AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE
From the JAMAICA GAZETTE
Montego Bay, Oct. 7. Monday night the 2d inst. About 12 there came a storm of wind and rain which continued with unremitted perseverance and violence from the south east, until twelve o’clock on Tuesday; the weather then began to be a little moderate, and continued so much abated until between three and four o’clock in the evening, as to furnish no immediate indication of an approaching storm; and at four o’clock the wind seemed to be quite southerly, but increased (accompanied with incessant rain) to such an amazing degree, as, about dark, to threaten general ruin and destruction. The darkness of the night now added fresh horror to the general apprehensions, and a circumstance which, on ordinary occasions, would be considered as peculiarly terrifying—the immense and prodigious flashes of lightning which regularly succeeded each other, was an alleviation to the general consternation, and the only security to the very few whose particular situation permitted or inclined them to venture through the street, and afford comfort and relief to the distresses of their neighbours. From twelve o’clock, from the best of our information, and our own recollection, the storm began to abate, but the many instances of desolation and distress which even then presented themselves to our view, and which we began to be apprised of from different quarters of the town, afforded suggestions to the mind, which rendered the approach of the morn truly horrible.
It is impossible at present to recount the particular losses of every individual; many houses in this town have been destroyed; among the principal sufferers are, Mr. Vincent, doctor Muttershed, the estate of James Lugg, Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Asthert, and the barracks at Fort Frederick. The darkness of the night rendered it impossible to attend the fate of the ships Ladras, Adventurer, and Lenox, which were in the harbour when the storm commenced, the most probable and favourable conjecture which could be made upon their being missed in the morning, was their having put to sea in the night, and no symptoms of wrecks having yet appeared to discredit this conjecture, we are in hourly and impatient expectation of seeing them, or hearing of their being safe. All the smaller craft in the harbour, together with the ship Petersfield, which had been preserved and repaired after the shipwreck of last February, are all totally lost; and the brigantine Jane which had gone down a few days before to Great River, as a place of apparent safety, had been drove ashore, but we are informed will be got off with very little damage.