Part of a Letter from Mr. Samuel Bowdich, to Dr. William Musgrave, F. R. S. Giving an Account of a Woman Who Had Lain Fix Days Covered with Snow, without Receiving Any Nourishment, &c.

XXX. Part of a Letter from Mr. Samuel Bowdich, to Dr. William Musgrave, F. R. S. giving an Account of a Woman who had lain six Days covered with Snow, without receiving any Nourishment, &c. Chardstock, February 15. 1708-9. Joanna Crippen of Chardstock in Dorset, going hence on the 24th of January last (being Chard Market) to her Masters for Work, she being a Spinner of Yarn or Woosted, and coming homeward with some of her Neighbours, it snowing very hard, and being very deep, was forc'd into a poor Cottage for Shelter, desiring she might abide there in the Chimney-corner for that Night, offering a Penny to the Woman of the House, which she refus'd. The Persons that came with her, went to their respective Places of Abode, which were not far from the Place where she begg'd to lyce; so that she was alone, and had almost a Mile thence to her own Home, having no manner of Sustenance with her (as I noted before in my former) only a quarter of Tobacco, a Pound of Woosted Yarn, and three Pence in Copper, not so much as a Bit of Bread, Bisket, or the like. And being (as you may judge) forc'd out of this Place, was constrain'd to travel, as well as a poor tired Creature could, towards her own Home; but going not far from thence, was met with by a Man of our Parish, whose Name is express'd in the Narrative; who seeing her tumbling in the Snow a distance off, as he was going to his Home, and finding her lying in a Ditch, help'd her up, and bid her observe to go in his Track, which he observ'd she did indifferently well. But she had not gone a quarter of a Mile, before she was forc'd to lie down under a Hedge, having lost one of her Shoes, and her Cloaths, which were very mean, were with the Brambles and Thorns torn almost quite off her Back: In which Place she lay from Monday Evening about Six a Clock, until Sunday following about Four in the Afternoon; and then was discovered by sundry of our Neighbours, who went out with Poles, Shovels, &c. to search for her; and after some time spent in it, at last found her buried in four Foot of Snow or thereabouts, it being more than so much higher before the Thaw. One of the Men with his Pole thrusting at her, cry'd out, She was there; then the rest advanced up, and opening the Snow, one of the Men said, She was Alive. She immediately spoke, and beg'd he would not poot her too hard, (as she express'd it) for she was almost naked; and desired that some of the Women would come to her and take her forth, which accordingly was done; they finding her without Stockings or Shoes, an old Whittle about her Shoulders, with a large Hole in it, which she had eat through; the Snow melting down on her, which she drank to quench her Thirst. From thence she was brought near my Habitation, where the best Care has been taken of her. She had a Mortification on one of her great Toes, which now is in a good way of Recovery; and she now is very Hearty, and in a fair way of a perfect Recovery. She was very sensible at the first taking her out, and still continued so; she knowing every Body perfectly well. Her Tobacco and Three Pence were in her Pocket. Sir, You may assure your self, she had no manner of Food with her, as Bread, or any Eatable whatsoever. I have been been concerned with her ever since she was brought hither; so that you need not make a doubt of the Truth of it. I shall refer you to the other Narrative, subscribed by two Neighbouring Ministers, Church-Wardens and Overseers, with many others who were present at the finding her; which I judge will soon be published in Print. I am, &c. XXXI. An Account of the Subsiding, or Sinking down of Part of a Hill near Clogher in Ireland. Communicated by the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Clogher, F. R. S. Let S.T. in Tab. VI. Fig. 1. represent part of the Tab. VI. Ridge of an Hill, gradually rising from S to T, for near half a Mile; and S.T.W.U. the North side of the Hill, with a Declivity from S. to U. and from T. to W. The Perpendicular Height at X. to the Plain of the Bottom at Y. 150 Feet, and the Slope Line or Hypotenuse X.Y. 630 Feet. The Declivity pretty uniform from X. to L, and from L. to Y. considerably steeper: The Bank A.E.F.D. overgrown with Shrubby Wood: All the Ground on the side of the Hill being firm, green, and Arable; of a mix'd Soil, Clay and Gravel, but more Clayey. On Tuesday the 10th of March, 1712-13. in the Morning, the People observ'd a Crack in the Ground like a Furrow made with a Plough, going round from A. by B.C. to D. They imputed this to (what they call) a Thunderbolt; because there had been Thunder and Lightning on Monday Night. But on Tuesday Evening