The Argosy — page 165: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Tye Ames, Lit a West India Hurricane. 15t ‘ “Who could witness such a scene without recalling to his mind the stirring words of the old Jewish poet? Who see and feel all this, with- out being painfully conscious of his own impotence in such a situation ? At such a time we do feel that the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth; that His hand was even now being felt in the deep places of the earth; that the mountains trembled at His presence; at the voice of His thunder the earth shook, and the foundations of the hills were moved. “At this moment we were all startled by a terrific blast, followed by shrieks and cries; a loud report, and the crashing and rending ‘of timbers. In another instant the room was filled by a lot of negroes, men and women, in whose faces were depicted consternation and terror. ‘“‘In vain my host asked for an explanation ; they were all too much confounded to answer, and we passed out to the back of the house. Here, by the aid of the electric fluid, we saw that the kitchen and some of the out-houses had fallen, carrying with them a portion of the house. ‘Nothing could be done under such circumstances, and we were obliged to return to the saloon. “ At this time the astounding roar of the hurricane which rushed down upon us cannot be described. The whole house trembled and rocked, and the earth beneath us seemed to vibrate as the destroying blast raged over it. No thunder could now be heard. Had the cannons of a hundred contending armies been discharged simultaneously, or the most tremendous thunder-claps crashed and rattled over our heads, their sounds could not have been heard, the roaring and yelling of the wind was so appalling. “We all sat amazed, paralysed, and in a state of stupor; our faculties were for the time utterly confounded. ‘“‘T have omitted to mention the minor discomforts, such as the blowing in of windows, and the rapid incursions of the rain, for we still had a roof above our heads, and walls to shelter us from the blast ; but these were soon to be taken from us. ‘¢ About three o’clock, the wind for a short time abated, but this was followed by one of those tremendous bursts which had previously caused us so much terror; this one, however, came with accumulated fury, and in an instant the roof was borne away, the room was in dark- ness, and we were deluged with falling slates and a torrent of water. “The next flash of lightning revealed to us the perilous nature of our position. The walls of the house were cracked in various places, and if we did not want to be overwhelmed and crushed by them, we must seek shelter elsewhere ; but where was this to be found ? “In her terror, Julia had clung to me, and was almost fainting in my arms. Now more than ever I felt the imminence of our peril; but Julia must be saved at all nsks. Where to seek for safety, I could not NOOKS, CORN __________— (CONN G