Frof. Farrar's account of the Storm of Srj?f. 53, 1815. 03 



other liglit suhstanccs; wliich were raised to a great height and 

 whirled ahont in eddies^ instead of being driven directly forward 

 as in ft common storm. Charles river rssed and foamed like the 



F 



sea ill a storm, and the spray was raised to the heighth of CO or 

 100 feet ill the form of thin white clouds, which were drifted along 

 in a kind of waves like snow in a violent snow storm. I attempt- 

 ed with several others to reach the river, but we were fre(j[uenlly 

 driven back by the force of the wind, and were obliged to screen 

 ourselves behind fences and trees or to advance obliquely. It was 

 impossible to stand firm in a place exposed to the full force of the 

 wind. While abroad, we found it necessary to keep moving; about, 

 and in passing from one place to another, we inclined our bodies 

 toward the wind, as if we were ascending a steep hill. It was 

 with great difficulty that we could hear each other speak at the 

 distance of two or three yards. The pressure of the wind W"a8 

 like that of a rapid current of water, and we moved about almost 

 as awkwardly as those do who attempt to wade in a stron^i; tide. 

 Tlie effects of this storm in many places were very terrible ; 

 much damage was done to the shipping in most of the harbours 



from New York to Eastport. Many vessels went ashore and 

 bilged, many were stoved to pieces against the wharves and 

 against each other. But the shifting of the wind prevented an ex. 



^ 



cessive tide in mo^t places. The sea had ri^icu unusually high 

 la Boston harbour two hours before the calendar time of high wa- 

 teh But the direction of the wind at this time tended to counter- 

 act the tide, and thus secured our principal seaports from that \ 

 awful calamity which threatened them.* Considerable losses 



* The town of Providence in Rhode Island was particularly exposed to the 

 effects of this storm. The wind blew directly «p the river on which it i« built 



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