Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1831-09-09
DESTRUCTION OF BARBADOS.

A letter has been received by the collector
of the Port of New York, from John III. Mi |
ercken, Esq. American Consul at St. Pierre,
Martinique, giving the melancholy intelligence
of the almost entire destruction of the island OF
Barbados, on the 10Th of August. A violent
hurricane passed over the island at that time.
demolishing hundreds of buildings, and bury
ing their tenants beneath the ruins. One ac-
count states, that .f0e thousand human beings
haDe persisted, and that the dead bodies having
already began to purify, approximations were
entcrtained of some fatal malady from the efEu-
via which rises from the dead bodies. The sur
iviving inhabitants were engaged in the melan-
Echoly task Of burying the dead as rapidly as
they could be discovered from their sudden re-
positorics; but no hopes were entertained of the
Iresuscitation of the island to prosperity and
commercial activity, from the devastating raw
ages Of the storm. Hundreds of the inhabi-
tants who were, but few days before, affluent
land in the enjoyment Of all the comforts and
superhuities of life, are now houseless and in
want--their property utterly destroyed-and
themselvt S, in many cases, with fractured limbs
and inflicted wounds, from which recovery is
doubtful. Fathers and children have sunk in
hundreds to the same untimely and general
lgrave, and the entire island presents scene OF
terrible and melancholy ruin, as il the avenging
spirit of destruction had passed over it in ret
Iributon for long INDUCED, and hence severely
lexpiated crime. Many of the most reputable
and distinguished inhabitants, their wives and
+ children, are among the victims; and the ca
lamity is one of such terrible nature, that tht
survivors appear horfor-struck that they anc
: theirs should have been selected out for so Sc
we're a judgement or Neutrality-suspicious.. Ing.
: The following description of the hurrican
i. lis copied from the Barbados Mercury, co
lpy of which was forwarded by Mr.. Miercker
''On Wednesday evening, the 10th, about
n o'clock, the wind blew very fresh at North, tn
e clouds began to collect in the N. E. passing 9
: way in scuds as fast as they collected, with
Is rapidity of motion almost incredible. They con
/ tnued to do so until about o'clock, when tn
in sky became bright, and almost perfect call
e succeeded. AT about half past 10 o'clock, tn
is same fatal night, the wind again began to sPrln
/ I'M. blowing pretty fresh from the S. w. Shii
10 ting backwards and forwards from this porn
l. to ". W., and increasing in violence every IN
IS slant, and continued till about five the follow
ID ling morning, (by which time the work OF DIES
Is Itruction had been completely when it shifte
r again to S. Z. and blew exceedingly strong II
about half past eight, when it somewhat abate
Of in violence and gradually died away, leaving Il
Il whole island one UNMARRIED scene OF desolatlo
e, and distress. In Bridgetown there is scarce'
r. house which has escaped injury-hundree
ne have been RACED to the ground, and many
" their inhabitants buried under the ruins. otl
he ers unroofed and partly thrown down, so as