| Show THE SOUTH SEA ISLES loss of L fe small so far as known put a great amount of damage was done to property papette tahiti via san francisco aalthe Cal The most destructive cyclone eve experienced in the society and lamota islands bocc erred on febra ary 7 and 8 the clamage in tahiti is estimated at and pre a similar amount of property was destroyed on the ands the city of papette was anun dated and about seventy five buildings destroyed inci d ng the american consulate and the french government govern meni the shipp ng in the harbor of papette escaped injury owing to the direction of the wind but beara are entertained for vessels which were cruising near the islands it Is feared that there may have bean heavy loss of life in the lagoons of the islands tho agh the deith of the guardian of the tire station in papette ie the only fatality yet reported the schooner papette was sub merged for an hour near anaa tua motu her captain philip michaella ll estimated that thy waves were sixty five feet high it was impossible to see twenty feet away at 3 clock in the day time and the sailors had to be lashed to the vessel many narrow escapes from biown ing have been reported bridges and roads were badly damaged on the and of tahiti bread fruit cocoanut and plantain trees were blown down in great numbers which will re suit in hardships to the natives and materially affect commerce coma erce during the next two or three years the village of tarona was corn plemely swept away it consisted of the mission buildings and homes of native converts of the reorganized latter day saints mission formerly under the direction of captain joseph burton of california the mission house and a great many houses were carried off a distance of many hun deeds of yards and demolished of the church edifice not a vestige remains A settlement about an eighth of a mile distant comprised of dwellings of several hundred cook islanders british subjects was also completely destroyed |
