A. D. 1772. 527 



deftrudlion In the neighbouring foreign iflands the deftruftive rav- 

 ages of the hurricane were not lefs violent. In St. Euftathius 400 

 houfes were deftroyed : fome of them were carried ten or twelve yards 



off, and a church was carried into the fea At Saba 180 houfes were 



deftroyt'd; and at St. Martins almoft all the houfes and plantations 



At Santa Cruz the fea aflifted the wind in its ruinous operations by a 

 dreadful rife to the height of about 70 feet, which fwept away every 

 thing in its courfe, and overwhelmed about 250 people. The planta- 

 tions were utterly defolated, and it was apprehended, that even next 

 year they would icarcely produce any thing, the very ground being al- 

 moft deftroyed by deep holes made by the falling of large trees. The 

 damage of houfes, plantations, &c. in this ifland was eftimated at five 



millions of dollars (above a million of guineas) At St. Thomas's 



the damage was alfo very confiderablc. 



September — The duke of Bridgewatcr added confiderably to the util- 

 ity of his canal by eftablifhing regular pafllige-boats upon it, in each 

 of which about fixty people, with a reafonable quantity of baggage al- 

 lowed to every paflenger, may be carried above twenty miles, as quick- 

 ly as they could travel by land, for one fliilling a-piece *. Whatever 

 facilitates mutual intercourfe promotes the interefts of commerce, and 

 is therefor deferving of notice in this work. 



The cmprefs of Germany erected a light-houfe about 100 feet high 

 at her port of Oftend, and alfo ordered a proper eftablifhment of pilots 

 to be conftantly in readinefs for the fervice of (hips. 



About this time the emperor of Morocco compelled all the Chriftian 

 merchants, and alfo the European Jews, fettled at Tetuan, to remove 

 to Tangier, a place where there were no houfes ready for their recep- 

 tion. 



This fummer fome gentlemen in Virginia fubfcribed for the equip- 

 ment of a veflel to be fent upon an attempt for a north-weft paifage. 

 Under their aufpices Captain Wilder failed in the brig Diligence to the 

 latitude of 69" 1 1' in a large bay, which he fuppofed hitherto unknown. 

 He reported, that from the courfe of the tides he thought it very pro- 

 bable that there is a paflage, but that it is feldom free of ice, and 



therefor impafHible f But an impnff'able pnjjhge (if fuch language may 



be allowed) is no paflage for ftiips. 



But the impolfibility of finding fuch a paflage in any navigable fea 

 was at the fime time further demonftratcd by the return in this fum- 

 mer of Mr. Hearne, a naval ofRcer then in the fervice of the Hudfon's- 



* The duk* afterwards employed larger boatt, kept by the mafter, Tvherein his wife fcrvcs the 

 carrying from 80 to lio paflciiyers with accoinrao- ojinpaiiy with wine and oUicr retrelliments. 

 dations for different clalTcs .it the rates of i/, \fG, f This Virginia voyage of difcovery had efcap- 

 and J/b, and each prorided with a coffcc-houfe cd the diligence of Doetor Forfter, the hillorian of 



Toyages and difvroTcrics in the North. 



