i • 



370 HISTORY OP 



more and more in the north-west, and thus seemed to 

 make a stand, bemg opposed by the wmd from the 

 opposite points. At half-after four, they assumed a 

 frightful appearance, and at last a large crescent, with its 

 concave sides to the wind, and its inner edges tinged 

 with a dusky violet color. About five the wind veered 

 about to the north-west, which immediately gave motion 

 to the clouds, and discharged a most dreadful and destruc- 

 tive volley of hail. The storm then proceeded in a soutli- 

 east direction, at the rate of twelve miles an hour, 

 attended with a most dreadful noise, something like the 

 sounds of cannon, drums and bells mingled together.—- 

 The hail stones were of various dimensions, shapes and 

 forms. Some measured nine inches in circumfer- 

 ence, some seven, whilst others were not larger than 

 peas. As to their forms, some were of globular, some 

 spheroidical, surrounded with small excresences or knobs, 

 some eliptical, and some irregular and smooth, like pieces 

 of ice. Such as were globular, were endued with so 

 much elasticity, that they rebounded from the ground 

 like a tennis ball. This storm divided into several 

 branches, or veins, if I may use such terms, all which 

 kept the same course, but bent their fury mostly towards 

 the mountains hills and highlands. 



" At Susquehannah the hail was as large as pigeon^s 

 eggs ; at Lancaster about the size of peas ; at Dunker- 

 town, and in the valley, between the Welsh and Reading 

 hills, they were as large as turkey's eggs ; in some other 

 places, still larger ; and at Reading no hail appeared. — 

 The damage done by this storm is very great; the county 

 of Lancaster alone, it is thought, has suffered several 

 thousand pounds. In many places there is not a single 

 ear of wheat, rye, barley, &c. but what is cut off; and 

 nothing left but the green straw, bruised and beat to 



