Obser'vations oti the Great Hurricane of 1772. 55 



especially as the original work* is so little known, 

 either in America or in Europe. 



" The fatal hurricane of August 30th, 3 1st, Septem- 

 ber 1st, 2d, 3d, anno 1772, was severely felt in West- 

 Florida. It destroyed the woods, for about 30 miles 

 from the sea-coast, in a terrible manner : what were 

 its effects, in the unsettled countries to the eastward, 

 we cannot learn. In Pensacola, it did little or no 

 mischief, except the breaking down of all the wharfs 

 but one ; but, farther westward, it was terrible. At 

 Mobile, every thing was in confusion: vessels, boats, 

 and logs were drove up into the streets a great dis- 

 tance ; the gullies and hollows, as well a3 all the 

 lower grounds of this town, were so filled with logs, 

 that many of the inhabitants got the greatest part of 

 their yearly provision of firewood there ; all the vege- 

 tables were burned up by the salt water, which was, 

 by the violence of the wind, carried over the town, 

 so as, at the distance of half a mile, it was seen to 

 fall like rain ; all the lower floors of the houses were 

 covered with water, but no houses were hurt, except 

 one, which stood at die water-side, in which lived a 

 joiner : a schooner drove upon it, and they alternately 

 destroyed each other. But the greatest fury of it 

 was spent on the neighbourhood of the Pasca Oocolo 

 river. The plantation of Mr. Krebs there was al- 

 most totally destroyed. Of a fine crop of rice, and a 

 large one of corn, were scarcely left any remains; 



* A Concise Natural History of East and West-Florida, &c.. 

 8cc., pages 4— 7. Ntvr-York : 1776., 



