York Factory Joseph Colen
May 3 1788
..."Geese seen near the Factory as were Gulls and Plover, these last are a sure sign that the Ice upwards has given way tho we have no appearance at present on our River."
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York Factory Joseph Colen
May 5 1788
..." Labourers variously engaged, had the Cables fixed to all the Boats & secured in case of a sudden inundation on the Breaking up of the River Ice. part of the Sd Channel gave way this day & much water appears on the whole body"...

York Factory Joseph Colen
May 6 1788
..." In the Evening part of the Ice in Mid Channel gave way and near midnight water rose suddenly in the Creek many feet - Fired a Gun to alarm the Hunters at the Eastward to be on their Gaurd"

York Factory Joseph Colen
May 7 1788
..." Past midnight the River Ice broke up facing the Factory (with a loud explosion equal to thunder) pafsed rapidly down the River for some time but on its receiving a Check from the gound Ice below the Fishing Creek (which had not given way) caused a great swell, forced large peices up the Factory Creek, covered our Long Boat, broke down the Stockades & rose the water nearly on a level with the foundation of our Dwelling House. Many of the Men thro fear left the Factory & fled to the Woods for safety, about 3 AM the ground Ice gave way at the Fishing Creek and pafsed very furiously down the River for two hours driving large peices on shore and the Whole Body while in motion was far higher than the tops of our dwelling Houses - on its receiving a second Check at the Old Battery Bar (a sand so called) the weight broke thro this strong formed Ice on the Banks and poured in torrents upon us, our dwelling was laid two feet under Water - large fields of Ice drove within our Works carrying all before it and threatening destruction to us and our Buildings - Our Boats employed within the Stockades taken Men & necefsaries to the Woods - The Water kept gradually raising till 12 oClock (at which time it was five feet deep in our Dwelling House) when part of the Ice gave way & the whole body became in Motion & drove within 15 feet of out Works as lofty as the highest building - broke down the inner hoisting place & tore up the lower timbers thereof
"Secured many Articles of Trading Goods in the Boats & waited the event of this Tide - one of the Boats struck on the King post of the Stockades as she was pafsing over by the force of the Current and the Men narrowly escaped. in 1/2 an Hours time the water fell considerably - By 6 oClock all hands left the Factory (except myself Wm Smith?, James Grimbester, Mag. Flett, Jas Banks) to sleep in the Woods - sent several Casks of Powder in the Boats - the water being sufficiently deep to work with oars to Robsons Beacon
Considering the dangerous situation of these premises, the wreck & Ice floating around us entered a Canoe when it began to grow dark and placed our Boats etc at secure distances with Men to keep Watch to observe the Motions of the night Tide"

York Factory
May 8 1788
..."Frost so intense in the night it was with difficulty we kept ourselves from freezing. This mornings Tide rose the water higher by 6 Inches than the proceeding one & forced large peices of Ice over the plantation into the Woods with a great Noise - As soon as day appeared entered the Factory with the 4 Men as before & found (Blefs God) the premises safe. By 9 oClock the water fell 4 of 5 feet in the House. Examined the premises. The devastation is great in every Quarter of the Works and the prospect around is Mellancholy, distrefsing, and would by far exceed the most discriptive pen.
Engaged the whole day with the four Men saving and securing from the wreck such necefsary Articles as were within our management & reach. - A few of the Men came to the Factory for a few necefsary Articles and set off again almost immediately. Myself & 4 Men were the only persons who remained at the House
" The Ground Ice at the Battery Bar remains firm, that on the River much lower & water moderately lefsening"

York Factory
May 9 1788
..." This morning the Water fell to the lower floor of Dwelling House - Sent for all the Men (sick excepted) to afsist in drying Stores & provisions - Am happy to find that the lofs (tho great) will not be equal to what our fears suggested - As I had fortunately secured all the Dry Goods & perishable Goods in the upper lofts - Many of Pease & Oatgrot Casks burst by the swelling of the grain - but I hope I shall be able to save the greater part if please God to send us a few days fine Weather
After staying this days Tide took two Men with me in a Canoe thro Mefseergomerscums Path to try the Ground upwards and as water is true a level as can be found examined many places - At last met with a spot nearly one mile from the factory (more or lefs uncertain) the Ground of which appears many feet above the surface of the Water rose by this Deluge & extends in a Dry ridge upwards of a furlong in Length from the Banks of theRiver.
From the Accounts I had rec'd and Heard of the breaking up of the River Ice (which was but a feint discription to this I have been witnefs to) I acted with as much caution as I was Master of and provided in the best I was able in case of Accident and had all the Buildings ( I have hitherto erected) so constructed and bolted together that they can be removed at pleasure with only the trouble of taking down & putting up again. The Mens Flanker excepted which is built with Logs. even this I hope to force afsunder & convert to the same use without lofs of Timber. I intend with the Blefsing of God to fix a Foundation on the spot before mentioned it appears to me ? Eligible & safe from the breaking up of the River Ice which has forced a pafsage thro Sloops Creek and drove up several large Fields beyond Mefseergomerscums Bridge more than double the diameter mentioned in Mr Martens Journal the 11th May 1785 [..."Forty five feet long 21 Broad and fourteen high"...]on speaking of the Deluge that year - the whole creek from the River filled The Woods covered & Trees broke down with its weight a considerable distance from the Banks edge"...

York Factory
May 10 1788
..." Had all the Chests belonging to your Honors servants Inland examined & Contents dryed
"Blefs God the foundation and many parts of the Inner yard is left dry but around the Dwelling House is knee deep in Water - Saw an Indian coming down Mefseergomerscums Path - sent men in a Boat to bring him to the House, He says"..." the river is clear of Ice from the six Mile Island upward that this? Shores? are loaded with it"...

York Factory
May 11 1788
..." The Water fallen considerably this last night and at 9 oClock AM was at the Mark Mr Marten set up the Great Deluge 1785
"Sent for all the Men to come to the Factory with their Bedding etc etc. as all danger appeared over nearly all hands as before except a few who refused working on the Sabbath yet they were not so tenacious of their Concience in doing & working for themselves
" An Old Native & Son came down this Island as yesterday from Dram Creek with a Deer & a Goose they killed this morning which they traded. The old man was in a great consternation at the quantity of Ice around the Factory, declared he never saw anything so terrible before,"...
" In the Afternoon part of the Ice give way at the Old Battery House Barr and the whole body was in motion several times & lodged a Short distance below it the water fell off fast & the plantation in many places left dry"...

York Factory
May 12 1788
..." In the last night the Ice was in motion several times going down with a dreadful noise and by daylight this morning had a clear River in sight about a mile above us "..." By two oClock PM this Channel clear of Ice but Shores, Flatts & Islands loaded with it, lofty Piles left on the Plantation & Banks facing the Factory as high as the tops of our dwelling Houses and many large Fields drove thro the Woods several hundred yards behind the Works - Besides the upper Hoisting place broke down, find the Platform and stairs blown up, our Large Guns behind the Batteries over turned & two Swivels washed away with the ruins. Water fell this day 14 ft perpendicular yet our Long boat remains covered."

York Factory
May 13 1788
..." The Water fallen off so as to see our long boat which was emptied & it gives me pleasure to add she rec'd little damage"...

York Factory
May 27 1788
..." Several of the old Large gun Carriages notwithstanding the quantities of Iron work in them are now more than a quarter of a mile from the Factory drove with large fields of Ice"...

York Factory Joseph Colen
June 28 1788
..." Muskeattoes & large flies (called here the Bull Dog) very troublesome but we have this Summer a greater Enemy than either. in an insect resembling the Blue Bottle fly whose numbers is so great as to fill all our appartments with Vermin & even our Strongest pickle will not preserve our Salt Meat from their company. We judge the cause to proceed from the Deluge having left a foul sediment many inches deep."...
1M160 B.239/a/88

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