76 THK FLOOD OF 1 843. 



comer, and ihough itself partially uprooted, served to parry 

 off heavy drift wood, and to divide the current. Another 

 exposed corner was " founded upon a rock." The rock itself 

 was nearly undermined, but yet it moved not, and the present 

 appearance of this ruined dwelling excites surprise, that being 

 so nearly washetl down, it should have continued to stand. 

 In beholding it one is forcibly reminded of those passages in 

 the Old Testament, which refer by comparison to the influence 

 of floods in the mountainous regions of that land, the history 

 of which is of so lively interest to a Christian people. 



Besides those above enumerated, no other lives were lost on 

 Chester creek, and the committee are not aware that any 

 others were subjected to great hazard.^- 



DENITDINO AND TR.^NSPORTINO POWKR OF THK FLOOD. 



Mr. De La Beche, in his Geographical Manuel, has the 

 following remarks in relation to a flood occurring in a culti- 

 vatetl country, which are in many respects applicable to the 

 flood under consideratif>n. He observes that " the works of 

 man greatly aid the destructive power of a flood. Instead of 

 a body of water rushing into a plain, where from its diffusion 

 over a more considerable space, its velocity and transporting 

 power are both diminished, all cross hedges and bridges, 

 though they may check the waters for a moment, are the 

 means of producing innumerable debacles, when they give 

 way before the pressure exerted upon them. Suppose a bridge 



*Two (lays after the flood anolher life was lost in consequence ol 

 the change produced in the channel of Rocky run, a short distance 

 Ijelow (ireeii's factory. Reuben Varnall, Jr., the son of Reuben Varnall, 

 of Ivlgniont, a youth of al>out ten years, had been in the practice ol 

 liuthing at this place, previously t<j the freshet, lie subsequeiUly weiU 

 into the same place, ami was drowned — the flcxxl having produced such 

 an excavation in the bed of the stream as to cause the water to be eight 

 feet deep where it liail heretofore measurcil but eighteen inches. 



