At the Hawkesbury, however, an accident occurred, which, although not so
ruinous to the colony at large as the drought, proved most destructive to
the settlers in that district. This river suddenly, and in the course of
a very few hours, swelled to the height of fifty feet above its common
level, and with such rapidity and power as to carry every thing before
it. The government store-house, which had been erected at the first
settling of this part of the country, was not out of the reach of this
inundation, and was swept away, with all the provisions that it
contained. Many of the inhabitants were taken off from the ridges of
their houses, by a few boats which they fortunately had among them, just
in time to save their lives; for most of the dwellings were inundated,
and the whole country appeared like an extensive lake. Many hogs, other
live stock, poultry, with much of the produce of the last unfortunate
harvest, and the domestic effects of the people, were hurried away by the
torrent.
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