TIDAL WAVE AT RAROTONGA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 156, 4 July 1896, Page 5

TIDAL WAVE AT RAROTONGA.

A SINGULAR OCCURRENCE

News was received from the Islands by the Taupo last nighb than considerable excitement was caused ab Rarotonga on the 16th of last month by a disturbance in tJho waters round the Island. Waves kept coming in, and ab the top of the waves tho water in the harbour was quite ten feet above the usual leve!. Tha Linda Weber, lying at anchor in Avarua harbour, was left high and dry for several minutes by each receding wave. The waves, which were evidently the result) of come considerable volcanic disturbance somewhere is the vicinity of the inlands, lasted till six in the evening. No damage was done, and the natives as a result cf the unusual occurrence were employed all afternoon gathering the fish which were stranded on the shore in immense numbers.

Mr John Crane, a passenger by the Taupo, has furnished ua with the following account of the phenomenon: —At Rarotonga, on the 15th ult., the weather was lovely, a blight sun, no wind, and a smooth sea like a mirror aa far as the eye could reach. About 2 p.m. at low tide oue can walk out on the reef, about 1,000 feet. Tho writer happened to be on the reef's outer edge, looking at some natives fishing, when ell of a sudden the sea evidently commenced to sink and run away from the edge of the reef for a long distance seawards, exposing to the nuked eye some coral which within the memory of the natives had not been exposed before. In front of the settlement of Avarua is a email bay like a split in the reef. On the first trip of the Tapou she lay in there. Pilotage is bo expensive that she only came inside once. If she had happened to bo there then there would not hare been enough water lett to float her, as the little harbour appeared to run almost dry. The natives and myself made good time in getting off the reef. In less than ten minutes the sea came slowly back, not like breakers, but like a greab flood, slowly pressing the water uphill, a gradual grade, and fully 500 feet back of high water mark, drowning and leaving many fish high and dry. All that afternoon, about every five minute?, this motion of the sea was back and forth. When tho water forced up hill fell back, its sound was like the Falls of Niagara.