198 Letter XV. 
and the fore-top-gallant mast and ‘yard sent down on deck. On 
Monday morning we witnessed one of the most fearful hurri- 
canes that has ever visited these islands. 
At half-past four a.m. I suddenly awoke to find the roof of 
the building in which I was sleeping split open, the rain pour- 
ing in, and the whole place reeling before the furious blasts of 
the gale. The noise was something fearful, as the wind tore, 
shrieking, through the trees, breaking the palms like pipe stems, 
and carrying along with it showers of cocoanuts, leaves and 
bits of thatch. Quickly dressing, I made my way to Mr. Mur- 
ray’s quarters, and found both he and Mrs. M. up, and their 
rooms in a similar condition to mine. For about an hour we 
stood sheltering ourselves in the verandah in’ lee of the house, 
watching in the dim light the great trees blowing before the 
storm, or crashing to the ground if too stiff to bend ; watching 
the hailstorm of nuts, branches, and leaves, as they whirled 
furiously by, listening to the booming and roaring of that 
mighty gale, and wishing for day. As it began to get light we 
strained our eyes eagerly towards the anchorage of the vessel, 
although we hardly hoped to see her again, and we were rather 
relieved to make her out at last, although from her position 
there was no doubt of her being stranded on the outer reef of 
the harbour. Soon we were able, with the aid of a glass, to 
make out figures on board, and could observe them cutting 
down the foremast, which quickly disappeared over the side ;- 
then the jib-boom went, and next the main topmast, after which a 
flag of distress was run up on the mainmast. 
Along the beach, a short distance from the mission station, 
there lives an Eastern Islander—a whaler—who has several 
fine boats ; and to him I went, to see what could be done. 
Nothing,—he said ; no crew could pull against such a gale. 
For the wind had now veered from the N.N.E. to the N.W.,and 
was blowing from that direction, into the harbour, almost as 
