The Hurricane in St. Vincent. 59 
of huge waves against the rocks ! The folding cedar 
doors on this side defied every effort to keep them closed 
■ — locks, bolts, bars ; the table, side-board and sofa that 
were ranged against them all were swept aside, and they 
flew open in mockery of our puny efforts and various 
contrivances, the wind having free course and raging with 
the fury of a bursting cataract through the opening it 
had made. Many of my valuable books (you know what 
pains I took in their collection, and how carefully they 
have been always preserved), and several articles of 
furniture were still unremoved when the room began to 
shake violently and I perceived that all this part of the 
building must inevitably fall. I stood at the door between 
the inner and the front sitting rooms, and watching every 
opportunity rushed forwards, seized an armful of books, 
retreated to the doors and placed them in the hands of 
my wife and family to convey backwards and then 
returned. One mulatto domestic only followed me, and 
as I sometimes stood half way in doubt whether to 
proceed, I turned round and saw him trembling from 
head to foot with fear, and as pale as death. Again and 
again I darted forwards — closing the doors on my 
retreat as the gusts rose — and thus I fortunately suc- 
ceeded in carrying off every book, and most of the 
furniture. We then aimed for the large dining table, 
sofa, and remaining chairs ; but it was too late. The 
room began to rock like a cradle, the panes and frames 
of the windows to crack, and we hastily drew back to 
the chamber doors, which opened from the inner room, 
and there stood for an instant at the entrance : — it 
shook more violently — the rafters, beams, pillars, posts, 
all gave way and with one tremendous crash, amidst the 
H 2 
