The Sun.
London, England, 1828-07-23 00:00:00

TREMENDOUS HURRICANE.

The morning of Friday last was showery, inter-
spersed occasionally by partial gleanings from the
sun's rays, and the surrounding atmosphere was re-
markably sultry and oppressive. About noon the
,clouds appeared violently agitated, and some of them
assumed the peculiar form of what are generally
called thunder clouds ; the lower stratum was then
evidently nearing the earth, and every minute be-
coming more dense. One cloud, in particular, as-
sumed a dull lead colour, and was almost stationary
for some minutes. At this time some labourers at
work in a-field in Wyberton Fen noticed a remark-
able appearance in the hemisphere ; they state that
a. small cloud seemed suddenly to descend in the
shape of a column, and as suddenly a similar cloud
appeared to rise from the earth ; the two joined, and
formed a vast column, 40 yards in breadth, reaching
from the earth to. the clouds. The form continued
entirely perfeCt the whole period it remained in
sight; it was quite black, and at a distance very
much resembled smoke. When the column was
perfectly formed, the magnificent body advanced ra-
pidly in a direction from the south towards the
north•east, accompanied by a loud rushing sound,
which, as it approached our informants nearly re-
sembled the discharge of artillery. It was seen thus
advancing for several miles until it reached Wy-
berton Fen, which is only a short distance from
Boston ; there its power and ravages were distinctly
visible by several persons who were within a few
yards of its track.

Two labourers were employed in spreading ma-
nure upon a piece of land upon Mr. Clark's farm,
of Wyberton. They perceived the mighty column
approaching, and, filled with astonishment and ter-
ror, retreated in au opposite direction. The manure
which they had been spreading in two lines, was
'taken up by the whirlwind, and some of it carried
above an hundred yards. The terrific mass then.
crossed a wheat field, beating the corn close down to
the earth; as the young straw easily bent no' further
damage was done so the corn. The immense
breadth of the column is plainly discernible by its
track through the wheat, and from admeasurement is
found to exceed- forty yards, for which breadth the
Qom is levelled as though some ponderous body had
Pressed it to the earth. The north forty-foot drain
then interposed, but it speedily swept across, and
from the quantity of water it deposited immediately
afterwards, there can be little doubt but that it
drew up the entire body of water which spread
across its track. Arrived at the opposite shore, one of
• the principal scenes of devastation occurred. On the
north bank of the forty-foot, and very near the spot
where the whirlwind crossed the drain, a farm-house
and 'suitable buildings are situated, which was occupied
bYthe late Mi. Bamberger, now by Mr. Horsewood;
and on this farm considerable damage was dose.—
The column drew into its awful vortex a very heavy
cart, which it lifted with violence from the ground,
and carried with amazing velocity the distance of
42 yards, and then it was dashed with great force
to the earth; it alighted upon the shafts, which pe-
netrated nearly four feet into the ground. The whirl-
wind also took up an amazingly heavy roller from
the same farm-yard, which is used to level ploughed
land, and which requires four horses to draw it along
the ground ; this huge machine it raised from the
earth, and actually carried forward a distance of
twenty yards .I
Atter passing Mr. Horsewood's farm-yard, the
whirlwind proceeded over another wheat field, and
here it met. with a labourer, who could not retreat
sufficiently fast to entirely elude its power. The
accompanying air of course parto.ok of the vio-
lent motion of the whirlwind, and a portion of
this came in contact with the labourer's dress,
which it immediately set in motion.. He made
a violent effort, however, and springing for-
ward, eluded the terrible engine which would
in another . moment have caused his death. The
column then passed towards Mr. Pepper's farm,
where it . committed many devastations ; a large
apple tree, standing in the orchard, was literally drawn
up by the roots, and carried forward a considerable
distance. Fifteen geese were also taken from the
earth, to which they returned in a moment quite
dead. A great quantity of pigeons were killed in a
similar manner.--Boston Gazette.