Images de page
PDF
ePub

in order. With this view, he carries in his pocket a mirror and a comb, that he may remedy, without delay, any disorder which might be occasioned by the wind, or by any unexpected friction.

The Persians were formerly accustomed to drink great quantities of coffee, and the coffee-houses which they frequented were uncommonly splendid and voluptuous. But they are now neither so numerous nor so much frequented, nor so beautiful as former. ly. During their civil disorders, they have abstained from frequenting houses where they could no longer converse with freedom, nor even appear without exposing themselves, to informations which might be fatal to them: they have gradually laid aside the use of a liquor which becomes daily more popular among the Turks.4

Opium is still more generally used in Persia than in Turkey; but it is taken with more moderation; there are fewer of those men who from their excessive use of it, are distinguished by a peculiar name (Therinkis.) The Persians have also shewn a greater inclination to transgress the Mahometan prohibition against wine; but the use of that article has been strictly forbidden by their late sovereigns.

In Persia, there is no title more honourable than that of learned, nor are there any places to which the man, who devotes himself to study, may not aspire. Accordingly, before the civil disorders, there was not a man in tolerable circumstances, who was not well informed, who did not furnish his son with masters of all kinds, and who did not himself snatch from his employments some moments of every day to devote to study. The Madresses, or colleges, are so numerous everywhere, and the expence of a scholar is so moderate, that the man who is not rich may at least send his sons to school, and direct them to learn, without expence, all that is taught there. Every college, at the time of its foundation, received from the king, or from some private individual, funds sufficient for maintaining its professors, for lodging its students, and for annually repairing its buildings.

In these madressés they are taught, as in Turkey, to read and write; but whereas the Turks confine themselves afterwards to cominenting on the Koran, the Persians teach grammar, the Arabic and Turkish languages, rhetoric, philosophy, and poetry.

Astrology is the science par excellence : there is not a great lord who does not keep astrologers by him; nor a private man, who does not consult them in all great enterprises. It is at present the most lucrative and respect ed of professions. The last Sophis had a great number of astrologers. Chardin reck ons at nearly £200,000 the revenues which this body enjoyed in his time.

RUSTIC LOYALTY ON BOTH SIDES THE CHANNEL

a

When the Duke of Clarence, then Prince William, was in the North Seas, as midshipman on board the Hebe, he often met Captain Rogers, of the Speedy sloop, then stationed at Yarmouth, to check the smugglers; and used frequently to visit him at his cottage. He one day persuaded Captain Rogers to make a little excursion with him into the country to see a race. They had neither horses to carry them, nor servants to attend them; but hired, as the prince proposed, two hackney horses at Yarmouth, and went alone. Before they got to the raceground, the prince's horse fell. The prince was thrown off, and received a very violent shock. Captain Rogers saw no signs of he in him; and believed he was dead. Greatly distressed, he took the prince up in his arms, and carried him by main strength to the nearest cottage, where he laid him on such a bed as he could procure. He was blooded as soon as any assistance could be had, but it was sometime before he came, perfectly to himself. As he lay upon the bed, pale and languid, his flaxen hair discomposed and tumbled about his face, a report spread in the neighbourhood that he was a young lady going off with her lover to Scotland; which entertained the prince much, when he recovered. The old woman who inhabited the cottage, on finding her mistake, and knowing the guest she had received, shewed the bed on which the prince lay to all the country, who came to see it at a penny a head: and while the novelty lasted, she turned it into a comfortable living. From the invincible inclination of our countrymen for the seeing of sights, we doubt not the old woman's ample reward for her hospitality. It ought to be added, that the prince expressed great gratitude to Captain Rogers, for the care and attention he had shewn him on this occasion.

A similar adventure we have heard related by the late Duke of Harcourt, governor of the Duc de Normandie, (son of the unfortunate Louis XVI.) who was murdered in the Temple at Paris. When that King visited Cher bourg (we believe in 1785 or 6) to see the cones at that place, be, in his journey thither, stopped at the Duke of Harcourt's, and slept one night. No sooner had His Majesty left the house of our noble friend, than the country people flocked to it, and demanded a sight of the bed; and in the excess of their loyalty for their Sovereign, numbers of them kissed the bed clothes that had served Mim for a covering. In this manner was the Duke's house assailed for some months after the departure of the king.

[ocr errors]

EXTREME INCLEMENCY OF THE WEA-
THER-THAW-INUNDATIONS WIND.
February, 1809.

flowed its banks, inundating all the fields between that place and Deptford: furniture of various descriptions was washed away, and carried through the creek into the Thames: parts of Lewisham and Deptford bridges were carried away; but it is a remarkable circumstance, that, while the Ravensborn rose to such a height, the Wandle River, which has its source within a hundred yards of the Ravensborn, did not overflow its banks, nor do the least damage: the Addiscombe brook, pool's, and which runs into the Wandle below Merton, rose ten feet, and laid Tooting under water: from that junction it swelled the Wandle.

which has its source at the late Earl of Liver

In our fourth volume, p. 1161, we had occasion to allude to the uncommon heats which, during certain days in July, had prevailed to degrees rarely known in this country. The damage done by that occurrence was considerable, and many lives were lost in consequence: but the course of the month of January has been distinguished by sufferings from the opposite cause, to a much greater amount. The continued snow was the occasion of many persons losing their way, and wandering, fatally for themselves, as In Scotland, the winter has been more severe the severity of the frost deprived them of motion, than it has been for the last forty years. The and thereby of life. A complete list of such accidents would amount to some hundreds. The thermometer, in a northerly direction, was at 11, suddenness of the thaw, by which the accumula-10, 9, 8, and even at 6. Many persons have perished, with great numbers of sheep.

tions of snow that fell at several times were all melted at the same time, has produced more extensive floods and inundations, than have been known for many years back. They are not, even now, wholly absorbed, but in many places the waters are still deep. The following may preserve the memory of this extraordinary occurrence: a full account, and estimate of the damages done, would amount to a prodigious

sum.

Thursday, Jan. 19th, the rain froze as it fell; and so stiffened the umbrellas in all parts of the Metropolis, that they could not be closed. The effects of this rain were particularly severe on the feathered tribe. It froze their pinions together, and rendered them incapable of flying they were seen lying on the ground, in great numbers, in different parts of the country. Nineteen rooks were taken up alive by one person, at Castle Eaton Meadow, Wilts: and at Leyburne, near Malling, Kent, a boy took up 27 rooks, 93 larks, 1 pheasant, and a bustard,

Sunday, Jan. 22, a thaw commenced, which increased rapidly on the succeeding days, and, from the accumulation of snow throughout the country, produced inundations very extensive and fatal in their consequences, in many parts of the kingdom.

In and near London, much damage has been sustained. At Battle Bridge, Gray's Inn Lane Road, the water on Wednesday 25 rushed into the houses, and the inhabitants were forced to fly to their upper stories for protection: the road could only be passed with great difficulty, by carts. In Dorset-street, Portman-square, the commonsewer was blown up, and left a dreadful chasm; and the houses in the neighbourhood were all under water. Near Kennington and Vauxhall, a torrent of water carried away furniture, trunks of trees, cattle, &c. and destroyed a great number of bridges.-The Clapham road was impassable: several houses were completely insulated by the waters, and the inhabitants unable to obtain provisions, Ravensborn River, at Lewisham, over

The inhabitants of Edmonton and Tottenham

suffered severely, chiefly from the overflow of the New River: the North Road was, more than once, under water, for upwards of a mile.

Selkirk, N. B.-On Saturday, the river Ettrick was much swelled by the great rain and thaw, it rose 14 inches higher than ever was remembered, and did considerable damage. The beautiful new bridge, built over the Yarrow, two miles from Selkirk, was swept entirely away.

Cumberland. The oldest person living does not remember the rivers Eden, Caldew, and Petteril to have attained a greater height, or occasioned more extensive and serious mischief. During the greater part of the week, the rain continued to fall. The rivers overflowed their banks, and inundated a vast expanse of country, presenting to the eye the appearance of one-immense lake, or rather sea, beautifully spotted The damage experienced is with little islets. Sluices, bridges, trees, fences, imimmense. mense quantities of soil, &c. were carried away by the impetuosity of the torrent. The bay at Netherby has been entirely destroyed: the weir forming this bay, is said to have cost upwards of £15,000. Armathwaite bay has also been demolished. Serious injury has been sustained at the bleaching premises in Denton Holm, 'belonging to Mr. Robson Clark. About 200 yards of the embankment, which served to prevent the incroachment of the Caldew upon the Holm, were carried away by the impetuosity of the

current.

an

Northumberland and Durham-By the melting of the snow in the west country, the river Tyne was, on Saturday and Sunday, sworn to alarming height. In the afternoon of the former day, the ice broke up at Newcastle, which, with the rapidity of the current, swept away every thing that obstructed its progress. Many boats and keels were carried away, and other damage sustained.

Shields harbour, on Thursday morning, exbibited one of the most distressing scenes ever witnessed by the oldest mariner. The pressure of ice was so great as to force almost every vessel from its moorings. Several of the vessels were wrecked, and most of them considerably damaged.

Sunderland harbour presented nearly a similar 2 S 2

scene. Two vessels were forced out of the harbour and driven on shore to the northward, where they still remain: 30 or 40 keels were carried to sea, and many of them have not yet been heard of.

Yorkshire. On the Wolds the snow was generally two feet, and in many places six or seven deep; and from falling so suddenly, and drifting with such violence, whole flocks of sheep were buried in it, and obliged, when found, to be dug out by the shepherds. Many farmers, however, have sustained great losses in their flocks.

The snow has since daily continued falling at intervals in considerable quantities; the mail coaches from Hull, Scarborough, and Whitby, have been stopped for several days.

The following particulars of the state of the thermometer on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, may prove interesting to some of our readers.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Yorkshire. From every part of the three Rid ings, we have received accounts of much damage having been sustained by the floods.

In York, occasioned by the late tnaw, the rivers Ouse and Foss overflowed to a very great extent; so much so, that great part of Skeldergate, Northstreet, the Water Lanes, Castlegate Postern, Walmgate, Marygate, &c. &c. have been inundated to a very considerable height, in the cellars and ground floors of the inhabitants.

The late sudden thaw, accompanied by heavy rains, has occasioned the greatest inundation that has happened at Nottingham for nearly 40 years, except that of 1795. The present flood was at the highest point about 11 o'clock on Saturday, the 28th ult. which height was 2 feet 74 inches lower than the great flood which happened on the 11th of February, 1795. No flood, we believe, ever rose more rapidly or has fallen more slowly, than the present one, which certainly increased both the danger and alarm it occasioned. The mischief it has done is considerable; especially where the evil is most felt, to the poorer inhabitants of the town.

Birmingham.-On Saturday a large stage waggon from Derby to this town, was upset in the water with which the road was covered, and most of the goods which it contained were damaged or spoiled.

Lincolnshire. The banks of the Witham burst in some places by the weight of the water, and all the circumjacent low lands were inundated. One of the old bridges has also been washed away.

Cambridgeshire. The fen country suffers very severely. There are four large breaches in the Hundred Fect Bank, three of which are very deep; two in the Old Bedford Bank, and a very

considerable part of that bank is cut to pieces by the violence of the wind on Sunday and Monday; one long breach in the Counter Wash Bank, against Manéa District. The water in the Hundred Feet Washes was higher last Saturday than ever was known, being six feet six inches deep on Mepal Causeway.

About 300 sacks were filled with earth and sand on the banks of the old Bedford River on Friday and Saturday se'nnight, at various places where the waters were then flowing over.-This proved effectual in saving that part of the country from a general deluge.

It is estimated that the inundation has extended more than 15 miles in length, and that above 250,000 acres of land are completely flooded.— The injury to individuals is almost jucalculable, as the quantity of stock kept on these fens is far greater than on the uplands; numbers of sheep have been lost, and the difficulty of finding food for those preserved is such that many persons have been compelled to seil them at a certain loss, particularly as it is so near yeaning time. Should the water not be drained off before seed-time, the loss to the occupiers throughout the several districts of the fens, will be little short of a million of money. Many persons removed their stacks of oats from the lands on to the embaukinent, but their labours proved ineffectual, as the high wind of Sunday se'nnight completely dispersed them.

Mr. Little, an opulent farmer of Welch's" dam, fortunately saved 700 sheep, by driving them out of the fen to uplands, not above an hour before the bank gulled.

--

Cambridge, Feb. 10. A meeting has been called of the Board of the Corporation of Bedford Level," to take into consideration the measures necessary to be adopted in consequence of the breaches occasioned by the late floods in the Banks of the Corporation ;" and Lord Hardwicke, as Lord-Lieutenant of the County, has addressed a letter to "the Proprietors and Occupiers of the Great Level of the Fens, in consequence of the recent calamity by the late floods and breaches of the banks," requesting them to meet him on the 15th inst, at Ely, "tor the purpose of considering the most effectual mode of alleviating the present distress, and, if possible, of preventing its recurrence."

Early on Friday morning, the Defiance Manchester stage-coach, on its way from London, was overturned upon the North Bridge, Newport. From the overflowing of the water, in consequence of the thaw, and the great rapidity of the current, several large holes had been washed in the bridge, but at the time of the accident were entirely imperceptible, so that no blame can possibly attach to the coachman. The passen gers, three insides, we are happy to state, sustained no material injury.

A very distressing accident happened early on Friday morning, in the vicinity of Stoney Strat ford, in consequence of the unusual height of a brook on the main road to town. The driver of Mr. Pickford's waggon, which goes to the Castle Inn, in Wood-street, supposing he could pass through the water with his team, made the attempt, when the waggon was overturned, and the driver and nine horses were drowned. The

depth of the water was so increased by the flood, that not a vestige of the waggon was to be seen upon the surface, and it was upwards of six hours before the accident was discovered. The waggon contained, besides various hosiery and other goods, a ton of cutlery from Sheffield.

The water has not been so high at Chelmsford since the year 1762, as it was on Wednesday. Half the town was covered with water; and it was two feet deep in the house of Mr. Woud, ironmonger, in the middle of the town.

Kent. The valleys and low lands, in the course of the rivers throughout this county, were completely inundated. At Maidstone, on Tuesday, the Medway rose higher in the High Street, than was ever before known by the oldest inhabitant; and the waters of the Otham branch of the river, which intersects the lower part of the town, rose to a height which cut off all communication with the opposite side. The vale of the Stour was completely inundated, both below and some miles above Canterbury.

Kingston-on-Thames was on Sunday so completely inundated, as to render it impassable by carriages: all the houses and offices next the Thames, were approachable only by boats; and, at Hampton Wick, Thames Ditton, Walton, and Sunbury, many cottages and buildings on the banks of the Thames were washed from their foundations.

Near Staines, early on Sunday morning, the Exeter mail-coach was suddenly overturned, and the coachman and guard thrown to a considerable distance: the passengers were, with difficulty, extricated the horses were disengaged from the coach the bags of letters sustained but little injury, and were conveyed in a post,chaise. The coach could not be got out. The whole country round is in the most distressed state, being covered with water from Chertsey to Maidenhead. In general, the water runs in torrents as high as the parlour windows, Numbers of poor inhabitants have lost nearly all their property, which has been carried away in the streams. In addition to their distress, the country is in such a state, that they are not able to do any work; many cannot get out of their houses to purchase food. The lower part of Egham is under water, and impassable.

Oxfordshire.-At Oxford, several streets were under water, particularly in St. Thomas's parish, where it ran in torrents, the inhabitants being obliged to remove to their upper apartments. The beautiful walks round Christ Church and Magdalen Meadows, which have been of late years considerably heightened, and judged to be above high-water mark, were completely covered. A part of the old bridge at Wheatley gave way, and the greatest apprehensions were entertained that the works carrying on there, for the improvement of that structure, could not stand the violence of such a rise of water, which was on Friday mea. sured at one time to be upwards of twelve feet above the bridge. The road from Oxford to Abingdon was, in many places, under water to the depth of four feet.

Berkshire. At Twyford, three bridges are so much damaged as to be rendered totally impassable. The mail and other coaches are under the necessity of taking the circuitous route of Henley.

The workshops of Mr. Phelp, coachmaker, adjoining the High Bridge, in Reading, were undermined by the current, and almost the whole de stroyed; the damage is estimated at near 8001. The water was upwards of four feet deep in the village of Pangbourn; and many other places were so much inundated, that many of the inhabitants were under the necessity of getting in and out of their one-pair of stairs windows; but we are happy to state, that we have not heard of any lives being lost..

Worcestershire.-The Severn overflowed its banks, and inundated the neighbouring country to an amazing extent. Torrents of water poured from the hills, in various directions, with such violence, as to sweep away every thing before it ; and the roads, in many places, are rendered totally impassable. A number of horses, sheep, and cattle have perished, from the owners not being able to get them off the low grounds before the water had surrounded them.

Gloucestershire. Incalculable mischief has been sustained by the loss of cattle, hay-ricks, &c. The lands, for miles, were inundated and impassable.

The streets and lanes in the lower part of Gloucester, were three or four feet deep, and the inhabitants were compelled to take refuge in their upper stories. For some days, the high causeway from the Westgate-bridge to Over and Maisemore was several feet under water; and such a rapid current running over it as to render passing unsafe, either in carriages or on horseback. On Saturday evening the inundation appeared at the height, when it was about six inches lower than the remarkable flood in February 1795.

The bodies of ten persons were taken out of the ruins of the houses destroyed in Buth by the inundation. During the height of the flood a cradle was observed floating down the current, in which an infant occasionally lifted its arms; the little innocent was, however, preserved by the intrepidity of some boatmen, and restored to its mother, a poor woman resident in Dolemead By a mark made at Monk's Mill, near the Grove, it appears that the water was exactly at the same height, on the 25th of January, 1725, as on the 25th of January last, between which periods (84 years) the flood at that place had never been once so high !.

Bath.-Upwards of 2,000l. have been subscribed in this city, for the relict of the sufferers by the late inundations in the neighbourhood.

Somersetshire.-At Bristol, the water extended through Rosemary-lane, Merchant-street, Kingstreet, and Broadmead; and, in many places, exceeded four feet in depth. In Newfoundlandstreet, and neighbourhood, the depth was more, considerably; and many of the inhabitants were supplied with food by boats, brought from the river. The flood was considerably higher than in April last. The fresh in the river was so sudden and furious, that it drove two trows against the burtresses of the temporary wooden bridge, between Clare-street and St. Augustine's Back, and forced it down with a tremendous crash: providentially, it was perceived to be in danger; and, as the by-standers cried out, Bridge! Bridge !" the passengers and spectators had time to escape. Wiltshire-At Salisbury, the water was deeper

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

than at any period since 1774. The street of lost, but the poor people living in cabins, at the Fisherton Anger was inundated, between the two south side of the bridge, have suffered consider. bridges, to the depth of 18 inches: the inhabi-ably, by the loss of their potatoes, corn, furniture, tants removed up stairs: carts were employed in &c. in some proportion to each, and the temporary the conveyance of those who quitted their houses. inconvenience of want of dwelling to all. Two houses, on the south side of the Close of Sarum, had the water a foot deep on the ground floor; and the cellars in the Close were generally filled with water, In Wilton, Downton, Fording bridge, &c. the inhabitants of several houses were obliged to take up their abode above stairs.

Drogheda. The unusual and heavy rains that have fallen from Saturday to last night, has caused the Boyne to overflow ail the flat grounds from Navan to this town. Our river was never remembered at a greater height; and, from the rapidity and strength of the current, it was with the utmost difficulty and care that the vessels at the quay kept their moorings. We understand several small bridges have been carried away in the counties of Meath and Louth, and other da mage sustained.

HIGH WINDS.

Devonshire. The waters of the Exe rose to a tremendous height. At Exeter, the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle, the Exe-Island, and the lands adjoining, were completely inundated. The streets in St. Thomas exhibited a most melancholy appearance: the shops were shut, being full of water, and the inhabitants obliged to berake themselves to their upper rooms. Trees, field-gates, wrecks of various descriptions, and a number of sheep, were borne away by the rapidity of the current. The water appears to have been about two inches higher than the memorable inundation in 1800, The tenter racks in the Bonhay and Shilley were completely covered, and many of them carried away, with the pieces in them. The great losses sustained by various individuals are truly distressing. Mr. Baker, farmer, of Exminster, lost forty sheep. In the town of Thorver ton, a brook of water rose in a manner unprecedentel, and threw down a cob wall: the obstruc❘ tion occasioned so sudden a swell, that the house Many houses in Exeter were completely unroo of Mr. Anthony, surgeon, was instantly over-ed, several chimnies blown down; and slates and whelmed the family were assisted out of the bricks falling in every direction, rendered it exwindows at midnight: one half the dwelling-tremely dangerous to pass the streets: the mahouse was completely washed away. The injury sustained in this part of the country is estimated at 30,0001.

Wales.-The floods, in several parts of the principaety, have been greater than were ever rememb red; but no very considerable private loss has been sustained, owing to the people having had time to remove their cattle, sheep, and other property, from the low grounds to more elevated situations. A great part of the town of Llanelly was inundated, and the water entered the house of an old man who had resided in it upwards of 54 years, without having before experienced such a visitation. Brecon was similarly circumstanced; and the bridge over the Usk at Crickhowell was carried away. The river Wye rose higher than has been known for many years, and the flood swept from its banks every thing that could not withtand its fury: vast quantities of timber and other articles floated through Chepstow-bridge.

Ireland.-Cork, Jan. 10. On Wednesday night last, there was a great fall of snow; and on Thurs day almost incessant rain, which caused such a flood in the Suir, as has not been remembered here for many years.-Boats were plying up and down the quays, and admittance into any of the stores was impossible. All the fields on the banks of the river were completely covered, and scarcely the vestige of a ditch or wall to be seen. The river Anner was so swelled at two-mile bridge, that the Dublin mail-coach, which should have left this yesterday morning at nine o'clock, was obliged to remain until after two. We have not heard, nor do we believe that any lives were

Sunday, Jan. 29, it blew a hurricane, which continued the next day, and did considerable damage in the metropolis, and other places. A woman passing along Hayes's-court, Soho, was killed by a tile striking her head. In Oxfordstreet also, a woman was so much hurt, from a similar cause, that her recovery is doubtful.→ On Monday night the shipping and craft of all descriptions on the River suffered great - damage, from the violence of the wind, and the number of tiers that broke adrift from the tower, downwards, through the pool, carrying all other shipping away that they came in contact with.

jestic row of trees which formed the avenue to Cowick-house, near that eity, is entirely destroyed; and in that field, and one adjoining, upwards of one hundred large elms, &c. are entirely rooted up, forming a scene which almost conveys to the mind the dreadful idea of an earthquake: the tops and lops of the fallen trees, (which become the property of the tenant) are valued at 2001. At Aylesbury, Henry, the eldest son of Mr. Sheriff, keeper of the gaol, was going up the court-yard of the prison, when the chimney of the debtor's hall fell upon him, and in a few moments rendered him lifeless his mangled remains were interred on Thursday. he was a fine young man, in his 24th year. At Winchester, a cluster of poplars, exceedingly high, were blown down near the College. At a village near Woodstock, the top of a wheat rick was lifted up and carried by the wind nearly half a mile, without being in the least scattered. A small building was blown down at Caerwent, in Monmouthshire, which fell upon a person of the name of Langley, who was standing near it, and crushed him to death: the unfortunate sufferer had buried his wife only on the preceding day.

On Monday evening, the wind blew from off thd Middle Storehouse, in his majesty's dock yards, at Hortsmouth, 5 tons 1 cwt. of lead, in three pieces. One piece, weighing 80 cwt, was carried by the violence of the gale across the road-way, to the distance of 111 feet; one pelce, weighing about 40 cwt. was driven to the distance of 112 feet; and the other peice, weighing 31 cwt. dropped in the road-way, at the distance of 75 feet.

« PrécédentContinuer »