The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-09
Some of the Natives Saved by Climb
naming There for Hours.
HUNDREDS ARE DESTITUTE
AND MAY DIE OF FAMINE BEFORE
sUCCoR REACHES THE ISLANDS.
Many Pearl Divers Among the Vic
fims-Survivors Taken to Papecte,
the Capital of Tahiti.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. S-More than
1000 persons were killed and eighty islands
of the Society group in the Southern sea
were devastated on Jan. Is by a huge tidal
wave that swept across the island-dotted
News of the disaster was brought to-
day on the steamer Mariposa. direct from
Tahiti
The storm ragged for several days, being
most severe from JAN IA to 16. On JAN Is
a tidal wave. accompanied by a terrific
hurricane. attacked the Society islands
and the Tuamotu group with fearful force,
carrying death and devastation for miles
before its towering front
AS the news received at Tahiti up to the
time of the sailing of the Mariposa was
meager. it is thought that full returns may
swell the death list 1t is possible that
hundreds of bodies were washed out to sea
so that they may never be accounted for.
The islanders who survive are destitute of
been destroyed and death threatens the
survivors.
ESTIMATES OF THE LOSS.
The first news of the disaster arrived at
Papeete. Tahiti. on Jan. 26. by the schooner
Elmo. The captain OF the schooner placed
the fatalities at 500 persons. The steamer
Excelsior arrived at Papeete the following
day with 400 destitute survivors. The cap
tain of the Excelsior estimated the total
loss of life at 500 persons. These figures
comprised only the deaths on the three
Islands of Hao. Hikuera and Makokau.
whose total population is only 1.SOO. On
Hikuera island. where 1000 inhabitants
were engaged in pearl diving, nearly one
half were drowned On an adjacent island
100 more were washed out TO sea. Makokau
and Hao are depopulated. Conservative
estimates at Tahiti place the number Of
islands visited by the tidal wave and hur-
ricane at eighty. All of them are under
the contrs' of the French Governor at
TabrL
The french Governor. upon receipt of
news of the disaster. took prompt measures
to relieve the starving survivors. The Gov
ernor dispatched two warships, the Duranee
and zeIee. with fresh water and provisions.
The Italian man-of-war Calabria, accom-
panied the two French vessels on their
errand of mercy AS the supply of fresh
water and provisions was exhausted by the
storm. it is feared that many lives will be
lost before the relief ships arrive. AS far
as is known eight white people were among
the drowned. Included in these were Alex
ander Brandcr n. p Plunkett of Oakland,
Cal. L. d. Donnelly. formerly a fireman
on the steamship Australia, and the local
agent of g. Coppenrath, a merchant of
Papeete. Added to this number was
woman who committed suicide from fright
CLIMBED TREES.
AS the islands were barely twenty feet
above sea level and not surrounded by
coral reefs, IL necessary for all the
inhabitants to take to the cocoanut trees
when the tidal wave began to cover the
land. These trees are 100 feet high. Those
who climbed the smooth trunks of the
taller trees were above the crest OF the
wave, but all the shorter trees were COW
cred by the raging waves. which swept
with pitiless force abor: and over them.
Many natives in the taller trees were lost
when the roots gave way OF the trunk
snapped under the force of the water
Many OF these were swept far out into the
sea.
The 400 survivors brought by the Excelsior
To Papeete gained the ships side after the
hurricane by swimming three and four
miles from the tops of the cocoanut trees.
The Elmo. though damaged by the storm,
also brought of many persons as could
swim TO it's side. The Elmo, like the Ex-
celsior was unable to run close to the
shores because OF the violence OF the ocean
swells which continued to run abnormaIly
high, deluging the islands for a week after
the tidal disturbances. Another schooner.
the Gaulois. from the Marquesas islands coo
miles from Tahiti. encountered the hurri-
cane while route To the latter place and
only the timely action OF the captain in
having the cargo. consisting OF thirty head
OF cattle. thirty-five pigs and thirty tons
of cotton jettisoned. saved the little craft
from destruction. Even with this precau-
ton one man was swept from the decks
and lost.
A wOMAN'S HEROISM
One OF the many acts OF heroism reported
fs that OF a woman who climbed one of
the tall cocoanut trees and lashed her baby
10 the branches with strips OF her clothing
The mother clung to the body of the tree
beneath the little one best she could
There they remained for ten hours. suffer
ing great torture from wet. cold and hunger
until finally rescued BY other natives. who
SWAN with them TO the ship Thousands
CT tons OF copra and more than 2oo tons OF
mother Of pearl shells are known to be lost