Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-02-21
HURRICANE IN THE PACIFIC.
Haapai Visited by Observation-Disclosures Work
On the Group

BAoAi, Lifuka, Haapai, Jan O. 1896.
To the EdIiori
Thinking a short account Of the hur'
ricane with which we have just been
visited and OF the work Of the Elders in
this part OF the vineyard would be In.
teresiing to the readers Of the News, ]
forward the following for publication.
On December ~, 1895, Elders Alfred
NJ. Durham, Alfred A, Raioed and
Thomas d. Adams returned from the
island Of Tangatabu where the latter
two had gone to spend Christmas, and
Elder Durham had accompanied them
back to make a visi, through the Haapai
group. We we're situated at this village
on the evening Of January 3fd, 1896,
when about s O'Clock a gale Of wind be-
gan to blow from the northeast, which
increased greatly, and In a short time q
regular hurricane was sweeping things
before IL. The house In which We were
located, did considerable rocking from
side to side, but. like the one founded
on rock, II fell not. The hurricane
had not been upon US long, when a loud
knock was heard at the door, and upon
opening, we found a family Of natives
whose house had fallen in, and they had
come to seek shelter, which we freely
gave them. by this time the wind was
something terrible. and upon looking
out we could see number Of houses
near by which had fallen, and the
ground was literally covered with cocoa
nuts and fallen trees. The wind kept
up until "a O'Clock that night, when II
began TO abatc little, and we decided
to go over to Brother James l.. Giles's
place and see how he and family had
weathcred the storm. We were pleased
to find upon our arrival. that all was
well with them; and as their house was
much safer than ours we thought Il best
TO spend the remainder Of the night with
them, so at o'clock p. m. all retired to
rest.
The wind had nearly ceased when we
arose on the morning OF the 9TH, and
the sight that met our eyes upon emery.
ing from the house was something terri
BILE. More than half Of the native houses
had fallen, and the ground was thickly
covered with uprooted trees, fruit,
cocoanuts, etc. From this sight OF de.
struetion we went down on the sea beach
TO see what had become Of all the boats
which were anchored in the harbof the
night previous. We were not much
surprised to see the West Australian,
Norwegian. and the Woosung, a Ger
man barque, piled high on the reefs.
Both were dismasted and greatly dam.
aged. Later in the day il was our privi-
lege to visit these wrecked vessels,
where we learned that no lives were
lost, but the vessels will likely be aban.
doned, as any attempt to repair them
would only be waste Of means.
When the sun came up with It's burn.
ing heat, nearly every yestige Of vegeta-
ton became wilted and dead, as though
a fire had swept over the entire island;
this was caused by the salt water which
was blown In from the sea. Most all
the native food, such as yam, bread
fruit, bananas and oranges are a total
allure, which will cause this people
to know what want is for some time to
come. As yet have heard OF no lives
being lost, and the damage done TO
property is not estimated, but II will be
quite heavy.
MISSIONARY LABOR.
The first Elders Of the Church o,