The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1903-02-12
SWEPT BY A WAVE
Eighty Islands Swept By a Terrible
Hurricane
1000 LIVES ARE REP02tD As LGST
Dsath end Devastation Sweep Over
the Islands of the pac fic, and Ter
rible Consequences Ensu..

San Francisco. Spccial.-News OF a
fearful loss OF life ia a disastrous storm
which swept over the South Sea ISL
ands last month, reached here Sunday
by the steamer Maripuja, direct FROM
Tahita. The loss OF life Is estimated at
1000 persons. On January 13 last. a
huge tidal wave. occompS1ied by a ter
rife hurricane. attacked the Society
Islands and the Puamoto group with
fearful force causing death and deyas-
tatiOn never before equalei IN a land
OF great storms. The storm ragged sew
eral days. From the news received up
to the time Of the sailing OF the steam
er. it is estimated that 1000 Of the isl
anders lost their lives. 1t is feared that
later advices will increase this number.
The first news OF the disaster reached
Papeete, Tahiti, January 26, by the
schooner Eimeo. The captain of the
schooned placed the fatalities at 500.
The steamer Excelsior arrived at Pa
peete the following day with 400 degti-
tute survivors. The captain of the Ex-
celsOr estimated the total loss of life
to be 800. These figures compslsed only
the deaths on the three islands of Hao,
Hikucra and Makokaa, whose ordinary
population is | 800. On Hikuera Island.
where coo inhabitants were engaged
In pearl diving. nearly One-half were
drowned. On an adjacent island. 1000
more were washed out to sea- MakOkan
and Hao are depopulated. Conservative
estimates at Tahita place the number
Of islands visited by the tidal wave and
hurricane at so. All OF them are under
the control of the French governor at
Tahita. The surviving inhabitants are
left destitute Of food. shelter and cloth
Ing. all having been swept away by the
storm.
The French government, on receipt
OF news of the disaster, took prompt
measures to relieve the distressed dis
tricts and dispatched two warshlps
with fresh water end provisions. As the
supply of fresh water and provisions
was totally exhausted by the storm. il
is fca ed that many lives will be lost
before the relief ships can arrive. rs
fas as IL known eight white people
were among the drowned. Included in
these were Alexander Brander, n. p
Plunkett, of Oakland: T. d. DOnne!ly
formerly a fireman on the steamship
Australia, and the local agent Of C.
Coppenrath. a merchant of PapCete
Added to this number was an unknown
woman who committed suicide from
fright
AS the islands were barely 90 feet
above sea level and were not sur
rounded Ivy coral reefs, it was neccs-
sary for all inhabitants to take to the
cocoanut trees when the tidal wave be
gan To cover the land. TCGse trees grow
to an immense height. many reaching
an altitude of 100 feet. All of the lower
trees were covered by the raging seas
which swept with pitiless force about
and over them. The natives in the tall
er trees were safe until the cocoanu
roots gave way and then they. too
were swept out into the sea. The 4Ol
survivors brought by the Excelsior I;
Papeete gained the ships side by swim
ming three and four miles from thetop:
of the cocoanut trees. The TiemO
though badly damaged by the storm
was also brought off as many persons
as could swim to her side, she, like th'
Excelsior. being unable to run close t
tne SnOr6S because Oh lIle NlOltHce .
the ocean swell. which continued t
run abnormally high for a week afte
the tidal disturbances. Anothe
schooner. the Gaulois from the Mar
quesan Islands. SEQ miles away. en-
countered the hurricane while on tn
way to the latter place and only tn
timely action Of the captain in havin!
the cargo, consisting of so head of cat
tie, 35 pigs and 80 tons of cotton, jet
tisoned. saved the little craft from de
struction. Even with this precautior
the life cf one man was lost by wave
sweeping the decks.