IN A CYCLONE

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1934, Page 11

IN A CYCLONE

TERRIFYING TIME

GRAPHIC STORIES

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, March 22.

There has never been a more disastrous .cyclone in North Australia, than_that which hit the shores* of Queensland last week. Scores of small craft were, broken up and it is upt surprising that the death roll should, reach the big total of 87. For.the most part the boats' that suffered Hvere- frail craft which had no chance of living in the mountainous sea 3 that were beaten up by the terrifying winds that sprang up with'such suddenness.. Most of the luggers that were lost were engaged in shell fishing when the storm broke at 3 a.m. The boats became separated^ and.it ,was more ;than a -week later, be- | fore the authorities were able even to estimate the number'who had lost their lives. The .crews comprised. Japanese, aboriginals/ and-a few white" men.

The survivors tell terrible stories of their adventures,, In the, case, of one lugger: the ideck gear and tiie mast went overboard almost immediately. The crew then "battened down the hatches and took to the Sour dinghies. One of these, however, rn-as blown completely over as soon, as it was placed in the water, and the occupants were lost. Thirteen survivors then headed for' the Bloomfiold River, and .although they succeeded in weathering the raging seas they had a trying time. For a while they were stranded on a coral reef, and until they Tcachcd. civilisation .they existed on coconuts.

Five settlers on Almasoh plantation, were ruined by the cyclone. • Shortlyafter the eyelonov.commenced they saw the sea rising rapidly, and in. fear of. a tidal wave they immediately, lushed, to their homes, which were practically on the beach. They secured, all the food and clothing possible and inado for the.high, .land. , All -the time, the | water continued'to a-ise swiftly 'before their eyes until it must hay&- reached a height of 30 feet above normal level. The huts of a number, of "blacks; on the beach wore quickly cngulifcd, and the water rose three feet aliovo the floor- of the highest' dwelling.^ It was horrible to watch, the rising-* waters, not knowing when they would stop, and it was with great relief that they saw the sea fall as the wind ceased. Every banana plant on the plantation was lost, but no'one was injured. '■. '.

A graphic story of the •experiences of a party -on Snapper Island during the height of the cyclone was told by Claude Le Roy.. With Hex Jones, aged 19,-and James Gains, aged li, he spent nearly eight hours sheltering- under an upturned boat, while the wind blew all the foliage from the trees on. the island and snapped many of the ttees, some of which fell" oh the boa.t. ■ Lo Boy said the party was ■ sleeping; on the beach three or four feet above high water mark when the waves suddenly swept over them. They lushed to higher ground. A huge log., struck their sailing boat .and snapped the anchor chain. In the raging- sea the. boat was lost. With a cane knife the three boys chopped a passage about 200 yards into- the heart of the scrub, to the foot of the-sandhills. Then they carried a, flat bottomed boat into the scrub, knocked out the thwaTts and lay beneath as the hurricane- howled overhead.. All night they <duiig to- the boat -to"prevent it .being- blown away. In the morning the 'boys lit huge fires in an endeavour to dry their "blankets' but rain squalls (quickly extinguished them. Living on. mandarines and OTanges that were washed up on the beach, the party aemained on the island fo-r three days, and -then set out to tow to the mainland, which was four, miles away. As they crossed the bar of the Daintree Biver. the boat -was swamped and the crew was thrown into the water. However, they made their way back to the boat, baled it out, and then rowed to a camping place.

Two New Guinea "boys" and a Murray Islander, when they 'arrived at Cairns on, Saturday last, told, the story of a swim of 24 hours, during which they covered 20 miles. The party was at Bat ißeef in... a: lugger when, the cyclone strucTi: the boat.' A huge wave turned the boat over, and the crew was ; flung into- the boiling sea. Out of 14 on board only three wero saved. The men found that they were at least 20 miles from tho nearest shore, but they set out on their {long" swim full of hope. That they succeeded is a tribute to their courage, for tho waters in this vicinity aTe shark infested. In fact, it is feared by the police that most of those who lost their lives in the cyclone have been taken by sharks, for no bodies have been found on any of the. beaches.