Mobile, AL Freshet, Apr 1922

Mobile, (Alabama) April 29.

FRESHET. – Passengers in the steam boat Tensa, 6 days from Montgomery, say the long continuance of severe rains has swoln (sic) the Alabama beyond its banks, and that the whole country appeared to be literally under water. They stopped at Cahawba on Tuesday evening, and left there on Wednesday morning, at which time the town was entirely surrounded by water, and the inhabitants were obliged to make use of boats in crossing some of the streets – and the river was still rising. Two barges, the Mary Ann and Gen. Marion, bound up the river, with cargoes of merchandize, are said to have sunk between Cahawba and Portland. Three of the men belonging to the latter had succeeded in reaching a tree, from whence they were rescued by the Tensa – the others, four in number, attempted to swim ashore, and their fate was not known. The river is represented to be higher even that in the memorable Yaxoo fresh of 1796.
The Kennebunk Gazette of the 4th (illegible) states that an animal, which, when first discovered in the water had the appearance of the Sea Serpent, as described in former seasons, was captured in the harbor of Kennebunk on Thursday last. He was first seen and fired at on Wednesday, and slightly wounded; the next morning he was again seen by Mr. Isaac Wildes, who pursued him into shoal water, and threw a spear into his head, from which he soon extricated himself, and made for the boat, with his jaws extended, when Mr. Wildes thrust the spear into his mouth, and a boy who was with him dispatched the animal by beating him on the head with an oar. It proved to be an enormous Seal, weighing 370 pounds.

North Star, Danville, VT 6 Jun 1822
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Transcribed by Jenni Lanham.