The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

[The following piece is from a Charleston Paper, which shews that some apprehension is entertained of an uncommon Equinoctial Hurricane.]

Messrs. M'IVER & WILLIAMS,

Gentlemen--In the autumn of 1697, a dreadful hurricane happened at Charleston, (this new city) which did great damage, and threatened the total destruction of the town. The swelling sea rushed in with amazing impetuosity, and obliged the inhabitants to fly for shelter to the second stories of their houses. Part of the peninsula was washed away, as may be seen by the bank of sand between Ashley and Cooper rivers. In little more than half a century, say in the year 1752, a second hurricane happened, which made a further encroachment on the peninsula and part of South-Bay, and probably Sullivan's Island, for the writer knows a quantity of dollars were found about the year 1758, on that island, at low-water-mark, supposed to be part of a chest of dollars which had been deposited by the pirates, who rendezvoused on that island in the early settlement of this state, and, I should suppose, was high land when the deposit of the money was made. About a week before the hurricane of the year 1752, the weather was variable, often changing in twenty four hours, as is now the case. From the devastation then made of the wharves, and the threatening destruction of East-Bay, the legislature passed an act forbidding any vessels mooring to wharves for above ten days before and after the equinox. We having lived in a state of security now near fifty years, that act expired and has never since been revived. I would suggest to the wharf holders, and to the owners of ships or vessels, whether at this threatening appearance, prudence should not dictate taking some steps for their lives and property. A word of advice, I think, will not be ill-timed to our citizens on Sullivan's Island, as the whole of that island was under water in the hurricane in the year 1732.

Q.