Dark days of Canada. 239 



ill which the PAornir then was, and on the third of July 

 enveloped her in the same obscurity with which Captain 

 Payne's ship, the Sir Jniliam Hcutluott, and the other 

 transport were enveloped on the preceding day. 



For the phenomena of the dark days of Canada which 

 have been thus detailed there appear to be but two causes 

 to which they can be attributed — the conflagration of a 

 forest, and volcanic action. 



As to the conflagration of a forest, the facts of which we 

 are in possession, do not appear to warrant a belief that 

 such can be the cause. Il seems impossible to suppose that 

 the conflagration of any forest could have produced a mass 

 of smoke so dense and so extensive as to overspread (as it 

 did in October, 175^) the surface of a territory exceeding 

 certainly three hundred miles in length, and probably two 

 hundred miles in breadth,* and producing at its utmost 

 longitudinal extremity, and at mid day, the obscurity of 

 the darkest night. And as the whole of the cause of this 

 obscurity proceeded, apparently, from the Labrador country, 

 where forest trees are icw in number, stinted in size, and 

 spread in small isolated patches over a general surface of 

 rock, it is the more improbable. In point of fact, such 

 a mass of wood-smoke could not have been collected 



• In October, 1785, the obscurity extended to as to comprehend on one 

 »ide, rrtdirictoii, in the proviiire of New llrtinswick, and on the other 

 Montrml. A ship I lie Adamant, bclon^in;; to the house of Rrook, 

 M'aUon&Co. in which, it is underittood, the late .Sir John Johnson waa ■ 

 p»M4:aRi-r, on the lOlh of October, 17b5, was, in the morning, off the 

 e«»t end of the lolaiid of Aniicosli ; there it was then dear wiHlliir, but lo- 

 watdn the we»t thiy saw a heavy black cloud, and li\ t\\«l\e o'chuk on the 

 Mme day had mailed into It, and very shortly afterwards found Iheniselvft 

 enveloped in perfect obscurity. 



