THE CYCLONE IN MADAGASCAR.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1216, 19 June 1885, Page 3

THE CYCLONE IN MADAGASCAR.

'Brief mention has been made in our coluros of a terrific cyclone which occurred at Tamatave on the 25th of February last. The Creole, of Reunion, gives full par’iculars of the disastrous event, which was equal y calamitous as Ste. Marie. The wind and sea began to rise on the evening of the 24th and and the former gained continually in strength and violence until the following morning. Four French ships were lying at anchor in the roadstead —the Clemeuce, a sailing vessel; the Argo, a steamer; the * )ise, a transport ship j and the \ rniide, a small coaster. The last-named craft was the first to become a total wreck ; but her crew, composed of Ma'gasies, escaped as by a miracle. The Oleinence was driven on shore, and rapidly went to pieces. Fortunately, all on board escaped with their lives. Presently the Argo was dashed on to the coast about 200 yards from the scene of tiie last named wreck, and, although every effort was made t-> save her from destruction—the first mate and one of the stew irds sacrificing their lives in the endeavour —the attempt was unsuccessful, and she broke up; but, with the exception of the casualties mentioned, the officers and crew were rescued. The Oise broke in two with a vio.ent crash, and the raging sea was p>esently strewn with fragments of the shattered vessel. 11 was the forepart of the vessel which went to pieces first; her poop held toI gether f>r some hours, and on it were [ congregated her officers and crew. Twenty of the latter, in disregard of the captain’s orders, fiimg themselves into the “hell of wit rs” which roared around them, and live presently disappeared. A rope had been’got ashore, but it broke; but eventually a daring Malgasy succeeded in carrying another on board ; and, by the intrepid and untiling efforts of five other natives, all who had remained on the wreck were rescued and brought on shore, the commandant of the Oise. M. Thierry, was the last to have the ves sel, and was prompt to acknowledge that he and his companions owed their lives entirely to the noble daring of the Malgasys. Ten corpses were wa hed oirshore, and amour them was that of M. Pozzodi Borgo, the ship’s surgeon, who seems to have leaped into the sea when the twenty seam u did. At ■Me. Marie no less than six ve-sels fonndere I ! during the cyo'one—lamely, the Marguerite, Mumble, Constance, AbeilF, Anna, Elisa, and Etoile, and three were seriously damaged, the Durado, Fureb, and J.ncie. A large three masted A meilean ship went ashore at Point Tamo, on the north coast, and it is feared that news will be received of other disasters from distant parts of the island, as the cyclone lasted for about twenty-four hours. At Tamatave, the scene of the first named di-as-ter the French ships of war which were Bing in the olfiug managed to weather the hurricane by taking in every inch of canvas, loweiing the masts and sp ,rs, and breasting \he teiritic inset of the sea by keeping the engines at work with all their power.