THE CHINA MAIL.
HONGKONG, FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, 1874.
THE TYPHOON AT MAOAO. (From our own Correspondent.)
Macao, September 24, 1874,
À
A most dreadful calamity has befallen this town. It is now a heap of ruins. Its beauty is gone, its prosperity checked, and desolation is everywhere. On the evening of the 22nd inst., the appearance of the atmosphere and the indications of the barometer gave sure signs that some- thing serious was browing, and that a ty- phoon was to be feared. The wind was not strong, however, but the sea was high, and, although not yet tempestuous, there was a sound of awful menace in the moan with which it broke on the shore. The blowing of the wind steadily increased from the North quarter, and at midnight, the inner harbour began to be a scene of destruction, the junka losing their moorings, striking each other, and being smashed to pieces. Chinese gunboat capsized on this occasion with three Englishmen on board. In the town the roofs of the house began to move, and tiles flew about like hail. Every mo- ment the wind grew stronger, the baro- meter steadily falling. Suddenly the wind veered to the East. Then the sea which had been rising gradually increased to an enormous wave, overleaping its usual limits, and struck in a body with tremendous force the whole course of the Praia Grande. The water rushed into the houses, the quays were destroyed, the large granite stones hurled about, the guns of the batteries dis- mounted, and borne like feathers on the infuriated waves, and junks were smashed against the buildings. In less than an hour the work of destruction was accomplished, every house was invaded by the water and battered down; the spray flew over Gov- ernment house, and the houses to the Southern extremity of the Praia, which they reduced to a shapeless heap of stone and brick. The desolation the town now reached its acwé. The crash of falling houses, the screaming of the victims, people runuing to and fro in the streets pursued by the rushing water, the terrible roar of the wind and of the sea, all this was some- thing awful to hear or see. Suddenly an ominous glare appeared in the heavens. Fires had broken out in different parts of the town, and the flames, whipped on by the gales, rushed in horizontal streams over the largest squares devouring the buildings that stood even at great distances in their direc- tion. The lurid reverberation of these fires striking from the flying clouds on the sky was repeated by the waters which invaded the doomed town in every direction. On thie occasion the loss of life was fearful. People had only to choose their death by water, fire, or the shock of falling buildings, but death was everywhere. Many persons who were hidden in the furthest recesser of their houses found themselves suddenly involved by the flames and perished miser. ably. The barometer fell to less than 27.90, and then the confusion and raging between the elements was indescribable. At last daylight dawned on this tre- mendous scene. It seemed a dream, an. awful dream, but there it was; In this direst destruction Manao was not to be recognised; the waves spiung like infuriated lions on the smashed buildings and it seemed uncertain if the very ground had not gone down. By this time the barometer was already rising, but sa soon as the first light appear- ed in the heaven His Excellency, the Governor, the noble and brave Viscount S. Januario, went out with his staff and a body of men to bring help where needed. The robbers who began to aasail and plun- der the ruined houses were energetically put down. It is a most remarkable occur. rence that to this moment a very in. The significant looting has taken place. Governor, with Mr Cunha of the public works department, after many heroic
efforts vanquished the fires.
MrTM Cunha
was severely wounded in the hand on this Occasion, While this was going on, a body of soldiers with Mr R. Sampaio, a naval officer, 4.D.c. to the Governor, and Mr Mesnier ware saving life on the sea. Mr Meunier, notwithstanding the tremendous sea, stripped himself and swam off to save soma persons who were drowning, and fortunately succeeded. Mr Smithies of the English navy, who was on the Praia, saved also two children in the same way. The greatest energy and bravery was shown by the Portuguese soldiers on this eeemien when the fury of the waves made fit a very difficult matter and a dangerous
one to save life from the sea.
It is impossible to give in detail every praiseworthy act that was done on this occasion. The cold was intense, the wind terrible, and the rain struck in such a way as to hurt. Towards three o'clock the fire was subdued and the sea had re- turued to its wonted bed, but alas! Macao was no more what was to be seen a few Acara ago. It is a remarkable thing that among the general ruins the grand buildings lately constructed by Viscount S. Januario remained nearly untouched as the solitary witnesses of a formor prosperity which seems. to be now gone for ever. The gunboat Tejo escaped most marvellously nearly unhurt, owing, to a great extent, to the ability of its commander Fernando da Costa Cabral. The man-of-war Principe Dom Carlos was carried 12 miles inland and is now stranded in a rice field! The crew commanded by the brave Captain Maciel escaped by a miracle. The gunboat Camoe's was also carried inland to a great distance and is believed to be a hopeless wreck. Captain Guimaraes, its commander, one of our best naval officers, was atruck on the chest by a falling mast and was severely hurt, but the remainder of the crew did not suffer very considerably,
The new fort was washed over by the sea and the new guns of 120 lbs. were washed to a great distance. The guard of this fort died miserably. The commander of the guard seeing that the water was gaining on his position ordered his soldiers not to move. As they had to stick to their post they died. One only escaped and gare the particulars of this remarkable behaviour. The police officers and soldiers worked with most marvellous zeal and among them Mr Cortereal deserves the thanks of every- body. It is a satisfactory thing to seeduring such a tremendous catastrophe brave Portuguese soldiers and officer risking their lives and working to the rescue against Are, wind, and water in the most enthusiastic manner.
The town is overthrown. If the Chinese hordes had been in possession of it after an assault it would not have been worse. It is heartrending to see this dire calamity. Everywhere you hear the lamentations of the unfortunate victims. To give an idea of the extent of the loss in native shipping I may say that in the Typa harbour in the beginning of the typhoon there were 600 junks, while after it only 14 were found! Corpses strew the banks everywhere; wrecks are to be found in the most extra- ordinary locations. A junk was thrust into Mr Ybele's house, and many junks are on the hills at Lapa faland. The native villages near Macao have been swept away. Typa and Colowan are no more. The loss of life there is considered to exceed two thou- sand persons. In Maoso it is perhaps greater.
It is thought that there was never auch an extraordinary cataclysm as this in these
the regions }
Barometer's indicator
went off the scale. Since the typhoon a very strong westerly wind has been blow- ing, but few hoats are seen plying about. I write in the midst of ruin, death, and lamentation !
Mr Boyer, formerly well known in Hong- kong, bad to save his life with that of his children by swimming from his house.
7ms. 10 T7HXS5013)
12872
74
85
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