Notes upofi the Dark Days of Canada. 229 



tion of the Phoenix on that day), were enveloped in similar 

 darkness, by ^' a westerly wind with some northing ^ for if a 

 map of the Gulf of St Lawrence and the adjacent coasts be in- 

 spected, and the position of Captain Payne's ship, of the Sir 

 William Heathcote transport, and her consort, and of the 

 Phoenix, be considered, it will be evident that the wind, as well 

 on the 2d as on the 3d day of July, traversed the Labrador 

 territory, producing in two different directions from that terri- 

 tory the same effects. 



The existence of volcanos in the north of Europe, particular- 

 ly Hecia and Jan Mayen, afford ground for the belief, that 

 volcanos may also be found to exist in the north of the Ameri- 

 can continent. The north shore of the St Lawrence appears 

 also to exhibit proofs of volcanic action. Malbaic, the Eboule- 

 ments, and perhaps the promontory of Quebec, may be cited in 

 support of this assertion ; and the frequent recurrence of slight 

 shocks of earthquakes in the places first enumerated, may be 

 mentioned as facts from which a continuance of this volcanic 

 action may be inferred. There is, moreover, a good deal of 

 coincidence in the facts stated in the preceding narratives of the 

 dark days, and those which are stated by Charlevoix, in his 

 description of the earthquake in 1663, which is generally sup- 

 posed to have been of volcanic origin. " A Tadoussac'' (says 

 he), " II pleut de la cendre pendant six heures,*" — tom. i. 

 p. 367. And in page i^66, he adds, " Une poussiere qui Televa 

 fut prise pour une fumee, et fit craindre un embrasement 

 universe 1."" 



I will only add, that among the Indian tribes on the north 

 shores of the St Lawrence, a traditional belief of the existence of 

 a volcano in the Labrador country is said to prevail ; but of the 

 truth of this assertion, common report is the only evidence I can 

 offer, except indeed to those who may still be inclined to be- 

 lieve that basalt may ultimately be found to be a volcanic and 

 not an aqueous production, for by such persons the recent dis- 

 covery of basaltic columns on the coast of Labrador, described 

 in the first volume of the transactions of this society *, may be 

 considered to afford some further proof of the authenticity of 

 this tradition. — Trans, of the Lit. and Hist. Soc. of Quebec, 

 vol. ii. p. 230. 



• Page 71 to 73. 



