Observations o?i the Great Hurricane of 1772. 57 



accidentally been discovered by a hunting boat, the 

 people might have remained there, and died for want, 

 particularly as water failed them alreat:ly, when disco- 

 vered. The effect of this different direction of the 

 current of air or wind was here surprising. The 

 south-easterly wind having drove the water, in im- 

 mense quantities, up all the rivers, bays, and sounds 

 to the westward, being here counteracted by the nor- 

 therly wind, this body of water was violently forced 

 into the bay of Spirito Santo, at the back of the Chan- 

 deleurs. Grand Gozier, and Breton Isles ; and not 

 finding sufficient vent up the rigolets, nor down the 

 outlets of the bay, it forced a number of very deep 

 channels through these islands, cutting them into a 

 great number of small islands. The high island of 

 the Chandeleur had all the surface of its ground 

 washed off; and, I really think, had not the clay been 

 held fast by the roots of the black mangrove, and, in 

 some places, the myrtle (Myrica), there would have 

 been scarce a vestige of the island left. At the mouth 

 of Missisippi, all the shipping was drove into the 

 marshes : a Spanish brig foundered and parted, and 

 a large crew was lost : some of the people were taken 

 from a piece of her at sea, by a sloop from Pensacola, 

 a few days after. In the lakes at Chef Menteur, and 

 in the passes of the rigolets, the water rose prodigi- 

 ously, and covered the low islands there two feet ; at 

 St.- John's creek, and New-Orleans, the tide was 

 thought extraordinary high : but, at all these last 

 places, there was no wind felt, being a fine serene 

 day, with a small air from the eastward. 



VOL. ir. PART I. H 



