Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-06-13

main portion OF the village to the house
Of Teura, the native trader whom we
mad met before on the neighboring
motu. The principal men OF the island
soon gathered or rather followed us
there, and we now spent about an hour
in lively conversation, telling them some
thing about Church history, and showing
them views, specimens OF rocks from
some Of our Temples, etc, which seem.
ed to interest them very much. When
we were ready to leave, some OF them
made us presents Of shells, and said
they were much pleased with our visit
The village Of Panau occupies nearly
the entire surface OF the motu known
by that name, which is about half a mile
long by quarter Of a mile wide. and is
covered with young thrifty cocoanut
trees. These have all been planted
since the cyclone In 1873, when the en-
tire island was bereit oi ITS Inc growth
OF trees aud brush Of every kind; also
the whole village was destroyed, only
one house being left standing, and the
ruined condition Of that one was point
ed out TO US as we passed The most
imposing structure OF the village is the
Catholic Church, a stone building sur
mounted with little spire, which pre-.
sents a fine appearance from the sea.
The meeting house which the Josephitcs
are using Is a plain lumber structure
with board shutters instead oi windows.
This also was built after the cyclone,
mostly iroli the material which had
been in the former one that was blown
down by the storm. The main thorough.
fare OF the village is lined OH both sides
with cocoanut trees, and the houses,
many OF which are built In European
style, lie scattered somewhat irregular
on both sides OF the alley. Before the
cyclone the island contained over 200
Inhabitants; now II has scarcely much
above hall OF that number according TO
the best information we could obtain, as
one hundred persons pershed during
the storm. This catastrophe need not
have happened; but when the natives
saw their island almost inundated by
ocean water which the terrific wind
blowed over Il, and their cocoa.nut trees
pulled up by the roots or break square
over in other instances, some OF them
seemed TO lose their presence Of mind
and ordinary judgment, as they took TO
their boats aud pushed OH on 10 the la
coon; but OF course no boat could live
upon the water in such weather, and the
consequence was that all those who em-
barked we're drowned, while all who re-
NAMED on land escaped with their lives
though they lost nearly all theirproperiy.
No other island OF the Tuamotu group
suffered IN that storm to sucn an extent
as kaukura, las the centre or the heaviest
part OF the cyclone seemed to strike It
with all is force.
Among the natives with whom we
conyersed II Panau was an old man by
the name Of Tehopea, who claimed to
have met tue late Elder Benjamin +.
! Grouard on the island OF Ragiroa about
| the year 1881, or Just before that Elder
returned 10 America. lie also said that
there was a continuous branch OF lhe
Church on kaukura from the time the
American Elders lett till the Josephi,es
came.
About 1850 a. M, we returned TO the
ship which about hall an hour later set
sail for this neighborng island Of ATulua
about twenty mi es distant About 10
q. M, the tree tops vi that island were
seen ahead, but as the wind was con-
trary, II took US till late in the afternoon
TO reach a point oil Rautini, the name OF
that particular molu of Arutua where
| the village stands and the people live.
| About up. M, the ships boat was
launched and lett for the village.
jumped in at the last moment, but Elder