GREAT HURRICANE AT THE NAVIGATORS.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 440, 3 July 1850, Page 2

GREAT HURRICANE AT THE NAVIGATORS.

The following is an extinct of a letter fiora Captain Courtenny, of tlie brig Two Friends, dated Unolu, April IGlli, 1850, to Captain Ashmore, Sydney: — We left Auekl.iml on tho 23rd March, passing through Outer Bat nor about midnight. It was my intention to have gone to the eastward of Pitcairns Island, as I thought it possible we might encuuntcra hurricane, but at the same time not very piobnblc, as it was getting so Lite in the s nson, though I hud been in one so lute >is April, the limo that the Anaslalia and two American ships foundeicd. I was baulked in my intention of going to the eastward, by a liaid gale at south-east, so I coinpro liiied the matter by standing to tho northwaid. Kveryihing hud gone on well unlil Thurbday, 4lh April, wind tlicn strong at south-cast Tootoovillah at noon, noith by cut sixty-five miles. Strong winds at couth-cist md equally. 1 I.m. split fore-topnmst studding suil. 230 i\m. took in main royal; 5, thick ond squally ; in Hying jib and topgallant suits. Not teeing the land at sunset took in l)ootn and squat c mainsail, and double reefed ; steered noith by west. At 8 i.m. steered north ; 9 p.m. norlh-north-enst, and o*3o not lh-eiißt, considering the fliip then between Upolu and Tootoovillali. At 10 i\m., just nfter a heuvy hqtiall, the look-outs shouted, " L.md and breakers on the lee bow;" jumped to leeward, and theie they were, breaking as high as tho lower yards, not more llin/i three liuudml yards ; luffed, and the brig came up to east ; got boom and square mainsail on her, and she reached oat and soon lost bight of them ; shortly aftcrwurds she broke on" north-cast by north, wore to the southward ; now blowing very hard with tremendous squalls ; fore topsoil blew away ; looked ut baromelei, found it 298 0 ; wind south-east. 2 a.m. Friday — The topmast stay sail blew awny ; wind louth-eiibt, barometer 291 0, brig's bend south, south-west; baiometcr gmdually falling, until at !) a.m , it wan 29 00 ; wind still steady ut south-east ; cut the foie bail from the jaid and savod it ; wind steady at south-east until midnight. Barometer 29*00 ; brig doing well : cloao reefed main»topsnil. 1 a.m. Saturday.— Every appearauce of a hurricane ; barometer fell to 28"90. 2 a.m. mntn-topsnil blew to ribbons ; brig then gunwales in ; at thin time a sea broke over the qunrler, carrying away the wheel-ropes, broke main boom, took bout from stern, broke pilot boat* keel and stein-post, and smashed tho gig lying on port side of quarter-deck. At 4 a.m. barometer fell to 28*85, w.nd then began to sin ft to youth-south-east and south . brig'a head to south-west. Daylight, a sea broke over the bow, «tovo in the fore scuttle, took away the cabouse, stove, and coppers, loving nothing but one f ypan ; washed away taipaulin from after hatchway, and a considerable quantity of water got bi.low ; ivith difficulty got all secure again ; sounded, and found thtce feel water , hand* to the pumps and sucked her. i) <v m., the barometer 28' GO wind south by west, biig gunwale in. At 10 a.m., topgallant sails and muinbutl blew out of the gaskets, muiii-top£ull(int mast blew off by tho cap, the yard likewiie going in the ilings. Bti^j now frequently leuding blocks in tho water; stove lee water casks, and got rid of the deck load ; harness cauki, full, wuhhed over lie rail; noon, hurticanc awful, upper part of roundhouse in water, companion and skylight stove, considerable quantity of water going below, and in through the Ice dendlighti, whicli were completely under water* At thin time, two full • inks of water \vu c washed over mum boom and gaif, they being lashed to the main rigging, about ten feet from the deck : 1 p.m. wheel-ropes and relieving tacklos carried

away again, got them secured ; bnromcter 28' GO > 2 l.M , 28*50 ; 3 p.m., 23.4/5 ; winil south-west, brig's head north-went l>y north. At 4i» m , barometer fell to 28-35, biiiiiranc howling; leo bulwuiks, part of N rails, and staueheorn going, wind complete drill. At 5 p.m., barometer 28*20, wind tlien wesl-vouth-wftst, head north- west ; at 0 p.m., barometer 22 20, wind then wcst-v'Uth-we-t, licad nortli-wrst ; nt G p.m , barometer 28*10 : awful, expecting to gee the mnsts go, but although piepared to cut, wished to hang on to thorn ns long as poshib'c ; h.ilf of denk in water, sea n comp'etc diift; unuhlc to see the jib-boom. At this time remains ol main boom, guff, and boom mainsail washed nw.iy ; cut oil nil to clear the wreck of the stem. Not able to stntid against the wind without ho ding; on. At 7 Pm , llie bnromcter began to rmc, although no »|>pnicnt abatement of the wind : 8 pm., wind woht, head nonh-norlh-wcst, head north, biiromelei rose to 28 50, midnight 29*00. Sunday. — Still blowing very haul, with equalls and heavy si'fi. limployed clearing the u reck ; got son;i> tea made in a pitch pot ; I stood the, fust watch until one hour pint midnight (the Lhhf Officer being laid, up) and ihen turned in the fust time for !)') hours. We got a foiesnil bent and steered to the eastward, then bent two old topsails, mul found our way in here • had ' we had more th<m one suit of sails we could have proceuled on our passage. But as it is nn old saying thnt it is an ill wind tint clois not blow BOinconc gooi l , for although we wcic suflVicrs in the firht ins'ar/ce, we found three vei-hels etrnnd^d nt this island — the Favomile, of London ; FJcictilvs, ol New lkdford ; and Clara, schooner, high and diy on the lecf. They had the storm on Fuday, the wind shifting suddenly round fiom roith-wvhfc to sou h-vvest, with bmoniclnr 27 15, and I ihink netir the centre of the. storm the b.irometer will) us must have been about 27 80 as my baioiuctcr ranges lrglu I nevei taw so much change as there is in the appearance of this island — before it wns a complete pai. ilen, and green to the summit of the hils; now it looks an if it had been swept over by (ire— all the trees split and dead, nnd cociMtiut trees lying in all dircctionb j there is hu.dly a house Rtanding on the island. It will make about fifteen duys difference in our passage, but with baiomcer at 27 80 ho ought to be thankful we escaped bo well, especially as wo ucicliove to on the breaking off tack. This is the severest huniconc that has taken place in the memory of tho olilest residents on t lie islands. The American ship will soon go \o pieces, her stern-post and heel being out. The Favourite might, hid we the moans here, he KOtotf'. The Clara la high and diy at low water, ' and there is not more than four feet lisc. We have got our soils bent, und top-^allnnt masts on end, and • shall be on the toad again on S-ituulay, and you may depend the shall r.ot want the muslin.