MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. TZ 
SMOKE.—In June, 1849, the wind prevailed much from 
the north and north-west, and for a whole week, viz., from 
the 12th to the 18th of that month, the Bermudas were en- 
veloped in a white mist, not unlike London smoke, and 
which was found by the Royal Mail steam-packet to extend 
from the port of New York to those islands. This mist 
deadened and obscured the rays of the sun, causing it to 
shine with greatly diminished power. Many persons 
considered the mist to be sea fog, while others pronounced 
it to be smoke. 
Subsequent intelligence proved it to be smoke, arising 
from fires which had been raging for some weeks in the 
forests of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Ed- 
ward Island, and which the prevalence of northerly winds 
had driven across the ocean to the Bermudas, a distance of 
full seven or eight hundred miles. 
These fires were all induced by the extreme dryness of 
the season in the British North American Colonies. 
The following extract from the “ Prince Edward Island 
Gazette,” of June 19th, 1849, bears upon the subject :— 
“Fires have been raging in the woods in all directions 
for the last fortnight, and have caused serious apprehensions 
that, not only the wood would be destroyed, but that fences, 
houses, barns, and even crops would be swept off by the 
devouring element ; the atmosphere being surcharged with 
smoke to an unprecedented degree. We regret to say, that 
rumours have reached us that, in some localities, these ap- 
prehensions have been, to a degree, realized. In the neigh- 
bourhood of Bedeque, Crapaud, New Devises, Johnston’s 
River, and Monaghan Road, it is said that much damage has 
been done; but as the people are occupied night and day 
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