570 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION E. 
visitation. The first occurred in Samoa on 29th September, 
1849, about 9 o’clock in the morning. At that hour the sea 
suddenly receded from the shore at a rapid rate, and continued 
to fall till the reef was left quite bare, and the surface standing 
about eighteen inches out of the water. In about three minutes 
the sea returned and rose to half-tide, thus making the fall and 
rise to about five feet. Immediately the sea again receded, and 
flowed back to its proper height. Then the sudden rise and fall 
were repeated three times within an hour. The oscillation 
continued between 11 a.m. and noon; and after this the tide rose 
in its normal state. About half-ebb, between 3 and 4 p.m., the 
sea suddenly rose again, and flowed to the shore above high-water 
mark, and ebbed quietly to its former position ; and then again 
arose to high-water, and continued oscillating till a quarter past 
4 p.m. The sea then resumed ebbing in its ordinary manner. 
There were no earth-tremors perceptible in Samoa, and the wind 
was moderate. Similar oscillations were noticed at the same 
time on Aneityum, New Hebrides, 1300 miles distant. 
The next recurrence of a tidal wave in Samoa was witnessed in 
1863. It was not so continuous, but of larger magnitude, in 
many places overflowing the shore, and doing considerable 
damage. Being absent from Samoa at the time, I have no 
particulars of the event. 
A terrible catastrophe of this kind occurred on the north-east 
side of Lifu, Loyalty Islands, on Sunday night, 28th March, 1875. 
Twenty-six lives were sacrificed, chiefly of women and young 
children. Nothing more serious was felt in the neighbouring 
islands of Maré and Uvea beyond the repeated succession of earth- 
tremors already described. On Lifu the tidal wave rose more 
than twelve feet above the shore, and swept over the land, bearing 
down with irresistible force everything within its impetuous 
course. In an instant all the native houses within its reach were 
hurled into a mass of ruins, whirling hither and thither where 
the swirling waves bore them. The unfortunate natives were 
hardly aroused from sleep by a sharp shock of earthquake when 
the sea burst upon them, and they were buried under their fallen 
houses, and swept they knew not whither. In some of the low- 
lying villages along the shore scarcely a house was left standing, 
and the land and beach were strewn with ruins. The taro patches 
in marsh-lands in the hollows were covered with boxes, articles 
of furniture, implements, and dédris of fallen houses, &c. When 
the sea subsided, heaps of fishes and turtles were found along the 
coast, and even far inland. Several remarkable and narrow 
escapes were experienced. Some of the poor natives managed to 
extricate themselves from the ruins of their huts, and to cling to 
the cocoanut trees against which they were hurled by the rush of 
the sea. One hut, with its inmates, was carried out to sea by 
the receding wave. A lad got clear of the ruins, and swam to a 
