THE FLOOD OF 1843. 15 



As observed by another member of the committee at the 

 Hall of the Institute, and on his road from that place to his 

 residence in Upper Darby, the commencement of the heavy 

 rain was about half past three o'clock, with the wind blow- 

 ing from an easterly direction. At about a quarter before 

 four o'clock, and while the rain was pouring down in tor- 

 rents, the wind suddenly shifted round to the west, or south 

 west, and remained in that quarter until he arrived at home 

 about five o'clock. The rain was not constantly violent. It 

 would at times slack off for a very few minutes, md then 

 commence again with redoubled violence. There appeared to 

 be so much commotion in the clouds, as to render it difficult 

 to determine from what quarter they came, but the manner in 

 which the rain fell, impressed him forcibly with the idea at 

 the time, that it proceeded from a rapid succession of gusts of 

 fearful violence. The dark and lowering appearance of the 

 clouds was very remarkable, and the rain continued to fall 

 until about six o'clock, about which time, or later, the wind 

 veered round to the S. E. but it did not blow with much force 

 at any time. 



It was observed by Dr. Joshua W. Ash, at his residence 

 in Upper Darby, that at about three o'clock P. M. it began to 

 rain heavily, and for the space of more than three hours, a 

 succession of heavy showers occurred, marked by an unusual 

 darkness of the atmosphere, and an unusual heaviness of the 

 drifting clouds, which were at times observed to drag upon 

 the tree tops. These appearances grew more marked as time 

 wore on, until near 7 o'clock, when the clouds which had had 

 a general direction from S. W. to N. E. now gave signs of 

 much atmospheric commotion, crossing each other at irregu- 

 lar and opposite angles ; but the prevailing direction appeared 

 to be from the South and West — the wind suddenly shift- 

 ing from S. W. to East and N. E., where it remained 

 some minutes, and then suddenly wheeled round again to 

 the S. W. 



The residence of Dr. Ash is south-east of the district on 



