The Daily Advertiser

A letter from Portarlington, in Ireland, dated Nov. 24, says, "I was yesterday a spectator of one of the most melancholy and distressing scenes I have ever beheld, occasioned by the present floods, which I suppose have done equal, if not superior damages through many parts of this kingdom.

Here the oldest inhabitant never remembers to have seen any thing in the least degree equal to what they experienced yesterday. On Sunday last it commenced with a violent and continued rain, which did not abate till the night following; at which time the water rose considerably, but nothing to alarm us. On Tuesday morning the 13th instant, the mountain floods came down with such astonishing rapidity, as to choke the great bridge, which divides the King's and Queen's county in this town; before nine o'clock it effectually stopped all the arches, and ran with violence across the battlements for a considerable breadth; at that hour a servant belonging to Mr. William Montgomery, near Rathangan, rashly undertook to cross it with two horses and cars of his master; a butcher from Dublin unfortunately took advantage of the cars, and got on one of them; they had scarcely got two yards on the bridge, when they were all washed over by the flood; the poor cattle, from the incumbrance of the cars, could make no resistance, and instantly perished; nor did the efforts of the men avail any thing, for in a few minutes they shared the same unhappy fate. In the mean time the torrent, unable to remove the obstruction it met with (as our bridge is amazingly strong), recoiled with unspeakable fury, and overturning several great walls which opposed it, formed for itself a new and unthought of course, taking its destructive way immediately through the Red Lion Inn, and all the houses for above 120 yards, between that and the market place; so astonishingly rapid was its progress, that in a few minutes it flowed in at the windows of the ground floors, and threatened immediate destruction to the terrified inhabitants, many of whom fled naked through the streets. This was indeed a melancholy picture, and such a one as I shall ever remember with terror and pity. The fury of the waters increased every moment, sweeping with violence all before them, while the shrieks of the women and children from the windows of those houses which we imagined would tumble instantly, rendered the scene terribly affecting. We could procure no boat for their relief, but many horsemen ventured to catch them as they dropped from their windows: the aged and infirm suffered much, and indeed made a large number of those who were injured. Providentially no lives were lost here, but a vast deal of private property has suffered considerably; large quantities of turf, corn, hay, potatoes, and timber, were carried away, together with household furniture, &c.

It fell as it rose rapidly, and yet at six o'clock yesterday evening, there was a current through the hall of the Red Lion Inn sufficient to turn the largest mill. This morning it has entirely abated, but things wear a melancholy appearance in those parts which suffered; many small houses thereabout are in ruins—the streets in many places plowed up for several yards together, and the floors still covered with water. The horses which were drowned were washed ashore, and boats were employed to drag the river for the men who were drowned.

P. S. I must not omit mentioning, that the opulent inhabitants, as usual, were on this occasion humane and benevolent, rendering those who were injured every personal and domestic assistance they stood in need of."