She had promised that morning to tell us of "the most tragic event that had ever been known on the north shore," and we now reminded her of her promise.
"Some call it the 'Yankee Storm,' and others the 'American Gale,'" she began, sitting down by Miss Reade and beaming, because the latter put her arm around her waist.

"It happened nearly forty years ago, in October of 1851.

Old Mr.Coles at the Harbour told me all about it.

He was a young man then and he says he can never forget that dreadful time.
You know in those days hundreds of American fishing schooners used to come down to the Gulf every summer to fish mackerel.

On one beautiful Saturday night in this October of 1851, more than one hundred of these vessels could be counted from Markdale Capes.