Account of a Remarkable Storm. 139 . 
the place. ‘Thousands of tons of earth, and stones, were al- 
so carried into the fields, south-west, south, and east, from 
the road, (the Kaaterskill turnpike,) which crosses the brook 
from twenty to forty rods above its mouth. A considera- 
ble tract of valuable arable land was ruined by this cause. 
About half a mile further up the Kaaterskill, and four 
miles from the town, the turnpike road, (called the little 
Delaware Turnpike,) to the Catskill mountains, crosses the 
stream. On the western side of the stream, at the distance 
of several rods from the bridge, is situated a pretty large 
well built dwelling house. Before sunset the water rose in 
the creek, at this place, nineteen feet above its usual level. 
The creek here is several rods in width, and the banks gen- 
erally pretty high. The water overflowed the banks so far 
as to surround the house to a considerable depth, and to 
threaten in the opinion of the owner, who is a judicious far- 
mer, the safety of his family. Under this apprehension he 
removed them to the high grounds a little west, where they 
remained in an open waggon, till the flood began to subside. 
Further up the Kaaterskill much mischief was done to sev- 
eral farms, along the banks. A large amount of hay was 
destroyed, much grain was injured, many sheep feeding on 
the intervals, and some neat cattle, were drowned; and va- 
rious tracts of valuable land covered with earth and stones. 
About one mile westward from the bridge which crosses 
the Kaaterskill, at the place last mentioned, and along the 
same turnpike road, a brook of inconsiderable size exists. 
It heads about a mile distant, in a north-western direction, 
and after crossing the road, runs about three quarters of a 
mile further, in a circuitous course, when it empties into the 
_Kaaterskill. Previously to the storm the bed of the brook 
was one or two yards in width. In the course of that day 
the water rose to such a height, and ran with such impetu- 
osity, that it wore a wide and deep ravine, extending through- 
out almost its whole course. It now resembles the bed of 
a considerahle river, and is said to be in many places about 
one hundred feet in width. Large ledges of rocks before 
invisible, and lying several feet under the soil, were laid 
bare. They generally run at right angles to the current. 
Huge portions from these ledges were undermined, and bro- 
ken off, by the force of the accumulated waters, and carried 
down stream to considerable distances. 1 measured one, 
