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The Daily Advertiser
New York, New York County, New York
What is this article about?
A violent hurricane struck Ingraham on the Coromandel coast on May 20, 1787, causing a 16-foot sea surge that killed about 20,000 people, destroyed property, cattle, and crops, and led to fears of famine and pestilence, though the survivors recovered gradually.
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"On the 20th of May, during the most violent hurricane I ever saw, the sea rose about 16 feet above its natural level, and overwhelmed all the low country round about us, and in one dreadful moment swept away about 20,000 souls. Our factory being situate about five miles from the sea, we had just time to perceive its approach, and provide for our safety by getting upon the terrace of the house, and highest ground. I lost some of my servants; and the effects of the inundation are terrible, as it not only destroyed one of our provisions, but filled our wells with salt water, and blasted the fruits of the earth; so that we were in imminent danger at first of perishing by famine. And from the number of dead carcases of men and cattle upon the ground, we were very apprehensive of a pestilence, from the putrid effluvia exhaling therefrom. However, God be praised, we have by slow degrees surmounted all these evils, and got into a pretty comfortable train again. It is a phenomenon we can hardly account for, as no such thing ever happened in the memory of the oldest inhabitant; as it hath destroyed almost all our cattle, rendered our water unfit for use, and made our soil incapable of cultivation. My own house was unroofed, and all my doors and windows broken and blown away, and most of my furniture, books, &c. buried in salt mud; the wall of my garden totally carried away, and all my collection of plants that I have been long gathering quite destroyed.
"My warehouses and offices were most of them level with the ground, and the goods therein greatly damaged or totally lost. However, I have the pleasure to say, that I shall not be so great a sufferer as I at first apprehended, my piece goods being mostly provided on commission, and my constituents at once determining that as no loss arose from any neglect of mine, but from a visitation of Providence, they did not consider me in any degree responsible, but they considered my own private loss as much as fell to my share."
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Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Ingraham, On The Coast Of Coromandel
Event Date
20th Of May 1787
Key Persons
Outcome
about 20,000 souls swept away; destruction of cattle, provisions, wells filled with salt water, soil incapable of cultivation; warehouses and goods damaged or lost; personal property destroyed but losses not held responsible by constituents
Event Details
During a violent hurricane, the sea rose 16 feet above its natural level, overwhelming the low country and sweeping away about 20,000 souls. The factory was five miles from the sea, allowing time to seek safety on high ground. Servants lost, provisions destroyed, wells filled with salt water, fruits of the earth blasted, leading to imminent danger of famine. Apprehension of pestilence from dead carcasses. Surmounted evils gradually and got comfortable again. Phenomenon unprecedented in memory of oldest inhabitant. House unroofed, doors and windows broken, furniture buried in salt mud, garden wall carried away, plants destroyed. Warehouses leveled, goods damaged or lost. Piece goods on commission, constituents not holding responsible due to act of Providence.