CHAPTER　X　…　THE　HURRICANE
  MARCH　1889
  THE　so…called　harbour　of　Apia　is　formed　in　part　by　a　recess　of　the
  coast…line　at　Matautu；　in　part　by　the　slim　peninsula　of　Mulinuu；
  and　in　part　by　the　fresh　waters　of　the　Mulivai　and　Vaisingano。　　The
  barrier　reef　…　that　singular　breakwater　that　makes　so　much　of　the
  circuit　of　Pacific　islands　…　is　carried　far　to　sea　at　Matautu　and
  Mulinuu；　inside　of　these　two　horns　it　runs　sharply　landward；　and
  between　them　it　is　burst　or　dissolved　by　the　fresh　water。　　The
  shape　of　the　enclosed　anchorage　may　be　compared　to　a　high…
  shouldered　jar　or　bottle　with　a　funnel　mouth。　　Its　sides　are　almost
  everywhere　of　coral；　for　the　reef　not　only　bounds　it　to　seaward　and
  forms　the　neck　and　mouth；　but　skirting　about　the　beach；　it　forms
  the　bottom　also。　　As　in　the　bottle　of　commerce；　the　bottom　is　re…
  entrant；　and　the　shore…reef　runs　prominently　forth　into　the　basin
  and　makes　a　dangerous　cape　opposite　the　fairway　of　the　entrance。
  Danger　is；　therefore；　on　all　hands。　　The　entrance　gapes　three
  cables　wide　at　the　narrowest；　and　the　formidable　surf　of　the
  Pacific　thunders　both　outside　and　in。　　There　are　days　when　speech
  is　difficult　in　the　chambers　of　shore…side　houses；　days　when　no
  boat　can　land；　and　when　men　are　broken　by　stroke　of　sea　against　the
  wharves。　　As　I　write　these　words；　three　miles　in　the　mountains；　and
  with　the　land…breeze　still　blowing　from　the　island　summit；　the
  sound　of　that　vexed　harbour　hums　in　my　ears。　　Such　a　creek　in　my
  native　coast　of　Scotland　would　scarce　be　dignified　with　the　mark　of
  an　anchor　in　the　chart；　but　in　the　favoured　climate　of　Samoa；　and
  with　the　mechanical　regularity　of　the　winds　in　the　Pacific；　it
  forms；　for　ten　or　eleven　months　out　of　the　twelve；　a　safe　if　hardly
  a　commodious　port。　　The　ill…found　island　traders　ride　there　with
  their　insufficient　moorings　the　year　through；　and　discharge；　and
  are　loaded；　without　apprehension。　　Of　danger；　when　it　comes；　the
  glass　gives　timely　warning；　and　that　any　modern　warship；　furnished
  with　the　power　of　steam；　should　have　been　lost　in　Apia；　belongs　not
  so　much　to　nautical　as　to　political　history。
  The　weather　throughout　all　that　winter　（the　turbulent　summer　of　the
  islands）　was　unusually　fine；　and　the　circumstance　had　been
  commented　on　as　providential；　when　so　many　Samoans　were　lying　on
  their　weapons　in　the　bush。　　By　February　it　began　to　break　in
  occasional　gales。　　On　February　10th　a　German　brigantine　was　driven
  ashore。　　On　the　14th　the　same　misfortune　befell　an　American
  brigantine　and　a　schooner。　　On　both　these　days；　and　again　on　the
  7th　March；　the　men…of…war　must　steam　to　their　anchors。　　And　it　was
  in　this　last　month；　the　most　dangerous　of　the　twelve；　that　man's
  animosities　crowded　that　indentation　of　the　reef　with　costly；
  populous；　and　vulnerable　ships。
  I　have　shown；　perhaps　already　at　too　great　a　length；　how　violently
  passion　ran　upon　the　spot；　how　high　this　series　of　blunders　and
  mishaps　had　heated　the　resentment　of　the　Germans　against　all　other
  nationalities　and　of　all　other　nationalities　against　the　Germans。
  But　there　was　one　country　beyond　the　borders　of　Samoa　where　the
  question　had　aroused　a　scarce　less　angry　sentiment。　　The　breach　of
  the　Washington　Congress；　the　evidence　of　Sewall　before　a　sub…
  committee　on　foreign　relations；　the　proposal　to　try　Klein　before　a
  military　court；　and　the　rags　of　Captain　Hamilton's　flag；　had
  combined　to　stir　the　people　of　the　States　to　an　unwonted　fervour。
  Germany　was　for　the　time　the　abhorred　of　nations。　　Germans　in
  America　publicly　disowned　the　country　of　their　birth。　　In　Honolulu；
  so　near　the　scene　of　action；　German　and　American　young　men　fell　to
  blows　in　the　street。　　In　the　same　city；　from　no　traceable　source；
  and　upon　no　possible　authority；　there　arose　a　rumour　of　tragic　news
  to　arrive　by　the　next　occasion；　that　the　NIPSIC　had　opened　fire　on
  the　ADLER；　and　the　ADLER　had　sunk　her　on　the　first　reply。
  Punctually　on　the　day　appointed；　the　news　came；　and　the　two
  nations；　instead　of　being　plunged　into　war；　could　only　mingle　tears
  over　the　loss　of　heroes。
  By　the　second　week　in　March　three　American　ships　were　in　Apia　bay；
  …　the　NIPSIC；　the　VANDALIA；　and　the　TRENTON；　carrying　the　flag　of
  Rear…Admiral　Kimberley；　three　German；　…　the　ADLER；　the　EBER；　and
  the　OLGA；　and　one　British；　…　the　CALLIOPE；　Captain　Kane。　　Six
  merchant…men；　ranging　from　twenty…five　up　to　five　hundred　tons；　and
  a　number　of　small　craft；　further　encumbered　the　anchorage。　　Its
  capacity　is　estimated　by　Captain　Kane　at　four　large　ships；　and　the
  latest　arrivals；　the　VANDALIA　and　TRENTON；　were　in　consequence
  excluded；　and　lay　without　in　the　passage。　　Of　the　seven　war…ships；
  the　seaworthiness　of　two　was　questionable：　　the　TRENTON'S；　from　an
  original　defect　in　her　construction；　often　reported；　never　remedied
  …　her　hawse…pipes　leading　in　on　the　berth…deck；　the　EBER'S；　from　an
  injury　to　her　screw　in　the　blow　of　February　14th。　　In　this
  overcrowding　of　ships　in　an　open　entry　of　the　reef；　even　the　eye　of
  the　landsman　could　spy　danger；　and　Captain…Lieutenant　Wallis　of　the
  EBER　openly　blamed　and　lamented；　not　many　hours　before　the
  catastrophe；　their　helpless　posture。　　Temper　once　more　triumphed。
  The　army　of　Mataafa　still　hung　imminent　behind　the　town；　the　German
  quarter　was　still　daily　garrisoned　with　fifty　sailors　from　the
  squadron；　what　was　yet　more　influential；　Germany　and　the　States；　at
  least　in　Apia　bay；　were　on　the　brink　of　war；　viewed　each　other　with
  looks　of　hatred；　and　scarce　observed　the　letter　of　civility。　　On
  the　day　of　the　admiral's　arrival；　Knappe　failed　to　call　on　him；　and
  on　the　morrow　called　on　him　while　he　was　on　shore。　　The　slight　was
  remarked　and　resented；　and　the　two　squadrons　clung　more　obstinately
  to　their　dangerous　station。
  On　the　15th　the　barometer　fell　to　29。11　in。　by　2　P。M。　　This　was　the
  moment　when　every　sail　in　port　should　have　escaped。　　Kimberley；　who
  flew　the　only　broad　pennant；　should　certainly　have　led　the　way：　　he
  clung；　instead；　to　his　moorings；　and　the　Germans　doggedly　followed
  his　example：　　semi…belligerents；　daring　each　other　and　the　violence
  of　heaven。　　Kane；　less　immediately　involved；　was　led　in　error　by
  the　report　of　residents　and　a　fallacious　rise　in　the　glass；　he
  stayed　with　the　others；　a　misjudgment　that　was　like　to　cost　him
  dear。　　All　were　moored；　as　is　the　custom　in　Apia；　with　two　anchors
  practically　east　and　west；　clear　hawse　to　the　north；　and　a　kedge
  astern。　　Topmasts　were　struck；　and　the　ships　made　snug。　　The　night
  closed　black；　with　sheets　of　rain。　　By　midnight　it　blew　a　gale；　and
  by　the　morning　watch；　a　tempest。　　Through　what　remained　of
  darkness；　the　captains　impatiently　expected　day；　doubtful　if　they
  were　dragging；　steaming　gingerly　to　their　moorings；　and　afraid　to
  steam　too　much。
  Day　came　about　six；　and　presented　to　those　on　shore　a　seizing　and
  terrific　spectacle。　　In　the　pressure　of　the　squalls　the　bay　was
  obscured　as　if　by　midnight；　but　between　them　a　great　part　of　it　was
  clearly　if　darkly　visible　amid　driving　mist　and　rain。　　The　wind
  blew　into　the　harbour　mouth。　　Naval　authorities　describe　it　as　of
  hurricane　force。　　It　had；　however；　few　or　none　of　the　effects　on
  shore　suggested　by　that　ominous　word；　and　was　successfully
  withstood　by　trees　and　buildings。　　The　agitation　of　the　sea；　on　the
  other　hand；　surpassed　experience　and　description。　　Seas　that　might
  have　awakened　surprise　and　terror　in　the　midst　of　the　Atlantic
  ranged　bodily　and　（it　seemed　to　observers）　almost　without
  diminution　into　the　belly　of　that　flask…shaped　harbour；　and　the
  war…ships　were　alternately　buried　from　view　in　the　trough；　or　seen
  standing　on　end　against　the　breast　of　billows。
  The　TRENTON　at　daylight　still　maintained　her　position　in　the　neck
  of　the　bottle。　　But　five　of　the　remaining　ships　tossed；　already
  close　to　the　bottom；　in　a　perilous　and　helpless　crowd；　threatening
  ruin　to　each　other　as　they　tossed；　threatened　with　a　common　and
  imminent　destruction　on　the　reefs。　　Three　had　been　already　in
  collision：　　the　OLGA　was　injured　in　the　quarter；　the　ADLER　had　lost
  her　bowsprit；　the　NIPSIC　had　lost　her　smoke…stack；　and　was　making
  steam　with　difficulty；　maintaining　her　fire　with　barrels　of　pork；
  and　the　smoke　and　sparks　pouring　along　the　level　of　the　deck。　　For
  the　seventh　war…ship　the　day　had　come　too　late；　the　EBER　had
  finished　her　last　cruise；　she　was　to　be　seen　no　more　save　by　the
  eyes　of　divers。　　A　coral　reef　is　not　only　an　instrument　of
  destruction；　but　a　place　of　sepulchre；　the　submarine　cliff　is
  profoundly　undercut；　and　presents　the　mouth　of　a　huge　antre　in
  which　the　bodies　of　men　and　the　hulls　of　ships　are　alike　hurled
  down　and　buried。　　The　EBER　had　dragged　anchors　with　the　rest；　her
  injured　screw　disabled　her　from　steaming　vigorously　up；　and　a
  little　before　day　sh