Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-18

and l23 horses taken by the English. ne
loss of the English was very small, amounting
to about SIS men and A horses killed, wound
ed and missing. ". 7. E. Post.
From TIE Barbados Mercury Of Nay 9.
II Je,,;-ual at the l8t Of May, taken In The Pa
r7Sh Of 81. Peter, bordering OH the Parish Of
81. IudyeE-the ttnse included from half
fa&t tzuelus H. RI to str p. M
At hail pass q A. NJ. heavy dark cloud
obscured the Heavens completely, hanging so
low as apparently to touch the ground except
in the S. and n L. where there was a fine Light
blue tint, which closed in at half past l A. NJ
when darkness visibly overspread this part OF
the Island at this period sandy grit began
to fall in small quantities AT two A. NJ ex-
plosion5 heard to the southwark and westward !,
resembling two frigates exchanging broad
sides, to the amount of eighteen or twenty -
went to the top of the house, but could per-
ceive no flashes, though the soGnd seemed suf-
Gciently near-llght being perceptibe at a
much greater distance than sound can be
heard ;-the sandy grit converted into ashes,
silently falling. From two to six a. NJ. low,
murmuring, hollow, distant thunder; but no
lightning seen, except the vivid flashes which
preceded two nearer Peals. Between these
periods, smart squalls with rain and ashes mix
ed, from the eastward, which seldom lasted
above forty seconds, the ashes bearing great
or proportion than the rain in this compost
tion.--At half past five A. NJ. small gliR,-
mering in the s. and S. L. resembling the ap-
pcarance of day light, but did not last ten
minutes before the atmosphere was complete
ly obScured again, and the darkness more IN
tense, if that was possIble.--At halt past SIX
A NJ heavy fall of ashes, with light breezes,
and hollow, low, undulating noise to the
nor,hw ard expecting an earthquake, quilted
the house. and retired to wattled negro hut.
From six to eight A. NJ. light breezes, with
squalls Of ashes and rain, of the same descrip-
ton and duration as mentioned before. Dur
ing these last two hours, meteors resembling
globes Of fire, about the size OF a 3 inch shell,
appeared in the N. Z. and N. n. E. to the a.
mount of ten or twelve, crossing each other
in every direction, occasionally appearing and
disappearing for the space of an hour and a
half so incessant falling Of ashes, as to
render it impossible to face the eastwagd.-At
nine A. NJ. the sky to the northward assumed
purple, torrid appearance, greatly resem-
bling vast town at distance on FIRE, accom-
panied by tremuious motion resembling the
Auro ora BoreaHs-the horrid glare OF this sky
made the surrounding darkness more awfully
dreadful: the sky to the southwark, in the d.
rection towards Bridge Town, had occasion
ally the same colour, only the tlnge much
fainter, attended with no motion :--this sky
never approached in any direction, by my cal
cuation, nearer than seven miles: as have
no data TO go on, this is mere matter Of con-
iecture-From nine A. III. to twelve at noon,
light breezes and constant and heavy fall of
ten A. NJ large fight of birds
passed over the hut, flying SO very low, that
the huttering of their wings was distinctly
heard. The notes of these binds resembled
the yelping Of puppies. When day hghtto
place, they proved to be marine birds called
Men-of-War, and Coolers; SO loaded with
ashes they could scarcely raise themselves
from the ground. Alta quarter past twelve
P. NJ. day light appeared Immediately over
our heads; half past twelve, the form of the
sun, obscured in clouds, in the same place
At one P. NJ. day light returned to my own
house From one A. NJ to half past twelve
M the wind F. to F. F. lipht gentle !