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Historical Records of New Zealand South

Hurricane And Disaster

Hurricane And Disaster.

The colonial schooner Boyd (Holford, master) arrived from relief of her sealing gangs in the employ of Campbell, Hook, and Co., left in and about Foveaux Straits, New Zealand. One of these persons gives an account of a fearful hurricane which happened there March 21, 1810, and which is described as having been both furious and terrific—dismantling forests of their largest trees, separating masses of rock, and filling the imagination with awe and alarm. The wind, which lasted with little or no intermission 48 hours, completely desolated highland forests about the coast. Although less general, the devastation caused up the valleys and gorges was equally severe. Huge masses of rock were dislodged in the latter, and their streams blocked so that dangerous floods ensued. One forest district is mentioned as having been completely submerged, and the channels of others intercepted by waterfalls and dangerous rapids. The mouth of the Wolsley (Waiau) River was choked so that barely a drop of water escaped into the sea. In consequence a lagoon-lake resembling an inland sea was formed at its mouth, and unless it had succeeded in breaking out through the bank of shingle piled up by the storm the country for miles round would have been submerged. Deep lanes were caused miles in length through valley bush-lands. A wooded hill some distance from the coast page 102was completely denuded of soil, as well as timber. The subject of this storm is further referred to in a MS. of Sydney Record Office, dated April, 1810. The skipper of one of the Underwood traders reports his gang at work in a cove near South Cape, Stewart Island, was overtaken by the storm, and with great difficulty reached the shelter of a cave, in which they camped. During the night, when they were asleep, they were startled by a tremendous fall of earth and stone. When able to examine the cause, they were horror-stricken to find the mouth of the cave completely blocked up. So soon as they recovered from their alarm, they set about making efforts for relief. Having all their camping gear, together with their provisions, inside, the danger proved less serious than it might have been. As it was, it took them nearly a weel to burrow their way out. One remarkable feature of their preservation was that, whereas the cave had previously been dry—indeed, it was selected on that account,—a stream of water broke in overhead during the storm. But for that; they would most likely have perished. At first the stream was inconveniently large, and they were apprehensive of being flooded. As soon as the storm abated the water drew off, and, latterly, just enough came trickling down the face to keep them alive. What caused serious delay in working their way out was the amount of loose stuff that kept sliding down as soon as they made headway clearing away the debris. So tantalising was this that on some occasions they despaired being able to clear a way for escape. There being eight of them, with only two shovels, an axe, and four iron pikes for holding purposes, they had to work at the excavation in turns. Not having any means for noting time or observing day and night, they were only able to compute these on an imperfect calculation. This was illustrated in the fact that when the craft arrived 22 days thereafter they were two days ahead in their reckonings. The fall of earth and stone was most extensive. Indeed, it looked as if the entire face of the country had slipped. Happily, the mouth of the cave was situated well towards the end of the avalanche, otherwise it seems certain they would never have been heard of. The storm was accompanied by hurricane rains, thunder, and lightnings.