NORTH AMERICA. 237 
our companions, who alfo faw its progrefs, as well as 
by my own obfervations after I came to the ground. 
This trader being near the place (before it had 
any vifible exiftence in its prefent appearance), 
about three years ago, as he was looking for feme 
horfes which he expected to find in thefe parts, 
on a fudden was aftonifhed by an inexpreffible 
rufhing noife, like a mighty hurricane or thunder 
ftorm; and looking round, he faw the earth over- 
flowed by torrents of water, which came, wave 
after wave, rufhing down a vale or plain very near 
him, which it filled with water, and foon began to 
overwhelm the higher grounds, attended with a ter- 
rific noife and tremor of the earth. Recovering 
from his firft furprife, he immediately refolved to 
proceed for the place from whence the noife feem- 
ed to come; and foon came in fight of the incom- 
parable fountain, and faw, with amazement, the 
floods rufhing upwards many feet high, and the ex- 
panding waters, which prevailed every way, fpread- 
ing themfelves far and near. He at length conclud- 
ed (he faid) that the fountains of the deep were 
again broken up, and that an univerfal deluge had 
commenced; and inftantly turned about and fled 
to alarm the town, about nine miles diftance: but 
before he could reach it, he met feveral of the 
inhabitants, who, already alarmed by the unufual 
noife, were hurrying on towards the place; upon 
which he returned with the Indians, taking their 
Hand on an eminence to watch its progrefs and the 
event. It continued to jet and flow in this manner 
for feveral days, forming a large, rapid creek or 
river, defeending and following the various courfes 
and windings of the valley, for the diftance of feven 
or eight miles, emptying itfelf into a vaft favanna, 
6 where 
