The Storm: or, a Collection of the most Remarkable Casualties and Disasters which Happen'd in the Late Dreadful Tempest, both by Sea and LandDefoe, Daniel
History
The Storm: or, a Collection of the most Remarkable Casualties and Disasters which Happen'd in the Late Dreadful Tempest, both by Sea and Land
Defoe, Daniel
Storms -- Early works to 1800
From Two of the Clock the Storm continued, and encreased till Five in
the Morning; and from Five, to half an Hour after Six, it blew with the
greatest Violence: the Fury of it was so exceeding great for that
particular Hour and half, that if it had not abated as it did, nothing
could have stood its Violence much longer.
In this last Part of the Time the greatest Part of the Damage was done:
Several Ships that rode it out till now, gave up all; for no Anchor
could hold. Even the Ships in the River of _Thames_ were all blown away
from their Moorings, and from _Execution-Dock_ to _Lime-House Hole_
there was but our Ships that rid it out, the rest were driven down into
the _Bite_, as the Sailors call it, from _Bell-Wharf_ to _Lime-House_;
where they were huddeld together and drove on Shore, Heads and Sterns,
one upon another, in such a manner, as any one would have thought it had
been impossible: and the Damage done on that Account was incredible.
Together with the Violence of the Wind, the Darkness of the Night added
to the Terror of it; and as it was just New Moon, the Spring Tides being
then up at about Four a Clock, made the Vessels, which were a-float in
the River, drive the farther up upon the Shore: of all which, in the
Process of this Story, we shall find very strange Instances.
The Points from whence the Wind blew, are variously reported from
various Hands: 'Tis certain, it blew all the Day before at S.W. and I
thought it continued so till about Two a Clock; when, as near as I could
judge by the Impressions it made on the House, for we durst not look
out, it veer'd to the S.S.W. then to the W. and about Six a Clock to
W. by N. and still the more Northward it shifted, the harder it blew,
till it shifted again Southerly about Seven a Clock; and as it did so,
it gradually abated.
About Eight a Clock in the Morning it ceased so much, that our Fears
were also abated, and People began to peep out of Doors; but 'tis
impossible to express the Concern that appear'd in every Place: the
Distraction and Fury of the Night was visible in the Faces of the
People, and every Body's first Work was to visit and enquire after
Friends and Relations. The next Day or Two was almost entirely spent in
the Curiosity of the People, in viewing the Havock the Storm had made,
which was so universal in _London_, and especially in the Out-Parts,
that nothing can be said sufficient to describe it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account