their engines working to relieve
the strain upon the anchors. The crews on
most OF the sailing vessels threw out extra an
ehOrs and then went ashore. The rain COM
menced to fall at midnight and the wind in
creased in fury. Great waves were rolling in
from the open ocean and the pitching
OF the vessels was fearful. Every man
was kept at work The Eber commenced
to drag her anchors at midnight and an hour
later the Nandalia's were also dragging. How
ever, by using full steam power they both sue
ceeded in keeping well off the reef and away
from the other vessels. The wind blew stronger
and stronger and the rain fell in torrents By
o'clock the situation had become alarming.
Nearly every vessel in the harbor was dragging
Its anchors and there was imminent danger of
collision. panic began TO break out among
the men on several of the vessels and they were
kept at their posts with great difficulty.
On the shore the howlng of the wind among
the trees and houses and the crash of falling
roofs had aroused many persons from their
beds, and figures were seen cropping the streets
looking for some spot of shelter from the
tempest. The tide was coming in rapidly and
waves were washing all over the street, hun
dred feet above the usual high water mark,
The spray thrown high in the air and
beat into the windows of houses nearest shore.
Rain fell like sleet and men and women who
were wandering about in the storm shielded
their faces with small pieces of board or any
other article that could be used as protection
against the wind and sand. The natives seemed
TO realize more than anyone else that the storm
would result in awful destruction. People
gathered in little groups and peered out into
the darkness across the sea of foaming water
Through the blackness of the night could be
seen the lights of the men-of-war and even
above the rushing and roaring of the wind and
waves the shouting OF officers and men on
board came family across the water and struck
terror to the hearts of all who listened. 1t
could he seen that the vessels were dragging
as the lights were moving slowly in different
directions and apparently crossing and re-
crossing each other. Every moment it seemed
as though two more OF the great ships
were about to come together and the watchers
on the beach waited in breathless anxiety to
hear the crash of the collision and see the YES
sells go down to destruction.
A little after o'clock the first rays of dawn
broke upon the scene and revealed spectacle
not often witnessed. The position of the YES
sells entirely changed. The wind, which
was blowing from the northeast had swept
them from their former moorings and they
were all bearing down in direction of the reef.
Black smoke was pouring from their tunnels,
showing that desperate efforts were being made
TO keep them up against the winds. The
decks were swarming with men clinging to
masts any other object on which
hold could be obtained. The bulls of the
war-ships were tossing about like corks. One
moment the vessels seemed TO stand almost
upon their beam-ends, and the next instant
their sterns would rise out of the water and
expose to view the rudders and rapidly-revolv-
ing propellers. Then the prows would be