A HURRICANE. 207 



Like the scythe of the destroying angel, it cuts everything by 

 the roots, as it were, with the careless ease of the experienced 

 mower. Each of its revolving sweeps collects a heap that 

 might be likened to the full sheaf which the husbandman flings 

 by his side. On it goes, with a wildness and fury that are 

 indescribable ; and when at last its frightful blasts have ceased, 

 nature, weeping and disconsolate, is left bereaved of her beauti- 

 ful offspring. In instances, even a full century is required 

 before, with all her powerful energies, she can repair her loss. 

 The planter has not only lost his mansion, his crops, and his 

 flocks, but he has to clear his lands anew, covered and entangled 

 as they are with the trunks and branches of trees, that are 

 everywhere strewn. The bark overtaken by the storm is cast 

 on the lee-shore, and if any are left to witness the fatal results 

 they are the ' wreckers ' alone, who, with inward delight, gaze 

 upon the melancholy spectacle. Our light bark shivered like a 

 leaf the instant the blast reached her sides. We thought she 

 had gone over ; but the next instant she was on the shore, and 

 now, in contemplation of the sublime and awful storm, I gazed 

 around me. The waters drifted like snow ; the tough mangroves 

 hid their tops amid their roots, and the loud roaring of the 

 waves driven among them blended with the howl of the tempest. 

 It was not rain that fell ; the masses of water flew in a hori- 

 zontal direction, and where a part of my body was exposed, I 

 felt as if a smart blow had been given me on it. But enough : 

 in half an hour it was over. The pure blue sky once more 

 embellished the heavens, and although it was now quite night, 

 we considered our situation a good one. The crew and some of 

 the party spent the night on board ; the pilot, myself, and one of 

 my assistants took to the heart of the mangroves, and having 

 found high land, we made a fire as well as we could, spread a 

 tarpaulin, and fixing our insect-bars over us, soon forgot in sleep 

 the horrors that had surrounded us. Next day the Marion pro- 

 ceeded on her cruize, and in a few more days, having anchored 

 in another safe harbour, we visited other keys, of which I will, 

 with your leave, give you a short account. 



" The deputy collector of Indian Isle gave me the use of his 

 pilot for a few weeks, and I was the more gratified by this, that 

 besides knowing him to be a good man and a perfect sailor, I 



