A CYCLONE AT THE FIJI ISLANDS.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 18, 12 July 1864, Page 2

A CYCLONE AT THE FIJI ISLANDS.

LOSS OP THE SCHOOJTER MECHANIC AND EIGHT t, iyE3 — By the arrival of the Native Lass from the South Sea Islands we have news of the wreck of the schooner Mechanic, Captain Malcolm, and the loss of all on board. The Friendly and Fiji group of Islands were' visited on the 30fch and 31st March, with asevere cyclone. The Mechanic ■ A was lost on the 31st March, on the N.W. reefs of Tonga, and all hands perished. The first notice ofthe wreck was the. light things that were washed on to the mam island- of Tonga, and at Paughi Motu. The -wreck was found in .fifteen fathoms of water, -with both masts gone. Tlie two heels vrere on shore, so it was concluded that the vessel must have ran on the reef on the night of the gale, ahd rolled over into- deep water and sank inside" ' the**reef. She left* Afeva— a place about seventy miles to the northward from -where she was wrecked -^-on the 30th March/ifc was then blowing very heavy from the northward. Thefollowmg persons' 7 were'khbwn to be onboard the ill fated vessel:— CaptaM James Malcblmrjnr., James Piper, first mate, Antonio„a native of the Western Islands* - -second mate, ; the cook,- and- four seamen. About five tons ofthe oil from the Mechanic washed on shore on the island of Malinva (Tonga Croup) and with other portions of fche wreck was sold — Otayo Mail.