The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-20

the gale, only Increased H. The heavier
the rain fell the aerce- were the blasts.
All the ren-of-war were under fun steam
but found themselves unable 70 keep up
against the force OF the storm and re-
ueye the strain on their cables The
hard rocky bottom OF the harbor afforded
no holding ground TO their anchors. which
were steadily dragging. aud the vessels
We're in extreme peril OF colllding With
one another at any moment
Toward O'clock in the morning on
Saturday. March IS. the Eber. which had
only lately returned TO Apla from Auck-
land. New Zealand. was dashed on the
trescherous circular reef heretofore men
toned, and sank with all hands on board
The vessels crew consisted Of etghty-four
men, including The captain and officers.
Out OF this number nine were ashore on
guard duty and thus escaped the awful
doom or their unfortunate shipma,es
Shortly after this catastrophe the two
merchant vessels, the Peter GodeEroy and
the Argus, were likewise driven on the
reef and totally wrecked. The crews o.
bctn vessels effected a timely escape IN
the long boats. and after a desperate
struggle with the furious elements. finally
succeeded in getting through the surg
ing breakers and landed safely on the
beach IN the Matafele district
The German corvette Adler was next in
line or the doomed fleet. A huge wave
lifted the vessel high out OF the water
ana swept her on the top OF the same reef
on which only short time before the
Eoer met her tragic fate. The Adler's
masts fell and she turned over on her
Beam ends, with her keel pointed sea-
ward, and in that position she remained
lying securely fastened on the top Of the
reef
When morning dawned, Notwithstanding
the terrible blasts of the hurricane and
the torrents OF rain. many Of the foreign
residents Of the town began 10 gather
along the beach. but il Was utterly inn
possible 10 maintain an upright position
IN any unsheltered spot. so fierce was the
WIND. An awe-inspiring sight met thu
eye as one gazed out into the bay through
the binding spray and mist that was
driven sloreWard and at times obliter-
ated all View. There. high on the reef
lay the capsized Adler towering up
through the haze ike q huge wall, her
masts broken OF short. and with frag-
ments OF yards and rigging sJiI attached,
dangling overheard. a complete labyrinth
or wreckage. The batteries appeared
wen secured. for the guns and carriages
were observed in their proper positions.
Members of the surviving, hapiess crew
were at times seen moving about among
the entangled wreckage under the lee
bulwarks, trying TO gain some place OF
SIDE the capsiZed vessel through the hatch
ways. Ever and anon the seas would
dash clean over the wreck. but its posi-
tion-the deck turned shoreward-af-
forded d tolerable safe refuge 70 the peo-
pie on board No human efforts could
avail TO render them assistance. For the
present they We're destined TO remain in
their wretched condition until the terri
BILE storm abated and they could he res
cued. Until then nothing could be learned
as 10 how many lives had been lost The
numbe ascertained afterwards was TWEEN
ty-two.
Havoc on shore.
Along the shore the storm had wrought
havoc in every direction during the night
The sturdy trunks OF the cocoanut palms
had been snapped off By the tempest and
lay across the road In all directions, and
the accumulated wreckage washed ashore
rendered progress extremely difficult
Among the wreckage on tho beach were
fragments of the Eber's bow. easily iden-
titled by their shape and the fancy gilt
work on the black wood 1t was surmised
that the Eher's boilers blew up when she
was dashed on the reef, for the faint
noise OF an explosion was heard at Mata-
fele shortly before o'clock in the morn
ing.
At Z o'clock the crew of the United
States ship Nipsic came ashore the yes
sci having been run on strip OF sand
beach near Matautu point by Cant. Null
Ian, her commander. Cor the purpose of
saving the vessel and crew. During the
night the Olga had been In collision with
the Trenton and Nipsic and the latter had
her smokestack knocked down. which
was rolling about the deck, endancerng
the crew Hs the vessel iurched and
plunged in the heavy seas. but by means
OF tackles and chocks the huge pipe had
been finally secured. The Nipsic had lost
her stern post and rudder and when the
vessel was beachcd and the boats were
lowered, one OF them, the gig, cdpsized
and seven men were drowned. The crew
brought particulars about the rest Of the
fleet aud the terrible struggle of the pre-
vious night.
During the afternoon the small coast
ing schooner Lily was swept some dis
tance inland at Matautu by A huge wave
and left standing IN a clump OF bushes
close TO the rivers bank. The vessel was
commanded by Capt. Douglass. the pilot
for American and English vessels. Capt.
Douglass. the cook and a passenger. a
friend OF the former, were washed over
board and only the captain, Who was an
expert swimmer, escaped with his life.
He managed 10 get alongside Of the Olga.
which was lying close to. ard 10 grasp a
line that was thrown TO him BY means Of
which he was pulled on board in an nj
terry exhausted condition Proper care
and attendance soon brought the sturdy
SCotchman round. and when Baron Won
Ehrhar1t The commander Of the Olga.
learned who was on board. Die sent for
Douglass aui consulted him ass TO Il
proper place fo- hcachine his ehip IN lru-
itation ~ tn Nipsic's maneuvtr. Under
the able directions OF the nil0t Oh" feat
was successfully accomplished witaous
the loss Of a single life. and the deadly