The Virginia Gazette

CHRISTIANSTADT (St. Croix) September 4.

On Monday Night last blew the most violent Hurricane that has ever been known here, or perhaps on any Island, in the Memory of Man. Words are very to describe the Horrours of the Night; the Roar of raging Winds and Waves, the Crash of Buildings, the Cries and Groans of the Suffering Dying and the Wounded, together with a tenfold Darknefs, made visible only by the Meteors which like Balls of Fire skimmed along the Hills, formed a most terrible and most distressful Scene. When Morning came the dismal Effects of its Fury were seen in every Street, and particularly on the rising Grounds, where Scarce a House is saved, so that nearly one Half of the Houses in this Place were seen thrown down, or greatly damaged; which, with the Sight of the several dead Bodies, filled every Face with Astonishment. All the Vessels in the Harbour early in the Night broke from their Moorings, and were drove on Shore; where they remain, most of them many Yards on dry Land. Accounts from the Country are yet worse, if possible; nearly all the Dwelling-Houses, and every Negro House on the Plantations, swept away by the Violence of the Gale. And from Frederickstadt, we hear there are but three Houses left standing. It is remarkable, that the Water in almost every Butt is become brackish. At present we cannot give an exact Account of the unhappy Persons who were killed, as every Hour comes loaded with its dismal Tale. On this melancholy Occasion his Excellency the General has devised every Thing for the Relief of the Suffering Poor that the Humanity and Goodness of Heart which so eminently distinguish his Character could suggest, and for their Benefit has dispatched a Vessel to the Continent, with Directions to put in at the first Port she can make, that the distressed Situation of the Inhabitants may be known as early as possible, as well as the Encouragement offered, by Proclamation, to all Persons importing Provisions for their Relief, and Lumber for rebuilding their Works, Houses, &c.

Yesterday arrived here the Schooner Hopewell, Captain William Lynn, from St. Eustatius, who parted his Cable about nine o'Clock on Monday Morning last. Twenty five Sail of Vessels put out at the same Time; the Wind continued blowing excessive hard from the north until about eleven o'Clock in the Forenoon, and about twelve the Wind shifted to the east, until one of them came to the south south east, where it blew a most terrible Gale, and so continued until about twelve o'Clock at Night, which Time it began to moderate; and on Wednesday Morning he saw four Vessels in a most distressed Situation, three without Masts, and a large Ship lying on her Beam Ends, but was not able to speak to them; and yesterday he saw a Ship, under Jury Masts, go into St. Thomas.

It is said that his Excellency, besides many other occasional Donations, has set apart a very handsome Sum to be shared amongst the poorest Sufferers. It is to be hoped that all whom God has enabled, and on this Occasion saved from notable Damage, will go and do likewise.

It is said, to the Honour of the physical Gentlemen, that they have not only, with great Assiduity, applied all their Art and Skill where called, but have generously resolved to make no Charge on their Books on this mournful Occasion.

This Morning arrived here a large Dutch Ship, and an English Sloop, both under Jury Masts.
BASSETERRE (St. Christopher's) September 2.

We inserted in our last the Account of a hard Gale of Wind from the north west, with some Accidents that attended the same, which, to this Island's inexpressible Grief, were no more than a Prelude of our Destruction; for on Monday last, at the Dawn of Day, our angry Hemisphere predicted Violence from the north east, which by Degrees broke forth upon us with such Rage as is not to be paralleled in the Memory of the oldest Man living, destroying the Sugar Works and Plantations in general, and in short Nothing escaped its Fury. The Vessels of all Denominations, for Safety, put to Sea; and by twelve at Noon we were in Hopes that the all-gracious Providence had finished this fatal Catastrophe, but, to our mortal Sorrow, we were very unfortunately disappointed, for about that Time the Wind shifted to south west and south, which brought on us such an incessant horrible Scene of Destruction, until eight o'Clock in the Evening, that is beyond the Power of Man to relate. Nothing less threatened us, as we feared, than a total Annihilation of the Island; and those Vessels that in the Morning went in Search of Safety, and were not foundered, returned, and were driven ashore on several Parts of the Island, and scarce a House, Sugar Mill, Tree, or Plant, in this Town, Sandy Point, Old Road, or Island, but what were blown down, or very much damaged. The Damage sustained by the Planters, House Owners, and Inhabitants, is inestimable; and the Number of Lives lost, we hear, is considerable, and a great Number dangerously wounded.

September 5. The horrible Picture of this Island's general Distress, represented in our last Day's Prints, is greatly inferior to the Original; and to enumerate and particularise on our Ills, in ever so manly and pathetick Manner, would not change the Opaque into a Mirror, but just the reverse. It must be many Years fortunate Experience, with much Circumspection and Prudence, before it is possible we can retrieve our Losses; and sorry we are to pronounce the Sentence of Improbability on many Families, that are so far reduced, according to human Apprehension, as never to be able to recover the Shock, for, at the most moderate Calculation, the general Loss sustained cannot possibly be computed at less than five Hundred Thousand Pounds.

St. Eustatia is as it were no more. Many Houses and Families were taken from the Summit, and have not been heard of; and what was not effected by the Violence of one Element was completely so by the other, by the cruel Violence of the bellowing Waves, but Particulars we have not learned. At Dominica, by Captain Yard we have an Account of the Loss of eighteen Vessels of different Burthens at Roseau, and six at Prince Rupert's Bay; no farther Particulars relative to that Island we have yet got. At Antigua, we learn, by a Boat that arrived yesterday, that all his Majesty's Ships in English Harbour (except the Admiral's) were on Shore, and every Vessel at St. John's; and it is related, by this Conveyance, that the Island has suffered the same unhappy Devastation as ours. Seven Sail are ashore at Nevis.

September 9. From the Leeward we hear that in Saba one Hundred and eighty two Houses were destroyed by the late Hurricane, and that two Ships (one a Guineaman) are lost on the Back of that Island, and every Person on Board perished. Our Accounts from St. Martin's are more favourable, very little Damage having been done there.

Perhaps a greater Instance of the Impetuosity of the Storm cannot be given than the following, which we have just received from Sandy Point. Mr. Lewis's House, which was lofted, was separated at the Runners, and the upper Story laid softly in his own Yard, in which he and his numerous Family now actually reside, while the lower Story was rent in Pieces; so that he may be said to live in a Garret upon the Ground.

From Antigua we hear that Mess. Willock and Morton have paid fifteen Shillings a Bushel for Corn, taking a whole Cargo; and so great is their Distress at St. Eustatia, that five Half Joes have been offered for a Barrel of Flour.
ANTIGUA, September 5.

On Monday last a most dreadful Storm happened here, which began between one and two o'Clock in the Morning, continued increasing until near ten, and was not properly abated until five in the Afternoon. To attempt a Detail of the Mischief done to Individuals by this dreadful Tempest would be endless, as every One has suffered in a greater or less Degree. We should fail likewise were we to attempt, by Language, to raise any adequate Idea of the Dreadfulness of the Scene. We can only say that it can be better conceived than expressed, and even here the most fruitful Imagination would fall far short. Let it suffice then for us to say, generally, that all the Vessels in the different Harbours (with very few Exceptions, of which we shall take Notice hereafter) were either sunk, overset, or driven ashore. Even that secure Place, English Harbour, was not a sufficient Asylum for the Vessels there: His Majesty's Ships Chatham, Active, Seafort, and Falcon, were driven from their Moorings, and suffered greatly; the former lost her Foremast, and the others have not a Mast standing. One Ship in the Harbour of St. John, by having her Masts cut away, with two Sloops, in a miraculous Manner rode out the Storm; one Ship drove to Sea, and has not since been heard of. The Church, Courthoufe, Barracks, and most, if not all, the publick Buildings, are greatly injured; and very few, if any, of the Houses in St. John's, have escaped. All the Buildings, Windmills, Works, &c. on every Estate, or the greatest Part of them, are levelled with the Ground; many Negroes killed, and Numbers wounded; the Cattle and other live Stock shared the same Fate, the Ground Provisions destroyed, and the Prospect of a Crop for next Year much cut off. The Loss sustained by the Fire in 1769 cannot be put in Competition with the present Calamity.

Mrs. White, Wife of Mr. George White, Merchant, and Doctor Gavin Montgomery, unfortunately lost their Lives in the Storm. Mr. White had his Collar Bone broke, and is since dead; and many others, whose Names we have not as yet been acquainted with. By the Fall of his Majesty's Hospital at English Harbour, we hear that ten of the Sick there, and the Nurse, were buried in the Ruins.

From Dominica we have an Account that there are fifteen Sail of Vessels ashore there, but the Storm was not so severe as in this Island; and the like Accounts of the Weather from the Leeward.
NEW YORK, October 5.

Captain Giffen, arrived here from St. Martin's, says that he lay at St. Lucia the 28th and 31st of August, in very fine Weather, and had Nothing of the Gale there. The 3d of September he passed by Prince Rupert's Bay, Dominica, and saw three Brigs lying at Anchor safe; but at Roseau, seventeen Vessels were lost. At Basse Terre, Guadaloupe, he saw five Sail ashore. A Schooner from Virginia, with Corn, was arrived at St. Eustatia, which was selling at ten Bits a Bushel. Three Vessels were lost at St. Martin's, belonging to the Eastward, Sails and Rigging saved; two other Brigs got into Simpson's Bay; and one of them purchased the Masts, Sails, and Rigging, to refit his Vessel, for one Hundred and thirty Half Joes.

October 12. Wednesday last the Sloop Sally, Captain Montgomery, arrived here from Barbados, in thirty Days. He lay at Carlisle Bay the 27th and 28th of August, and says that only one Vessel was drove ashore there, a Brig; and a Sloop, having parted one of her Cables, was obliged to cut the other and stand to Sea. Captain Montgomery also says, that all the Transports with the Troops from Boston were safe arrived at Barbados, and had sailed for St. Vincent's. The 21st of September Captain Montgomery spoke with Captain Brown, from Guadaloupe for Boston, who informed him that eighteen Sail of Vessels were drove ashore at that Island, and much Damage done to the Plantations.
PHILADELPHIA, October 7.

A LETTER from St. Croix says the Governour has given his Word and Honour that Sugars should be shipped off, Duty free, to the full Amount of all Cargoes of Lumber or Provisions brought there.

Extract of a Letter from St. Eustatia, September 9.

"On the 31st Day of August last a violent Gale of Wind came on here in the Morning, from the north, which shifted at different Times between that and south east; the hardest was between twelve and one o'Clock, but it abated in the Evening. There were thirty five Sail of Vessels in the Road, all drove to Sea, and only five are yet returned; we hear two were cast ashore on Saba, and the Crew of one entirely lost. The better Half of the Houses on the Hill were blown down, and all the out Buildings and Negro Houses on the Island. Many of our Friends have suffered much, by the Loss of their Houses and every Thing in them; sundry white People are much bruised, and many Negro Lives are lost. The Houses on the Bay came off much better than those on the Hill, as there are but few blown down. Fortunately came in, two Days ago, to our great Relief, Captain Jenkins, with Provisions, as we had not any here before, and the poor People were near starving. We this Day hear that some of the Vessels have got into Tortola, St Thomas, and St. Croix, dismantled; the Gale there was equally hard, and all the Vessels of each Port on Shore, It was very moderate at Montserrat."

Extract of a Letter from St. Croix, September 2.

"This serves to give you a faint Description of the dreadful Hurricane which happened here on Monday the 31st ult. It began to blow about four o'Clock in the Afternoon, from N.N.W. to N.W. and continued at that Point till ten o'Clock at Night, with such Violence, that all the Vessels, consisting of about forty two Sail, which lay in the Harbour, were drove ashore; many of which now lie high and dry, but cannot as yet say whether they have received any considerable Damage. The greatest Difficulty will be to get the large Ones off, as we have not the proper Conveniencies for that Purpose. There was a Lull for about Half an Hour after the first Gale, when the Wind shifted round to S.W. and blew with greater Violence for about two Hours, which threw down two Thirds of the Houses in the Town level with the Ground; and every Estate in the Island suffered considerably. In Fact, almost all the Dwelling Houses, Boiling Houses, Negro Houses, &c. are blown down; Numbers of Lives are lost, and many who survived have lived to see themselves ruined in the Night. It is impossible to paint the Scene, of Horror and Devastation that appears throughout the Face of this once beautiful Isle, nor can you form any Idea of it. The Lumber in the Yards is entirely washed out, many Barrels of Provisions in the Stores damaged and washed away by the Sea, and all the Provisions in the Ground entirely destroyed; so that unless we are supplied with Provisions I dread the Consequence, as a Famine must ensue."

Extract of another Letter from St. Croix, September 2.

"A Sloop that arrived here yesterday Morning, contrary to all Expectation, carries this to your Continent; and was I capable to write, it ought to carry an Account of the most frightful Scene that ever happened in the West Indies. August 31st it rained considerably, and after Sunset it began to blow hard; soon after we were convinced it was a Hurricane, which continued till nine. I thought it was almost impossible for Nature to exert herself with more Violence; but at ten o'Clock we found that the Power of the Almighty is inexhaustible, and it continued with unspeakable Violence till Half after twelve o'Clock. Now, my dear Sir, give a free Career to your Imagination, or you will not be able to represent to yourself any Thing equal to the inexpressible Condition of this Island during the two Storms. I have, as yet, got but little News from the Country, but enough to shock a Heart that has any Feeling. Bassend is a Heap of Confusion, though many Houses are still standing, yet every Quarter and Corner Seems to be a Lumber Yard; but it is in vain to expect a Description of the Desolation from our Church up to the Mountain, and from Gallows Bay to the Burying Place; Water Gut Side is as bad. The Heart of the Town would take a Sheet of Paper to describe it. The English Church was levelled. Mr. Goodchild's House likewise; that good Family are to be pitied, for they have suffered inconceivably. Mr. Knox's Church is down. The Danish, Dutch, and Catholick Churches, stand; but the latter lost a little of one Gable, besides some Windows and Doors. The Cellars were uninhabitable towards the Sea, and the upper Parts of almost every House were as bad, by the inconceivable Pour of Rain that continued during the whole Storm. Mr. and Mrs. Stretch had like to have been drowned, in the Street, as they were going to Mr. Vanwick's. Almost all the Offices are down; from Captain Wood's to Harriet's there is an even Plain, and from thence to Mr. De Vint's. Mr. Stretch and Mr. Harriet's four Houses stand. Mr. Mcvoy's Storehouses, in Harriet's Yard, were near finished, and the finest ever seen in this Island, but are now a Heap of Rubbish; his Compting House was damaged. All the Vessels in the Harbour are in a deplorable Condition, upon the Land; and very few, if any, will ever be got off. The Sloop that carries this to the Continent came in yesterday, and is sent off by Government. This Island is actually made a free Port. The Rigging of some Houses are now their Ground Floors; others have been carried several Yards, with the Inhabitants, and still remain in their natural Situation, on other Spots of Ground, and some in the Middle of the Streets; others moved at one End several Feet or Yards. Bellevue House, Works, and Mill, are greatly damaged. Cane Garden is levelled, but the Mill and Works are safe. I do not know of a Negro House standing in the Island. Richmond has suffered greatly. Thomas Lilly has lost all, except the Body of a Dwelling-House, but chiefly his Compting House, with all his valuable Papers. Mr. Suppie has not a Stick but the Mill. They made their Way to Richmond, in the Midst of the second Gale, by creeping on their Hands and Feet. Mr. Francis Markoe hath suffered in his Works, and Part of his House is stripped; his Brother is in the Same Condition, but they came off very well. Doctor Farrel's Works are
hurt, but his House stood firm: The Family of Bellevue is there now; he is greatly damaged at Salt River. Mr. Moylan has not a Stick standing. Mr. Isaac Mactkoe's House and Works are levelled. Messrs. Robert Farrel, the Irwins, Brugar, Cohoon, &c. &c. are, I hear, in the same Condition: all Mr. Tuite's Places likewise. Many Windmills are down, or greatly damaged. We cannot discover above twelve Whites killed in Basse-Terre; but many Negroes have been killed, in Town and Country. This Rain consisted chiefly of Sea Water, which makes not Part of the Water in Town brackish. All the north Side is greatly damaged.