Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-09

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. s.-News OF a
fearful loss of life in p destructive storm
that swept over the South Sea Islands last
month reached here today by the steamer
Mariposa. direct from Tahiti The loss Of
life is estimated at 1000
On January l3 last a huge tidal wave.
accompanied by a terrific hurricane, at
tackled the Society Islands and the Pua-
motu group with fearful force, causing
deaths and devastation.
storm RaEes Many Days.
The storm ragged several days, reaching
its climax between January IL and January
16. From the meager news received at
Tahiti up to the time Mariposa left It
was estimated that 900 of the islanders
lost their lives, but It was feared that
later advices would add TO the long list
The first news of the disaster reached
Papetto, Tahiti, on January 26 by tho
schooner Elmo, which reported 500 fatali-
ties. The steamer Excelsior arrived the
following day with 400 destitute survivors.
The captain OF Excelsior estimated the
loss of lives to be 500.
These figures comprised only the deaths
on the three islands OF Hao. Hikuna and
Makokau, whose ordinary population is
1900 On Hikoera Island, where 1000
inhabitants were engaged in pearl diving,
nearly one-half were drowned. On an ad-
,acent island 100 more were washed out
to sea. Makeno and Hao are depopulated.
Conservative estimates at Tahiti place
the number of islands visited by the tidal
wave and hurricane at eighty, all Of which
are under the control OF the French gov
ernment at Tahiti.
Survivors Face Famine.
The surviving inhabitants are left desti-
tute Of food, shelter and clothing, every
thing having been swept away by the
storm.
The French government, on learning of
the disaster, took prompt measures TO re-
lieve the distressed district and dispatched
two war ships, Duranee and zelee, with
fresh water and provisions. Tho italian
man -of-war Calabria accompanied them on
their errand of mercy. y
AS the supply OF fresh water and pro-
visions was totally exhausted by the storm.
It was feared that many lives would be lost
before the relief ships arrived.
As far as is known eight white people
were among the drowned. Included in
these were Alexander Brander, N. p.
Plunkett OF Oakland, T. d. Donnelly, form
| erly a fireman on the steamship Australia
and the local agent of C. Coppenrath, a
merchant Of Papette Added TO this num-
| Der was an unknown woman who COM
mitted suicide from fright.
] As the Islands we're barely twenty feet
! above sea level and not surrounded by
| coral reefs, 1t was necessary for all the
! inhabitants to take to the cocoanut trees
when the tidal wave began to cover the
land. These trees grow to an immense
height, many reaching an altitude Of 100
! feet, but all the lower trees we're covered
/ by the raging seas, which swept with pitt
l loss and them carving
the terror stricken natives to their death.
The natives in the taller trees were safe
until the cocoanut trees gave way and then
| they. too. were swept far out to sea.
Gain safety by swimming.
The survivors brought by Excelsior to
Papette gained the ships side by swim
ming three or four miles from the tops of
! the cocoanut trees.
Elmo, though badly damaged by the
storm, also brought of as many persons
as could swim TO it, being. like Excelsior,
unable to run close to shore because OF the
violence of the ocean sweils which con-
tinued to run abnormally high for a week
after the tidal disturbances.
! Another schooner Gaulois, from the Ma
quesan islands. 900 miles from Tahiti. en-
counteTed the hurricane while en- route TO
/ the latter place and only the timely action
of the captain in jettisoning the cargo
| saved the little craft from destruction.
| Even with this precaution the life OF one
man was lost by waves sweeping the decks.
One Of the many acts Of heroism is that
OF a woman who climbed one OF the tall
cocoanut trees and tied her little babe to
the branches. hanging onto the body OF the
tree beneath the little one as best she
could. There they remained for ten hours.
| suffering great torture. until finally
| rescued.
Thousands OF tons Of copra and over 200
tons Of mother OF pearl shells are known
to be lost The pearl shells are valued at
81 800 per ton and many valuable pearls
may now be lost to the world forever, as
these we're considered some Of the best
pearl islands in existence.
! Among the passengers on Mariposa to-
day was G. w. Waterbury, formerly of
Chicago, who wac on the island OF Raiatea,
one of the Leeward islands, located some
distance to the west OF the i'll fated Paua-
molu at the time of the storm. Much dam
age was done there, although no lives were
lost. welt built road. constructed by
the French government at considerable
expense. was demolished bridges were car
ried away. buildings overturned and shat
tered and pieces OF big ships, old wreekage
and cocoanut trees heaped high along the
coast line. Old inhabitants on Raiatea
declared Il the worst storm they had ever
seen. Returning TO Tahiti the little
schooner uron which he sailed was almost
swamped by the high seas and water
spout came near to the boat at one place.