Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-09
1000 DEAD.
Big Tidal Wave and Hurricane
in Society Islands.
Eighty Islands Devastated by the
Terrible Storm, Jan. IS.
News Brought to San Francisco by
Steamer Mariposa.

fearful loss of life in a destructive,
storm that swept over the South SEA-
| islands, last month, reached here to-
day, by the steamer Mariposa direct
from Tahiti. The loss of life is esti-
mated at 1000 persons. On January 13
last, a huge tidal wave accompanied
by terrific hurricane attcked the So
ciety islands and the Tuamotu group
with fearful force, causing death and
devastation never before equalled in Il
land of dreaded storms.
| The storm ragged several days, reach
ing its maximum strength between Jan.
IA and Jan. 16. From the meagre news
received at Tahiti up to the sailing of
the Mariposa it was estimated that
1000 islanders lost their lives 1t is
feared that later advices will increase
this number.
The first news of the disaster reached
Papeeta, Tahiti, Jan. 26, by the schoon-
er Eimeo. The captain of the schoon-
er placed the fatalities at 5000. The
steamer Excelsior arrived at Papeeta
the following day with 400 destitute
survivors. The captain of the Excel
sior estimated the total loss of life to
be 500. These figures comprised only
the deaths on the three islands of Hao,
Hikuera and Makokaa, whose ordinary
population is 1900. On Hikuera island,
where 1000 inhabitants were engaged in
pearl diving, nearly one-half We're
drowned. On an adjacent island, 100
more were washed out to sea.
Nakokan and Hao are depopulated.
Conservative estimates at Tahiti place
the number of islands visited by the
tidal wave and hurricane at 80. The
surviving inhabitants are left destitute
of food, shelter and clothing. all hav-
ing been swept, away by the storm.
The French government. upon receipt
of the news of the disaster, took prompt
measures to relieve the distressed dis
tricts, and despatched two warships
with fresh water and provisions. The
Italian man-of-war CalabriN accom-
panied the French vessels on their er-
rand of mercy. AS the supply of fresh
water and provisions was totally ex-
hausted by the storm, it was feared
that many lives will be lost before re-
lief ships could arrive. 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, formerly u
fireman on the steamship Australia,
and the local agent of c. Coppenrath,
merchant of Papeeta. Added to this
number was an unknown woman, who
committed suicide from fright.
AS the islands were barely 20 feet
above sea level and were not surround
ed by coral reefs, it was necessary for
all the inhabitants to take TO the cocoa
nut trees when the tidal wave began to
cover the land. These trees grow to an
immense height, many reaching an al
titude Of 100 feet. All of the lower
trees We're covered by the raging seas
which swept with pitiless force about
and over them. The natives in the
taller trees were safe until the roots
gave way and they, too, were swept
out into the sea.
The 400 survivors brought by the ex-
celsior to Papeeta gained the ships
side by swimming three and four miles
from the tops of cocoanut trees. The
Eimeo, though badly damaged by the
storm also brought off as many per-
sons as could swim to her sides, she.
like the Excelsior, being unable TO run
close to the shores because of the vio-
lence of the ocean swels which con-
tinued to run abnormally high for a
week after the tidal disturbances.
AllotlleE SCHOOleI, TIE 1dulOlS, ltohi
the Maquesas islands, 600 miles from
Tahita, encountered the hurricane
while on the way to the latter place
and only the timely action of the cap
tain in having the cargo, consisting of
so head of cattle, IS pigs and 30 tons of
cotton iettisoned, saved the little craft
from destruction. Even with this pre-
caution the life of one man was lost by
waves sweeping the decks.
One of the many acts of heroism re-
ported is that of woman who climbed
one of the tall cocaanut trees and
dashed her babe to the branches hang
ing to the body of the tree beneath the
child as best she could. There they re-
manned for 10 hours suffering great tor
ture until finally rescued.
Thousand of tons of copra and more
than 200 tons of mother of pearl shells
are known to have been lost. The pearl
shells are valued at $500 per ton and
many valuable pearls may now be lost
to the world for ever as these were
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