Hurricane in New England, September, 1815. 249 



continued to increase in violence till 11, when the wind shifted 

 to S. ; the tornado then began to abate. At 12 o'clock, wind 

 veered to S. W. by S., when storm ceased. Another account : — 

 A storm of rain from N. E. commenced on Friday, (22d,) and 

 continued with little intermission till Saturday morning, (23d,) 

 when wind was from E. Between 8 and 9 o'clock wind shifted 

 S. E,, and continued to blow, increasing in violence, till 11^, 

 when it changed to W., and damage stayed. 



44. Poughkeepsie, iV. Y". Gale, but little or no damage done. 



45. Worcester, Mass. Thursday [Friday?] evening (21st) 

 [22d?] heavy storm (rain) commenced, with strong N. E. wind, 

 which had been blowing twenty four hours before from that quar- 

 ter. Early Saturday morning (23d) the wind increased, and raiii 

 descended in torrents, and continued with but short intermissions 

 until about 10| o'clock, when the rain abated and the wind sud- 

 denly shifted to S. E. and blew a hurricane, blowing down trees 

 and chimneys. We have traced a column of near sixty miles 

 in width, with nearly the same devastation. No parallel in this 

 country. Period of destruction about one hour. Wind came in 

 gusts with increasing violence until its utmost height, when it 

 gradually subsided to a gentle breeze. A suffocating current of 

 air, as from a hot bath, accompanied the middle stage of the tem- 

 pest. The destruction of forest trees incalculable. Grapes in a 

 garden had a taste of salt on their surface. Flocks of gulls were 

 seen after the storm on Saturday, in a meadow near Worcester, 

 and others about the same time in Grafton. Toward evening 

 they flew toward the sea. Water which fell in Uxbridge, Graf- 

 ton, Worcester and Sterling, salt. 



46. Boston, Mass. Storm of rain from N. E. commenced on 

 Friday, (22d) ; through the day moderate ; at night rain increased, 

 and wind somewhat violent. During the night it abated. Sat- 

 urday morning storm renewed its violence. Wind with accumu- 

 lating severity from E. till near 1 1 o'clock. At this time shifted 

 to S. E. but increased in violence until 12 o'clock, when it began 

 to abate, and between 1 and 2 o'clock shifted to S. W. At 2 

 o'clock danger from wind over, and at the close of the afternoon 

 it had entirely subsided. About 12 o'clock, two hours before 

 high water, when the gale from the S. E. was at its height, the 

 tide rose very high. After change of wind it did not continue to 

 rise ; the wind compelled a fall earlier than natural. Glass-house 



Vol. xLii, No. 2.— Jan.-March, 1842. 32 



