Terrific Hurricane at Raratonga.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4694, 23 January 1884, Page 2

Terrific Hurricane at Raratonga.

LOSS OF LIFE.

Auckland, Yesterday. The cutter Daphne, Captain Burr, arrived from Raratonga bringing tidings of a most disastrous gale there, causing the wreck of the Auckland schooners Agnes Bell, Atlantic and Makea Ariki, with the loss of seven lives ; also a fearful amount of damage to property in the Island. The drowned are :— Captain W, Munn and John Anderson (mate of the Agnes Bell), Captain Ayres, John Gates (mate), Patrick Duncan (steward of the Makea Ariki), with Stanley Heather (brother of Mr A. Heather, merchant, Auckland), and a native. These three vessels were all owned by Donald and Edenborougb, of A uckland. The masters of the Agnes Bell and Makea Ariki refused to leave their vessels hoping at least to save their ships. Mr Munn was wellknown in Dunedin shipping circleß. The insurances arc—Ori the Agnes Bell: Hull, New Zealand, £2300; reinsured in the Mutual for £300, in South British for £500, in Fnion for £500. For cargo; United, £3500.—Makea;Ariki: Hull, New Zealand, £1000; cargo, £500.—Atlantic : Hull, New Zealand, £800; reinsured in SoutK British; fori £200. Cargo. New Zealand, £800; reinsured, in Colonial for £300.

The following: additional particulars are furnished by thq N.Z. Herald's correspondent:—The schooner Agnes Bell arrived on the 7th of December, and had received on board a full cargo for Auckland, and was to have sailed a day or two after the gale, the 18th of December, being deeply laden. The Makea iAriki arrived -from Auckland on the/15th December,, and the Atlantic on ;the?l6th, all having valuable cargoes. The weather on the Monday was cloudy and threatening with rain, and the various captains were busy getting out extra warps and moorings and making secure for the night. From 8 to 10 p.m. the gale increased rapidly, with very heavy sea, all on board jind ashore working hard doing everything possible under the circumstances— amongst others, Stanley Heather, who I unfortunately lost his life in nobly attempting to save others. About midnight almost the whole of the moorings having carried away, Capt. Shult?, of the Atlantic determined to beaoh his vessel, which was done, and the vessel abandoned, the captain and crew barely getting ashore with their lives. Boats were manned to go to the assistance of the remaining vessels, saving part of their crews. The sea was fearful, and no boat could live to get back to the doomed vessels. The Makea Ariki was now seen to career over and disappear, Capt. Ajpes., ;his( mate, and cook, with Stanley IJeather, taking refuge on the last vessel—-the Asaes Bell, The scene was now appalling, the sea being mountains Web. At 2 a.m. the tnaats e»f the Agnes Bell went ovey the side, the people on board cont^nually showing flash lights for k«lf«an»hour, and then all was over, the sea going clean over the vessel and breaking amidships. Nothing further was to he seen in the darkness, but shortly afteijwa.K3» a.shout was raised that someone was on shore from the Agnes Bell, A Nieve islander, one of the crew, had got on shore, being miraculously saved on a piece of wreckage, and reported that the whole of the unfortunate people left were washed, qompietely away by the trernen^o^s su,rf, he being the sole s^rv^or. TpwardVevening the gate Iwoke, and. th,e following day hsaqtiful, fine weather set in. The Atlantic is up bn the beach, the tide $owin,g: th,rou,s;h her.. The wrecks of the Agues Bell and'the Makea A^ekj were soJ4 at publifl auction on the 18lh, the former for 65 d^JJart, «tne^ latter for 25 dollars. The ba'ii^pf/'Capt. Munn was washed ashore and buried in the afternoon in the churchyard, ttya funeral being attended by tb,e Kuifopean residents. Stanley Ifeatke* w,*s n*«<>h regretted by all the residents, and leaves a wife arjcJ several children. The island now Jqaks *cry forlorn, banana trees, etc,.^ p^ eveify description being bjo^ down ; but no damace ig reported to the buildings or stores. The cotton crop will probably be bl^site^ foy th»e season. The BchQaa>*3 Fawn, Queen, aud Flora arrived shortly after tbe gale, and reported feeling the full force of it, but received no §§r.ioss