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 — John Shaqi
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
Another unhappy Circumstance with which this Disaster was join'd, was a
prodigious Tide, which happen'd the next Day but one, and was occasion'd
by the Fury of the Winds: which is also a Demonstration, that the Winds
veer'd for Part of the Time to the Northward: and as it is observable,
and known by all that understand our Sea Affairs, that a North West Wind
makes the Highest Tide, so this blowing to the Northward, and that with
such unusual Violence, brought up the Sea raging in such a manner, that
in some Parts of _England_ 'twas incredible, the Water rising Six or
Eight Foot higher than it was ever known to do in the Memory of Man; by
which Ships were fleeted up upon the firm Land several Rods off from the
Banks, and an incredible Number of Cattle and People drown'd; as in the
Pursuit of this Story will appear.
It was a special Providence that so directed the Waters, that in the
River of _Thames_, the Tide, though it rise higher than usual, yet it
did not so prodigiously exceed; but the Height of them as it was, prov'd
very prejudicial to abundance of People whose Cellars and Ware-houses
were near the River; and had the Water risen a Foot higher, all the
Marshes and Levels on both sides the River had been over-flowed, and a
great part of the Cattle drowned.
Though the Storm abated with the rising of the Sun, it still blew
exceeding hard; so hard, that no Boats durst stir out on the River, but
on extraordinary Occasions: and about Three a Clock in the Afternoon,
the next Day being _Saturday_, it increas'd again, and we were in a
fresh Consternation, lest it should return with the same Violence. At
Four it blew an extreme Storm, with Sudden Gusts as violent as any time
of the Night; but as it came with a great black Cloud, and some Thunder,
it brought a hasty Shower of Rain which allay'd the Storm: so that in a
quarter of an Hour it went off, and only continued blowing as before.
This sort of Weather held all _Sabbath-Day_ and _Monday_, till on
_Tuesday_ Afternoon it encreased again; and all _Tuesday_ Night it blew
with such Fury, that many Families were afraid to go to Bed: And had not
the former terrible Night harden'd the People to all things less than it
self, this Night would have pass'd for a Storm fit to have been noted in
our Almanacks. Several Stacks of Chimneys that stood out the great
Storm, were blown down in this; several Ships which escap'd in the great
Storm, perish'd this Night; and several People who had repair'd their
Houses, had them untiled again. Not but that I may allow those Chimneys
that fell now might have been disabled before.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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