THE MAPOURIKA AND THE TIDAL WAVE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11642, 2 May 1901, Page 5

THE MAPOURIKA AND THE TIDAL WAVE.

INTERESTING DETAILS. We have already published telegrams of the sensational experience of the s.s. Mapourika in Cook's Strait on Sunday night last. The steamer arrived at Onehunga yesterday. The Nelson Evening Mail of Monday gives the following account of the steamer's experience -. — At about half-past five p.m., whilst the passengers were at tea in the saloon, the vessel was struck by a very heavy sea. She rose to a considerable height, and as the sea passed under her, she went down with a sudden drop. This caused a considerable clatter at the table, but this was only a preliminary to what was to follow. Some ten minutes later (about twenty minutes to six p.m.), what is describe,! as a tidal wave, about 25ft high, struck the vessel on the port bow. The force of the sea was terrific, and on it striking the bulkhead it smashed in two of the large portholes, which were screwed down at the time. The glass from these portholes was shivered into fragments, and flying through the saloon, cut several passengers, one or two being injured rather painfully. The inrush of water that poured in completely flooded the saloon from end to end, sweeping the tea things off the tables, and mingling crockery, knives, forks, spoons, etc., together with the eatables, in one confused mass on the floor. The passengers, of course, were considerably affrighted, and one or two of the women are said to have fainted. On the -deck the damage was considerable, the wave tearing away the ratlines for a height of nearly 30ft. The deck cargo, consisting principally of cases of kerosene, wa« turned into '~ complete wreck, the cases being wrenched off the tins, which were battered out of shape, whilst streams of the liberated oil flowed over the deck. The forecastle flag pole was torn down, and the ventilators on the forecastle head, as well as on the main deck, were wrenched out. The steerage passengers and the men in the forecastle fared badly, as may be imagined. One of the crew, who was in his bunk, was pinned there for a time by the bunk above coining down on him and preventing him from getting out. On the lower and upper decks amidships a general sweep was made, the scats being wrenched away from their fastenings, and some air tanks under them were battered almost beyond recognition. The side of the charthouse was severely shaken, and one of the windows was shattered to fragments. In front of the charthouse a gangway, which was hung along the railings, was snapped in half. One of the funnel guys was also carried away, and more or less trifling damage, was done in a variety of other ways. In the after part of the ship everything moveable was washed about, but scarcely any damage was done, the force of the sea having been spent before reaching that end of the steamer. A quantity of water went into the engine-room, the occupants of which were naturally puzzled to know what was going on above them.