TERRIBLE CYCLONE OVER THE ISLAND OF ROROTONGA

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 518, 13 May 1869, Page 4

TERRIBLE CYCLONE OVER THE ISLAND OF ROROTONGA

(From the Wellington Independent.) Wy learn from Captain George Cook, of the schooner Sea Breeze, which arrived in harbor on Saturday last, from Rorotonga, that a very severe hurricane visited that island during the month of March, doing considerable damage to the fruit. As is well known by island traders, most of the coral groups of the South Pacific are annually visited by rotatory storms, and at the/ season of the year during which these occur the neighborhood of the island is as much avoided as possible. The hurricane season generally may be said to extend from November to March, and some groups are more visited than others. At these times cyclones prove perfect scourges, devasting the island from one end to the other, denuding them of all vegetation, and levelling whole groves of cocoanut trees as with the scythe of a giant. At this season the natives of the groups where they are expected prepare for the approach by securing, as well as possible, the roofs of their houses with ropes and large stones, lashing them down with stout pegs, and conveying their canoes inland. Very destructive storms will sometimes cause a perfect famine, by removing the fruits upon which the natives chiefly exist. As a proof of the terrific violence of the sea we may mention that the appearance of the coastline is sometimes entirely altered and unrecognisable after a cyclone has passed over it, hills of land being formed where none before existed, and forests gone, where a few days previously thousands of palms waved luxuriantly. At Rorotonga there had, until the last four seasons, been a relief from these visitations. For fourteen years there had been no hurricane. The course of the atmospheric currents had been altered, and the inhabitants began to think that they were to escape ever more from such calamities. In March, 1866, however, a hurricane swept over the island, doing great mischief, and was followed in March, 1867, by another similar infliction. In December, 1867, the next hurricane came very unexpectedly, and the Neva and Clyde were off the island at the time, and were caught in the blow. It was on this occasion that Captain Irvine and Mr Winter— master and mate of the Clydewere washed overboard whilst wearing ship off the island. On the 12th March last symptoms of an approaching cyclone showed themselves, and on the 13th it came on heavily from the N.E. Toward afternoon it blew tremendously hard, the sea rose to a 1 frightful height, and huge masses of coral rock and boiilders were rolled up by the waves to a distance of 200 yards above high water mark. The inhabitants bei came greatly alarmed, not knowing what might be the consequences, and Mr Chambers, a missionary, residing at | Avarua, was momentarily in expectation of his house being blown down. The greatest damage was done at Ngatangi, where the banana trees were all broken down, which will be a great loss. On the night of the 13th there was a sudden lull, and the wind flew round to S.W., and blew again furiously from that quarter for some hours, eventually subsiding. We are happy to learn that the coffee plantations have not suffered much, and when the Sea Breeze left the crops were beginning to be gathered in. A good crop of oranges is also anticipated for this year. It was generally belie ved that the cyclone had expended most of its violence before reaching Rorotonga, and fears were entertained that other islands had suffered badly.- The annual visit of one or more of these storms is now looked upon as a regular thing, and the island is avoided during the season by all vessels, only one whaler having called there during the past four months. It would be of great service to mariners if some resident in the island would make a practice of noting the barometer, and direction and force of the wind during the approach and continuance of these storms. The Sea Breeze has brought up 4000 orange plants for sale.