Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-09-07
RUlNOUs HURRICANE AT BARB.nor,
IMMENSE LOSS OF LIVES

Immense LOSS OF LIVES.
The New York Post contains letter firm,
consulate Of the United States at Martinique ;n,
received by the collector of New York. ,c.'-
panied by Gazette extraordinary, issued f..
the Barbados Mercury office, beariu, dat. 4.
Is, giving an account OF the ravaecs ., IN. of.s
most terrible hurricanes of which we renrmh,.,
have heard 1t passed over the IL flted island y,
Barbados on the Light Of tie 10Th inst. and !,
eight hours Iett it desU,atc, covered with r,;.
and dead bodies. a letter to the Amer;c,, -
sui at Martinique. dated Aug. 18th, savs-.TT
island, much fear is :uned, and it wi1h.;~
possible for us to recover"
/ Consulate qfthe U. States of .4msri,o
Sr. PIERRE, MARrINIerE, 18th Aug. Isr (
! Sn-The British Government brig, the ..n,
of York." has this moment arrived from P'' ~
does, bringing the paiG!u intelligence ,b,, w.,
island had been almost entirely DESTROYED H." '
hurricane on the 10 inst Fortunately ib,,s:
tanned apaper, which now forward. /. bnrs.'
gives but poor idea Of the damages and I0,..
sustained, as appears from the memorandn~
the 5ackby gentleman Of high respectable
Private letters estimate the number of Ike.
at between tour and five thousand; and srea, fs,,
are entertained lest the effiu,ia from tic h0S'
under the ruins. putretaction HAVING ,lrs,J,
commenced) may add disease to famine and ,,';
Many Of the inhabitants whu have ever hoo,
customed to the Iuxurics Of life are row v;,t.,.
clothing or shelter. Referring YOU to the rss
paper, have the honor to b., sir, in haste ~,
obedent servant,
JOHN s. MEIRCKEy
To the collector Of any port N he Taa.
The following IS a description of the huo,,,
and its devastations which We copy from lie E,
Zette above mentloned:
Son Wednesday evening, the 10th. ,bo,.
O'Clock, the wind blew very fresh at N,r1L 4.
clouds began to collect thick in the n. +, n,s
ing away in scuds as fas. as they collected q,
"A rapidty of motion almost incredible. n.
continued TO do SO until about 9 O'Clock VI.
the sky became bright, and almost perftctu i
succeeded. At about half past 10 O'Clock. +, |
same fatal night, the wind again bean 70 ,p,,, I
up, blowing pretty fresh from the :. ". shiGr
backwards and forwards from b, point TO MIL
and increasing in violence every Instant. auJrr !
tInucd till about five the following morning ME
which time the work of destruction had Ill
completely when it shifted again to 5. F.. Ill
blew exceedingly strong I'LL about halfpastetE
when it somewhat abated In violence, aud Grad,
| ally died away. leaving the whole island one o.
varied scene OF des0latlon and distress.
| BridgetOwn there is scarcely a house which y
escaped injury hundreds have been ra.ed up
ground, and many Of their inhabitants buriedr
der the ruins; others unroofed and partly thu,
down, 50 a. to be completely untenantabe- !
Trees OF immense size were either upted
the roots or bereft Of their branches All hers
sells in CarlIsIe's Bay we're driven from d.I
mornings and thrown on shore. At the outmd =
in Speights, the Hole and Oistin's towns em
house has either been thrown down or rendsrI
untenantable-their inhabitants sharing 10 n
fate OF the numberless victims who have bs d
crushed to death. In the country, the wIlOefa
Of nature is changed-on the plantations iIm,
without single exception, the buildings, nil,
and negro houses have betn destroyed, aEdm
of them have suffered materially in sIays %
cattle.
The provisions which had been house,
well as the standing corn and canes in the fsa
have been SO completely destroyed a, .lr'
to leave vestige behind; and, to add 10 T.
heart-rending picture, at this moment n'O'
the estates are without single article Of Oa
any kind. No force Of language can indeed ID Il
vey an idea Of the horror aud dIstres. s's
where observable throughout the i.lnnd,
which, every way the eye is turned. The n
grows dim and the heart becomes faint at
saddening and sorrowfuI picture. Many o.
opulent and respectable families, as well nn
OF the middlng and poorer, by this me 'na'
catastrophe, have thus been driven OUT de'O'
OF a cOverIug-many who, the day before I"
surrounded by their families and comforts N
no where TO lay their heads.
"up to this moment the number Of A''S
not been ascertainc,l, nor all the unfoltunasd1
lures who have been inhumed in the fallen 90
lings taken from beneath them. The intern
time between Thursday morning and heP's z
has been employed by The living 10 buyi.
dead. The bodies which have been dItsS
have been borne through the streets to Def :
and narrow homes in cofins trees, ard WI,
err else could be obtained for them. AmGa
berless other distressing cases Of this kinI'
our painful duty TO notice the melancholy"
deputy f-commissionary general f'D
who, with his vile, five children, hI' ne"
fyn cnryanrs verp all IN, rod under tie lA"