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upper mountain. All the inhabitants were then in 
their houfes, except one Jofeph Rochia, a man of 
about 50, who with his fon a lad of 15, were 
on the roof of his houfe, endeavouring to clear 
away the fnow, which had fallen without any inter- 
rniffion for three preceding days. A pried going by 
to mafs advifed him to come down, having juft be- 
fore obferved a body of fnow tumbling not far di- 
stant from the faid Rochia’s houfe, but which being 
not large had done no harm. The man imagining 
this fmail mafs would be followed by larger ones, 
got down from the roof with great precipitation, and 
fled with his fon he knew not whither : but fcarce 
had he got thirty or forty fteps, before his fon, who 
followed him, fell down : on which looking back, 
he faw his own houfe and thofe of his neighbours 
covered with an high mountain of fnow. He lifted 
up his fon, and then reflecting that his wife, his 
lifter, two of his children, and all his effeds, were 
buried under this vaftheapof fnow, he fainted away; 
but foon after recovering got fa fe to a friend’s houfe. 
Two-and- twenty perfons were buried under this 
vaft mafs of fnow, which was 60 Englifti feet in 
height, infomuch that many men, who were ordered 
to give them all poflible aftiftance, defpaired of being 
able to do them the leaft fervice. 
After five days, Jofeph Rochia having recovered 
of his fright, and being able to work, got upon the 
fnow (with his fon, and two brothers of his wife) to 
try if they could find the exaCt place under which 
his houfe and liable were buried ; but though many 
openings were made in the fnow, they could not 
find the delired place. However the month of 
Vol. 49. yl April 
