["The North-West in Mourning", The Sunday Times (Perth, WA), Sunday 31 March 1912, pages 11-12]
The Terrible March Cyclone---
Even More Destructive than was Feared---
The Koombana Disappears---
All Hope Abandoned . . .
The terrific cyclone which visited the Nor'-West coast with awful suddenness the week before last, carrying death and destruction in its wings, has once again brought that portion of Western Australia into unenviable prominence.
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SOME PREVIOUS STORMS AND WRECKS
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A MARINE CEMETERY
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THE GHASTLY RECORD BEATEN
This latest "blow," however, has eclipsed all previous ghastly records as far as loss of life and area of country devastated are concerned. It is impossible to correctly estimate the former at the time of writing, on account of the uncertaintly surrounding the fate of the Koombana, while it is not definitely known how many luggers have disappeared beneath the waves and carried their crews with them. As far as area is concerned, the cyclone appears to have caught in its grip all the places between La Grange Bay, situated about 30 miles south of Broome, and Roebourne, a distance, roughly, of about 300 miles, while it extended fully 100 miles inland, as damage was reported from Marble Bar.
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THE START OF THE CYCLONE
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TWO FINE SHIPS WRECKED
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LIGHTERS AND LUGGERS LOST
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THE DAMAGE ON LAND
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THE BULLARRA'S NARROW ESCAPE
The s.s. Bullarra had a terrible experience, and she must be a wonderfully good sea boat to have so successfully weathered the storm. Fears were entertained for her safetyuntil word came through that she had anchored in Cossack Roads at noon on Saturday, March 23. She had sailed from Port Hedland for Cossack, via Balla Balla, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday March 20. She encountered a strong north-east gale on leaving the harbour, and by 2 p.m. the wind had increased to hurricane force, which continued until 1 p.m. on the following day. At noon on the 21st, the barometer had fallen to 27.70, and the hurricane was at its height, but it shortly afterwards abated, and swung round to the south-east. At midnight on the 20th the Bullarra's funnel was blown off from the base and fell across the top deck with a tremendous crash. Great difficulty was experienced in lashing it to the vessel. The height of the seas was fearful, the hurricane blowing right across the ship. Captain Upjohn and his officers and crew displayed the utmost bravery, and were it otherwise the vessel must have gone down.
During the evening of the 20th the Koombana was hove to, heading north-east. A hurricane cable was run out in 120 fathoms of water, and full steam ahead was put on to prevent the vessel drifting. Notwithstanding the precautions taken, however, she trailed such a distance that it became impossible to fix her position, and the outlook could not have been much worse.
Then at 6 p.m. on the 21st the cyclone was re-encountered, blowing with terrific force for 12 hours from the south-west. During the whole of that time the vessel had her cable out with full steam ahead, and just managed to hold her ground. The wind abated at midday on the 22nd, when the ship's position was found to be lat 19.5 S., lon. 117.4 E. and she was 52 miles from Cossack. It being impossible to get to Balla Balla, the Bullarra made for Cossack, which was reached at 11 a.m. on the 22nd, three days out from Port Hedland. Though considerably battered about, she had behaved magnificently under the tremendous strain, and her captain and crew executed a marvellous performance of which they have every reason to be justly proud. Notwithstanding the extreme peril in which the vessel stood for such a length of time, not a single life was lost, but the stock on board had a bad time and many were lost.
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THE CYCLONE'S HEAVY TOLL
The following is an approximate list of the vessels wrecked or lost, though this may have to be added to as more complete details of the disaster come to hand:--
Crown of England, ship, smashed to pieces, eight lives lost.
Concordia, ship, ashore, crew saved.
Steady, lighter, ashore, crew saved.
Clyo, lighter, sunk, four lives lost.
Enterprise, lighter, smashed to pieces, crew and passengers saved.
Mary, lighter, wrecked, crew saved.
Clara, lugger, sunk, five lives lost.
Karrakatta, lugger, sunk, crew all drowned.
Karrara, lugger, sunk, crew all drowned.
Two other luggers, names unknown, sunk, and crews all drowned.
THE LOSS OF LIFE.
It is impossible at the present stage to accurately estimate the number of lives lost, as the telegrams so far received are rather contradictory on this point. One estimate says that nearly 40 lives have [been] lost, but another telegram makes the death roll much heavier. This estimate is that 32 white persons have perished in the cyclone and about 40 colored men, and that the whole of these were drowned in the vicinity of Depuch Island. Certain it is, however, that 16 white men alone have found a last resting place on the island mentioned, while on three vessels alone, 17 lives have been lost.
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