HAWAII. 227 



vibrate for a time, gradually decreasing at each oscillation, until it 

 attained its usual level. 



The scene of distress which this phenomenon produced was great. 

 Hundreds of natives were at a meeting near the sea-shore, when the 

 wave rushed upon them, and left them struggling amidst the wreck of 

 their worldly effects. Some of them were carried to sea, while others 

 were dashed upon the shore, surrounded by the fragments of their 

 houses, which had been broken to pieces, together with the timber, 

 frames, calabashes, &c. 



Cries of distress came from all sides, as well from those who were 

 struggling for life, as those who had come down to their relief. Parents 

 were rushing to and fro, looking for their children, husbands for their 

 wives, children for their parents, each inquiring for the other, with 

 wailings and hallooings. The whole, combined with the loud roar of 

 the sea, rendered the scene one of thrilling interest. Fortunately, an 

 English whaler, the Admiral Cockburn, of which James Lawrence 

 was commander, was lying in the bay at the time. He in a most 

 praiseworthy manner lowered his boats, and kept them cruising 

 about the bay, in search of the natives, many of whom were picked 

 up, wearied and exhausted, and by this timely aid their lives were 

 preserved. Not a canoe was left on the shore to assist in this 

 work. 



The master of the Admiral Cockburn affirms that the water ran 

 past his ship at the rate of eight knots an hour, and that the soundings 

 were reduced from five to three and a half fathoms, which left a great 

 part of the bay dry. 



At Oahu this phenomenon was likewise noted by Dr. Rooke, who 

 has given an account of it in the Hawaiian Spectator, Vol. I., Ja- 

 nuary, 1838. The time of its occurrence, as given by him, was six 

 o'clock, p. ml, and the sea continued to vibrate until the next day at 

 noon. The time of commencement at Oahu preceded that at Hilo by 

 half an hour. 



It appears, from the facts that have been stated relative to a like 

 phenomenon at Tutuila, that although the two were not coincident, 

 yet they were so closely allied in point of time, as to leave no doubt 

 of the same cause having produced both. It is certain that the phe- 

 nomenon took place first at the Samoan Group, and supposing that the 

 two watches by which it was noted were both correct, as the difference 

 of longitude is thirteen degrees, the elapsed time from the first wave at 

 Tutuila to that of the observations at Oahu, allowing for the difference 

 of longitude, was two hours, thirty minutes. The actual distance is two 

 thousand two hundred and fifty miles, on a course N. 20° E., which 



