On Periodical Freshes. 141 



the highlands; that he could remember four of those high 

 floods ; viz. in the years 1744, 1758, 1772, 1786, and 

 thai they had all been nearly of the same height ; and, to 

 his knowledge, there had been no freshes, in the interme- 

 diate times, as high by 6 or 7 feet ; therefore there would 

 certainly be another in the year 1800. He said ht gave 

 me 12 years warning ; and I had seen and could remem- 

 ber the great spring fresh in the year 1772 ; as aiso the 

 great fresh in September 1786, called the great pumpkin 

 fresh : yet I had not then full faith in Indian tradition. 

 Time passed on ; and none of our highest freshes reached 

 the mark of the last fresh by 7 or £ feet. In the spring of 

 1800, 1 was largely engaged in the lumber business ; and 

 anxious to have the lumber drawn as handy to put in the 

 water as possible. We had a tolerably deep snow ; and 

 there came on a heavy and steady warm rain for three 

 day a and nights, that raised the river to the mark of the 

 pumpkin fresh in the year 1786; it flowed over my 

 farm, swept off most of my fences and my lumber, to 

 a ver) large amount ; although every exertion was made 

 to save it. The Susquehanna also rose, and swept the 

 farms. 



As to its effects on agriculture ; my mowing ground 

 was all covered with mud, that smothered the grass for a 

 time, but on the whole proved an advantageous manure. 



I had a few acres of wheat on new ground, that 

 looked very well before the snow fell ; the back water 

 covered it for upwurds of twenty-four hours, and left it 

 also covered with mud : the consequence was, it turned 

 all to cheat ; and when harvest came, there was a heavy 

 load of cheat, and not a stalk of wheat to be found. 

 Strange as this may appear, Nicholas Depui, Esq. late 



