THE HURRICANE. 263 



occasioned by the violent gusts which sometimes sweep over the country. 

 Turning instinctively toward the direction from wliich the wind blew, I 

 saw, to my great astonishment, that the noblest trees of the forest bent 

 their lofty heads for a while, and unable to stand against the blast, were 

 falling into pieces. First, the branches were broken off with a crackhng 

 noise ; then went the upper part of the massy trunks ; and in many places 

 whole trees of gigantic size were falling entire to the ground. So rapid 

 was the progress of the storm, that before I could think of taking mea- 

 sures to insure my safety, the hurricane was passing opposite the place 

 Avhere I stood. Never can I forget the scene which at that moment pre- 

 sented itself The tops of the trees were seen moving in the strangest 

 manner, in the central current of the tempest, which carried along with it 

 a mingled mass of twigs and foliage, that completely obscured the view. 

 Some of the largest trees were seen bending and writhing under the gale ; 

 others suddenly snapped across ; and many, after a momentary resistance, 

 fell uprooted to the earth. The mass of branches, twigs, foliage and dust 

 that moved through the air, was whirled onwards like a cloud of feathers, 

 and on passing, disclosed a wide spare filled with fallen trees, naked 

 stumps, and heaps of shapeless ruins, which marked the path of the tem- 

 pest. This space was about a fourth of a mile in breadth, and to my 

 imagination resembled the dried-up bed of the Mississippi, with its 

 thousands of planters and sawyers, strewed in the sand, and inchned in 

 various degrees. The horrible noise resembled that of the great cataracts 

 of Niagara, and as it howled along in the track of the desolating tempest, 

 produced a feeling in my mind which it were impossible to describe. 



The principal force of the hurricane was now over, although milKons 

 of twigs and small branches, that had been brought from a great distance, 

 were seen following the blast, as if drawn onwards by some mysterious 

 power. They even floated in the air for some hours after, as if supported 

 by the thick mass of dust that rose high above the ground. The sky had 

 now a greenish lurid hue, and an extremely disagreeable sulphureous 

 odour was diffused in the atmosphere. I waited in amazement, having 

 sustained no material injury, until nature at length resumed her wonted 

 aspect. For some moments, I felt undetermined whether I should return 

 to Morgantown, or attempt to force my way through the wrecks of the 

 tempest. My business, however, being of an urgent nature, I ventured 

 into the path of the storm, and after encountering innumerable difficul- 

 ties, succeeded in crossing it. I was obliged to lead my horse by the 



