The Virginia Gazette

BOSTON, Sept. 28.

Last Wednesday (after the most serene morning) came on, about 9 o'clock in the evening, and continued for several hours, a more violent storm of wind and rain, with some thunder and lightning, than has been known here for many years; which did some damage to the shipping and small craft lying at the wharfs, and at anchor in the harbour. A brig was drove high ashore on Dorchester neck, and several boats from the town, that had been out on parties of pleasure, which could not reach the town before the storm came on, were drove into Gallows bay, and some of them stove to pieces. Several of the town's fishing boats are yet missing, and it is feared are lost. Mr. Anthony Hadley, returning home to Stoneham from this town, whither he had been with a load of marketing, was belated; and by the fury of the tempest, added to the darkness of the night, lost his way, and perished on the road; and, what is very remarkable, Mr. Hadley's son, returning home from his work, missed his way also, and met an untimely end in the horrors of that dismal night. The father was 60 years of age, and has left a widow and 3 children, the son 52, and has also left a widow and 8 children, to bemoan their unhappy fate. A Gentleman and his Lady, who had just landed on one of the wharfs from a boat that had been below, was, by the extreme darkness of the night, led to the edge of the wharf, and both fell into the water, and would probably have been drowned, had not some of the company immediately assisted, and got them out. Captain Skimmer from Bristol happily came to an anchor within the Lighthouse, about half an hour before the storm came on; and notwithstanding he had both his anchors out, was in great danger of being forced among the rocks. A person on board Captain Skimmer the day preceding the storm says that from the masthead he counted near 40 sail of fishing boats, sloops, schooners, &c. in the bay, and it is greatly feared that some of them were swallowed up in the sea, which ran prodigious high. We hear the storm has done considerable damage in the country, by blowing down trees, fences, fruit, &c. In short, the oldest seamen say they never experienced a more terrible gale.

Since the above account went to the press, two Gentlemen of this town, who were passengers on board a sloop from the eastern parts of the province, came to town from Plymouth, where they happily got in the next day after the storm, with about 30 others, and among them one of the town fishing boats.

A small schooner arrived here last evening from Plymouth; the master informs that on his passage he saw a number of vessels ashore, but could not tell who they were.