244. Profefir W yy 11^ Ms's 4eccunt of an 
In what has been faid, I have endeavoured to explain what f 
take to be the caufe of the late unufual darknefs. I would not, 
however, be underftood to aflert, that there could not be any 
other caufes or circumftances which might join to produce this 
unufual appearance. Poffibly there might be caufes and cir- 
cumftances of this nature, of which we have no fufpi- 
cion. But as the uncommon quantity and fituation of the va- 
pours in the atmofphere might be fufficient to account for 
the phenomena, it appears to me to be unneceflary to look out 
y ten au recibe is a particutar ination of the 
various conjectures that have been advanced upon this fubjece: 
It may not be amifs to obferve, that fuch appearances, and 
from the fame caufe, have been obferved before, in this part of 
America. In the Philofophical Tranfaétions, NO. 423, there 
is an account of a remarkable darknefs, which took place Oc- 
tober^21, 1716, O. S. It is faid, * The day was fo dark, 
that people were forced to light candles to eat their dinners by. 
Which could not be from any eclipfe, the folar eclipfe being 
the 4th of that month." This obfervation was made by Mr. 
Robie, a man of great ingenuity, and formerly a Tutor in the 
Unverfity : but there is nothin £ faid as to the caufe, or any other 
particulars. Several perfons have informed me, that they re- 
member an uncommon darknefs in the year 1752, Auguft 9, 
O. S. and which was afterwards found to be occafioned by an 
uncommon fire in Canada. It is to be wifhed, that we could 
find fomething mòre particular upon this fub, = 
There was alfo a remarkable darknefs at Detroit, OGober 
19, 1762, much like that of May 19 ; of which we have this 
| „account, by the Rev. James Stirling, Phil. Tranf. for 1765, 
Vol. lili. p.65. « "Tuefday laft, being the 19th inft. (i. e. of 
eS. | : ** October) 
othe! 
rd 
