Prof. Hall on the extraordinary darkness ofXov. 1819. 395 



the faint profile of the landscape, so important a guide to the be- 

 nighted traveller, was lost in intense obscurity. The atmosphere 

 continued to be clouded by dense vapours until the 9th ; when the 

 darkness greatly increased. A light snow covered the ground. It 

 blew a strong gale from the south. The clouds, from which fine drops 

 of rain were contiually descending, resembled the pitchy blackness 

 of the smoke of a furnace ; they moved in a wild and hurried man- 

 ner through the heavens, and, at times, seemed to be closing down 

 upon the earth. Several claps of distant thunder were heard, and 

 in a town adjoining, a heavy shower ensued. 



'' The water caught in this shower was observed to be much 

 discoloured. A quantity caught in a clean vessel, exposed in a sit- 

 uation where it fell directly from the heavens, was preserved for 

 many days in a corked phial, and did not wholly deposit its colour- 

 ing matter. In appearance, it was not unlike water impregnated 

 with soot. As to tbe degree of darkness which prevailed, it may 

 be observed, that writing, reading, or needlework could not be pro- 

 perly performed without candles ; indeed, candles were used dur- 

 ing most of the day in many of the houses and workshops. To- 

 wards evening it brightened up a little, but night brought darkness 



tangible." 



^S 



The darkness was observed throu 

 this state, and in several parts of Canada. At Montpelier, about 

 forty miles northeast of this place, it is said to have been greater 



it was here. A gentleman, from that town, informed me that 



than 



the darkness there was so great, that the speaker of the House of Re- 

 presentatives could not distinguish the countenances of the members, 

 so as to determine who was addressing him. The same gentleman 

 added, that where he stopped to dine, he was obliged to make use oi 

 a candle to distinguish the different kinds of food which were placed 



before him. 



1-^ 



