THE GREAT HURRICANE AT FIJI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7593, 24 March 1886, Page 6

THE GREAT HURRICANE AT FIJI.

The Fiji papers by the Arawafca contain accounts of the great hurricane iu the Fiji Group on the 4th March :— ; A« tiSVUKA. For many years past, as what is generally known aa the hurricane season drew near, old residents have, so to speak, been wont to crow over those whose memories only went back to a more recent period, by referring to the gale of 1871 as a something to be spok en about with V , bated breath," but.now, unfortunately, oar reoent experiences will go far towards the utter effaoement of any recollections of trouble at that remote period. PREMONITIONS. Early on Tuesday a variable barometer and a stormy sky gave warning of what might possibly follow; and ae the threatening indications became more marked, one by one the small vessels in harbour followed each other to the more sheltered anchorage at Nai Korokoro, until, before sundown on Wednesday, the harbour, viewed from the south end of the town, exhibited an appearance never before seen by any one of the present residents of Levuka, in an expanse of water unbroken by the lines of a single hull at anohor within its bounde.

The weather had gradually grown worse throughout the Wednesday, and nightfall set in with the barometer showing a steady lowering hour after hour. Rain and wind squalls gradually increased in intensity and duration throughout the night, the oulminating point being reached at high water shortly after daylight on the morning of Thursday, the 4th, at whioh time buildings, either from fragility of construction or the weakness of old age, were being demolished by the fury of the wind in all directions, while the breaking sea along the seaward line of Beach-street, backed up by the high tides and heavy outflow of water from creek and hillside ,was making havoo with our main thoroughfare. A SAILOR DROWNED? But one life, so far ae we can learn, has been lost, a German sailor named Wilden being drowned through the capsizing of the native outter Tui Bukelevu; but he perished from the exhaustion resulting from siokness rather than dangers, which one in good health and strength might safely have passed through.

Captain Cooks, our Harbourmaster, and Messrs. Harris and E. Moss have received severe cuts and bruises, the two former in the head and faoe, the latter on the chest, but no serious injury has been inflicted, and other damages are confined to trifling bruises and flesh oats. THE WORK O¥ THE STORM. Along oar main business streets many, if not moat of the verandahs, have suffered ; bat excepting at Harris and Whiteside's store, North Levuka, we have not heard of any serious damage to stocks on hand. N ear by an empty store (but a new building) belonging to Messrs. H. Cave and Co., was wrecked; in Central Levuka, a building in course of construction by Mr. 3. J. Cusaok was blown down, and at the south end Mr. For man's sail-loft shared the same fate. Scill fronting the harbour-line we find the Gatholio Qhapel, a large barn-like building, giviugalarge eurfacefor wind pressure, blown clean off its piles and demolished ; Potter and Barling's butoher shop and dwelling slightly, damaged ; Robbie's Koyal Hotel, the older portion blown down by the gale, and ground premises flooded by oreek overflow. Passing anew building blown down, noted before, we find going northward no greater damage than broken windows until opposite the Meohauios' Institute (whioh has escaped without injury) we see the ruins of a building erstwhile known as the Polynesian Club. Further on the late post office and Customs sightroom are levelled to the ground ; but the presence of these buildings having for months past been an eyesore rather than otherwise, their destruction is not regretted. On the hillsides, and among the private residences, we regret having to report greater losses, arising principally from destruction to furniture, owing to buildings being unroofed. Levuka North : Mr. A. Stevens' and Mr. B. Hooker's houses unroofed and furniture much damaged. Naikaubi Point: Mrs. Cudlip, and Messrs. Dufty and Griffiths are the ohief sufferers, and further from the beach Messrs. Parfitt, Graves, Paul, and Swann within the same category, subjected to considerable discomfort and no little pecuniary loss. Along the banks of Totoga Creek Mr. Hennings has several cottages more or less destroyed; the ramshackle building known as the Native Gaol blown down, and the Good Templars' Hall shifted from its piles. THE DAMAGE TO SHIPPING.

The damage to shipping so far as yet is known is confined to three or four vessels being beached from their anchors parting, the total loss of the schooner Nautilus, which sank after drifting a long distance from Nai Korokoto to somewhere nearly opposite the Queen's Wharf, and the native cutter Tui Bukelevu sunk at her anchorage. The Patience parted her chains, and drifting on to the Korotubu, carried her away ; anxiety is felt for their safety, as sinoe passing Levuka they have not been heard of, but hopes are entertained that they may have found shelter somewhere, aa when last seen they were running before the gale under easy sail. NATIVB TOWNS AND PLANTATIONS DESTROYED. Outside Levuka much damage has been done to the native towns and plantations, but not more than might reasonably have been looked for. The Catholic Mission station at Toko has suffered, we are informed, very considerably, and nearly all the buildings have been wrecked ; and as a matter of course, the banana planters at the back of the island are heavy losers in the destruction of growing crops. From Vanua Leva newe has come in that the district of Savusavu and Wainunu, the prinoipal European settlements, have experienced the effects of the gale but very slightly. THE STOBM AT SDVA. The Suva Times states :—The most severe gale which has been experienced in Suva for years past took place on last Thursday. The wind had been blowing with ever-increasing force all Wednesday, but the most experienced did not anticipate that it would reach the fury which it did on Thursday morning. From daylight till dark of that day the wind blew with great velocity. In addition to this the rain fell heavily all dr»y. The damage to property nnder cover was chiefly caused by the rain. Most, if not all, the houses in Suva were flooded. Business was suspended for the day, everyone being occupied in keeping their effects out of the water. Early on the morning of Thursday a large number of small boats and punts were sunk in the harbour, several of the latter being totally wreaked. The cutter Isabella and another outter oloae by her were driven from their moorings, and drifted to the opposite side of the bay, and, it is feared, are hopelessly wrecked. The outter Maggie had a narrow escape ; she was dragging her anchors, when Captain Callighan pluckily secured a boat from Mesirs. Mo ft wan and Co., and got her safely moored with an additional anchor. During the forenoon efforts were frequently made to reach the end of the whurf, but the adventurers had to return, many of them narrowly escaping being blown into the aea. The Thistle was also blown from her anchorage and driven on the Lami reef, where she lies probably a total wreck. The Shannon left the hulk where she was moored, and rode out the gale at anchor. The Gunga also hauled out from the wharf and anchored in the stream. A CHURCH IN BANGER. Early in the forenoon the alarm w»s given by Mr. A. McGregor that the Presbyterian Church was in danger. It showed signs of giving way in the centre of the building, several of the committee were soon on thu spot, and with the, assistance of a number of Polynesians and others, they soon had the building propped up with strong poita on both sides, and » stay erected in the interior of the edifice. It will take Borne labour to bring the walle baok to their original position. Luckily the building sustained no other damage. A portion of Mr. J. Perclrix'e house, in course of erection at the baok of the ehop, was blown down, causing considerable damage to other property in its fall. A STEAMER SUNK. The steamer Clyde stood out the gale all day until well on in the afternoon, when one of the cables parted. She then drifted right on to the wharf, and, in a very short time, drove her stern in, and sank alongside the

wharf. A outter which has been in the harbour for a considerable time, shared the same fate, She also at present lies in deep water close to the wharf.

Fears are entertained for the safety of the Bella Mary, which Bailed on Tuesday for Levuka. • She was a slow sailer, and the captain expected she would take several days to roach Levuka, so it is nob likely she got there before the gale eet in. Should she not have been able to run out to sea, she must have been in a very dangerous position. From the thick woather and the force of the wind, there is soaroely any chance of her running into a place of safety. The worst is expected by those experienced in the navigation of the group. [Siuoe writing the above we have been informed that the Bella Mary is ashore near Mavua.] HAVOO AT RABI AND TAVIONI. After the subsidence of the Imrrioane in Levuka, the return of the 5.3. Suva from; Windward was anxiously looked for with news from that quarter. The vessel arrived on Sunday morning, and the tale she brought exceeds all previous record of similar dieaater. SERIOUS LOSS 08 , LIFE. Upon reaching the island of Kabi, a fearful scene of desolation presented itself. The dwellihghouse had been blown down about 11 p.m. on Thursday, and Captain Hill's family lived in two tanks till the arrival of the steamer. All the labour houses were washed away by an inrush of the sea, whiola swept 200 yards on shore. In this three Indians were drowned, or crushed to death, and one little girl, the daughter of Mr. Parfitt's Indian cook, who with her mother was on a visit to their friends, was swept out to eea and never seen again. The site where the labour houses stood is now a bed of sand and shingle. The fibre mill was partially destroyed, the storehouses were utterly wrecked, and the boathouse and punts were smashed up. The island itself presents the appearance of widespread deeolation. All the trees have suffered terribly, and it will take years to fully recover from the effeots of the hurricane. The members of Captain Hill's family left by the steamer to find shelter at Taviuni, TKRKIJBLE DEVASTATION.

Oα nearing this island it seemed as if it had been swept by the besom of destruction, and the oloser the approach the more terrible beoame the evidences of devastation. Commencing at the south end, Vunais completely wrecked. The Mission house is down. Dr. Brewer's house is levelled. A heap of stones alone marks the site where Miller's store stood. The hotel ia scattered in fragments far and near. McCcnnell'a store is unroofed, and has two feet of sand in it. Of Tarte's store, the roof alone is visible, the walls having collapsed. Holmhurst mill is partially unroofed, and other serious injury has been done to it. The dwellinghouse and almost all the buildings on the estate are down. The sea has washed away the Beach road and totally altered the appearance of the beach. The large stone wharf has been swept away, and not even the stones remain to tell where it stood. The local report is that it had been blowing a heavy gale from the S. and B.E. all day of the 3rd, which increased at night, hour by hour, with a constantly falling glass, till at 3 a.m. on Thursday the barometer etood at 27 54, a residing unheard of before. Then, as though the worst had ootne and gone, a lull ensued which steadied to a delightful calm. The sky cleared, the stars came out, and as this lasted for over an hour many congratulated themselves that things were not as bad as they might have been. Suddenly the oalm was dispelled by the shriek, the roar, the rush of the wind as it burst on the place from the opposite quarter, the westward. This completed the utter wreck which had before begun. The wind bore down everything which would yield to its fury, and then the sea swept in and carried away the debris, or buried it out of sight feet deep in sand and ahingle. Vuna has been deprived of all its old landmarks. The highest tide-line has been carried several hundreds of yards further inland. The boats were carried far in shore, and the whole place has been given over to the genius of destruction. There are only five houses l«ft standing:—Mr. Tarte's private residence, Mr. Moore's, Mr. Taylor's, Mr. McCounell's, and Mr. Butsch kow's. These had to give shelter to all the inhabitants of the place. Mr. McConnell has kept open house for about five and twenty people ever since the storm, and many of these have been stripped of everything they possessed. Now both Messrs. MoConnell and Tarte are digging their goods out of what appears to be a century old beach. The latter found his safe, weighing over a quarter of a ton, fifty yards from its usual position, and the site where the hotel once stood is a fine traot of smooth sea sand.

Proceeding up coast all the native towns have been totally destroyed. At Wairiki Mr, Wilson's coffeehouse is unroofed. Several others are down, and those left standing tiro more or less severely damaged. Somosomo town is in ruins. Wailagi has been swept away by wind and aea, and the site transformed into a shingle bed. At Oila the dwellinghouses are partially destroyed. The tobacco store is a total wreck, and much other damage has been done. The manager reports that the Alpha estate is utterly devastated. The tea plantations have been uprooted, and the trees blown away. The labour lines are all down. One Indian was killed and several severely injured. The dwellinghouse of Mr. Peterson, near Gila, disappeared entirely, and no estate has escaped without serious damage. A SCENE 01 INSOLATION. The general appearance of the island is melancholy, and the contrast with its usually verdant aspect but the more strongly marks the change. From the coast line to the tops of the hills it sßerne as if the country has been swept and devastated by fire. Nothing remains but bare sticks and the blackened, torn, and twisted relios of what once constituted graceful and abundant foliage.

Among the vessels the mishaps reported are: —Mr. McConnell's and the Holinhurst cutters washed high and dry at Vuna, and the Zephyr, Leon, and Lurline schooners, with two cutters, were all on shore over on Vanua Levu; but it is expected that they will be got off again. The Minnio Hare hung it out in Savusavu Bay, and escape d.

Wakaya has suffered severely. Mr. Langdale's stone bouee was unroofed, and contents spoiled by the fury of the storm. Mr. Gordon'* new house has been utterly destroyed and contents wrecked, and, except in a few sheltered spots, the island has been swept dear of cultivation.

From the centre track of the storm, which evidently passed over Taviuni, and within thirty miles or so of Ovalau, travelling to the S. W., it is expeoted that bad accounts will yet come to hand from the other islands of Lotnai Viti. It is thought that Kadavu will have suffered very severely, and that some of the islands of the Windward Group will have been very roughly visited. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

News from Kadavu is to the effect that the late storm was but lightly felt in that quarter. Very little wind wee experienced, and the damage done wae trifling in extent. The wrecked vessel Flora was still on the reef, with her masts standing, and apparently in the same position.

At Mago the crops are laid by the violence of the wind, but it is hoped they will revive. Great injury has been done to the nut trees, and it is feared the yield will be largely affected for some long time to come. All the labour houses have been laid flat, and many of the other buildings seriousiy damaged. The wharf and landing place has been swept away, and 19 tons of sugar were wetted with the salt water, and will need to be sent through the oentrifugal again. The towns of Vadravadra, Yedua, Ureta, Nacavanadi, Vanuaeo, and Malowai were completely washed away. Lamiti was partially destroyed, and at Vanuaso a shark was killed among the houses. The whole coast line ie completely wrecked and changed in appearance, and the condition of the people is pitiable in the extreme.

The damage among the shipping at Gau is serious. The chief item is the supposed loss of the Matuku schooner, Ului Rorutu, with twenty men and three women on board. She left Matuku on the Tuesday, and though only of about sixteen tons, carried about forty people. She anchored a£ Malowai about three p.m. on Wednesday, and had landed about half her people in three trips of her boat, when a furious squall came on whioh hid her from sight on land, and when it had cleared away she was nowhere to be seen. Her mainmast, cut through with an axo, was picked up; but whether the vessel went down at her anchors, or was driven out to sea is not known.

At Lovo, Mr. Lloyd lost his two cutters, the Flora and Senidrala, in both oases the stem being torn out of them by the holding gear, and the boats dashed to pieces on shore. The native-owned cutters Gone* Tagane, Sotia, and Veiba are ashore at

various points, the two former being seriously and the latter slightly damaged. A singular freak of the etorm was that after blowing Mr. Lloyd's houee over and utterly ruining its contents, ttooks, stores, &c, the shift of the wind to the other quarter almost set it up again. The damage done to native towns in Koro includes,, Navaoca all blown down but six houses. Vanuku all down, and Nakodn all down. At Vanuku, the native-owned Nairai cutter, Turaga Totogi, and a Totoya outter are on shore. The north end of the inland has escaped very lightly. Mr. Martelli's house was unroofed and his boat cast on shore. Mr. Swann'a boat Suubeam was also oast up, and smashed to pieces, but beyond this damage was slight. Great havoc has been occasioned, especially on the south end, among food crops. Almost every breadfruit is uprooted, bananas laid, and conoanuts blown over or the tops broken off. I JVery eerioue damage was done on shore at Wallie. The Roman Catholic Mission station, on the north end of the island, was almost totally wrecked. Many of the native houses are down, and all more or less damaged. The roads have been rendered impassable owing to the fallen timber and the heavy rains which accompanied the etorm The oocoanut trees have had their tops blown off, and are very seriously injured. The breadfruit trees have been torn up by the roots, and the banana and yam crops totally destroyed, The islaud presents a most miserable appearance, and what promised to be a very good season for food and produce will now be a very hard one, especially for the natives.

[FHOM OOK OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

JLkvuka, March 11. This group has been visited with a very severe hurricane. The centre of it was about Taviuni. The glass on board the s.s. Suva fell to 27 "57. The steamer, having fortunately managed to scrape into Buca Bay, ju»t opposite to Taviuni, she rode out the hurricane with two anchors down. Tho engines were kept going ahead, and during the heaviest of the blow half-epeed was required. The damage to buildings has been very severe, but the damage to trees is far more serious, as it will require considerable time to bring them to the same condition they were in before the storm as far as bearing is concerned. Fortunately, the Ellington, Penang, and Ba sugar estates were not damaged, they only receiving a mild zephyr. The Rewa sugar estates seem to have escaped fairly well. The banana growers will not be able to ship largely for some time.

The schooner Taviuni arrived yesterday from Samoa. The captain reports getting the hurricane after leaving the above place. He took refuge at VValhs Island, which place has suffered very severely. Up to the present time no tidings have been received of the two vessels that were driven to sea from Levuka, and the owners have given up hopes of their safety. The Bella Mary, that was to have taken back return labour, having been wrecked, Government have chartered the schooner Elizabeth to return Polynesians. March 12. James Bonrno, master of the Korotubu, one of the vessels that was blown to sea, arrived yesterday from the island of Mokogai, and reports that his vessel and the ketch Patience were both driven on to the reefs, and all hands except himself have been drowned. His was a moat miraculous escape, and the endurance displayed was '•ertainly wonderful, he buffeting the waves for over 14 hours. Up to the present time the loss of life amounts to 38 lives. Of these two are Europeans and the rest natives. March 15. The Minnie Hare has brought news of the death of Mr. Rosier, proprietor of the Vuna Hotel, who was injured when his bouse was knocked down during the hurricane. Dr. Pakullo, who was stationed at the Rewa, has fallen a victim to dysentery. His death has caused universal regret, as he was a favourite with all who made his acquaintance. The Mango Island schooner Eastward Ho had to cut away her mast during the hurricane. The glass on board fell to 27'56. The following vessels have arrived to load copra:—Helena and Herculee. The Taviuni sails to-morrow for Samoa.