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as might be expected ; the snow which was over five 

 feet deep, was quickly melted ; every stream as sud- 

 denly became a river ; and every river threatened to 

 become an ocean. The Connecticut river was very 

 soon raised almost to a level with its banks, and the 

 ice which was two and a half feet thick, was borne 

 away by the current in the most terrifick majesty ; for 

 wherever it was impeded in its progress, by an island, 

 or the narrowing of the shores of the river, it was 

 broken up, and immense masses raised into the air, 

 until their elevated positions, preponderating over 

 their floating foundations, were left to fall on the sur- 

 rounding ice with a report, equal in some instances to 

 that of small pieces of ordnance. 



This scene of awful grandeur was extended for 

 miles to the north and south, and while thousands 

 were contemplating the frightful spectacle, the ice, 

 being very solid, and hurried on by a powerful cur- 

 rent, became obstructed at the mouth of the straits 

 twenty-five miles below near Middletown, and the 

 whole force of the river for a short time was impeded : 

 the water set back and upwards, and enormous masses 

 of ice were hurried over the banks of the river, into 

 the creeks and larger streams to a considerable dis- 

 tance from the river, Lito the meadows and low 

 grounds : when on a sudden, from the pressure above, 

 the obstruction at the straits gave way, and this threat- 

 ening appearance almost in a minute vanished : the 

 water fell to its natual state, and left huge masses of 

 transparent ice in. the meadows and intervales, to be 



