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Show PEARL DIVERS j HURT BY STORM Tidal Wave Wrecks Houses on Coral Atolls in Pacific PAPEETE, Thaltt. Aug 23 (f'orre-spondencc). (f'orre-spondencc). Annuul pearl diving at Hiqtieru, Paiimotu ctfrnl atolls, has i,iin iiinpnr.irily discontinued I uc to a disastrous tidal ne and typhoon wlilcli recently swept over a greater part "i the Archipelago, according to Information brought here by one of the island trading schooners The tidal wave swept over the entire en-tire atoll of lllkueru, according the report, wrecking houses and in many cases Sweeping them Into the lagoon. Serious damage was also done to the water tanks, from which ihe inhabitants inhabi-tants of llllcucru fit pen, I almost entirely en-tirely for their supply- The loss of a number Of the tanks forced ft mnjorlty of the people to depend on cocoanuis and a afew poor wells for the water A supply boat has lft Papeete arid by this (line should he at the Island. iue to the people of Tlkiieru taking rofugi- on platforms, built near the top of cocoanui palms as refuge during dur-ing the tidal waves, no lives were lost. Tidal waxes are common occurrences in these Islands, but they seldom cause as much damage o-q this recent one. Several Papeete trading companies Claim to have lust trading schooners during Ihe five days of typhoon. They base their statements on the fact that the boats should have returned to Papeete Pa-peete some days ago. but no word has locen received from them. Many boats ure lost each year In the PaumotO. In fuct, the Islands are known as the Dancerous Archipelago due to this. Local Lo-cal captains claim that the currents and wind are continually Changing, and that it is very difficult to navigate. navi-gate. 1'earl diving had been very successful success-ful up to the time of the disaster. ne of the most prosperous fears In the history of the Island was expected. When natives will he able to renew their work is at present unknown A great many of their canoeS have been broken or washed to sea. and practically practi-cally all the trade goods on the island is-land WCre destroyed. Without an Incentive In-centive in way of merchandise for which to trade their shell or gems, I the Paumotuans will not dive, it is hoped, however, that before the season sea-son set for diving by I ho French governor gov-ernor has expired that work will be renewed. |