Houses were levelled in an instant with the ground; many of the small dwellings were completely lifted from off their slight foundations, and carried by the wind to some distance. One old woman in particular had a narrow escape of her life. The house in which she resided was raised about five feet from the ground by the violence of the wind, hurried along with the greatest velocity for about the space of twenty feet across the road, and then placed in what was once a pond. Luckily, however, for the good old dame, the pond had been filled up, or, in all probability, her aerial flight would have finished her course of existence in this transitory sphere. The hurricane raged with unabated force until a little before nine, tearing up large trees by the roots, and snapping asunder others as if they had been twigs; when, suddenly, in a moment, the wind dropped. Not a sound was to be heard—not a single breeze was abroad: A deep, solemn silence reigned around—a silence which harrowed up every feeling of the soul, for it spoke of dire mishaps. This continued for some time, when again the wind returned with redoubled fury, as if its strength was recruited by the short respite it had gained, and shook the very earth. The hurricane raged until the sun got up, and then slowly and sullenly it sank to rest; until towards evening, nothing was to be heard but its sobs and sighs. A great many small vessels belonging to Antigua were sunk during the gale, and many poor mortals that night found— “Their death in the rushing blast, Their grave in the yawning sea.” ------ [66] Although in Antigua the tide does not ebb and flow more than from six to twelve inches in ordinary instances. [67] “Pic’nee” is the negro term for children. CHAPTER XVIII. Description of the town of St. John’s, the capital of Antigua— Situation—Arrangement of the streets—Hucksters—Houses—Springs— Small shops—Stores of the retail dealers—Grog-shops—Merchants’ stores and lumber yards—Definition of lumber—Auction sales— Scotch Row and Scotchmen—Incongruous display of goods—Fire in 1797—Ruins—Fire in 1841—Its devastations. St. John’s, the capital of Antigua, is situated on the west side of the island, and contains about 979 houses. It is built upon a slight declivity, and commands a beautiful view of the harbour, which is one of the prettiest in the West Indies.