DarJcncss in Canada, October, 1785. ■ IT, 9 



was less frequent at tlie first settlement, than in the Prol 

 sor's day. Perhaps, on examination, it will be found, that 

 the country has been cleared, the frequency of the phcno 



enon has increased. An uniform ratio however 



pre 



tended. Future attention of the curious to this subject, 

 will, it is hoped, enable them to give a solution of what has 

 generally been supposed a mystery; and with which imagi- 

 nation has, in some instances, played not less fantastically in 

 the eye of reason and philosophy, than is common for the 

 phenomenon itself to do in the view of a spectator. ' 



XV. Letter on the Darkness in Canada, in Octohcr, 1785. 



From the Honourable WILLIAM HEATH, esq. f. a. a. 



SIE, 



Roxburi/, December 30th, 1785. 



AVING from the commencement of the American 

 war, to the present time, kept a journal of occurrences, 

 and for a number of years past, added thereto remarks on 



w 



the seasons, weather, &c. on observing in the publick papers 

 an account of the phenomenon, in the Province of Canada, 

 on the 9th, 15th, and 16th, of October last, I was led to ex- 

 amine my journal for the state and appearance of the atmos- 

 phere at this place, on each of the daj's before mentioned ; by 

 which I find, that on the 9th of October, the wind was part 

 of the day southeast, and the other part southwest, the 

 weather fair, cool, and pleasant; the 15th, wind easterly, the 

 atmosphere foggy. About two o'clock, p. m. it began to 



grow 



\ 



