XATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 3S5 



Spacious tanks were, of course, necessary to supply this 

 comparatively numerous population, and spacious tanks 

 were constructed. They stood in the open, above ground, 

 with roofing above and open space below for the admission 

 of air. The supply from these tanks was always abundant ; 

 and in the warmest and dryest season of the year the water- 

 cart was sent round to supply any residents who might be 

 in need of water. 



With this example before us, may we not express sur- 

 prise that a water system so beneficial and devoid of heavy 

 expenditure should be all but unknown to the inhabitants 

 of Great Britain, and other parts of the Old World ! 



In 1849 Bermuda was subject to a long- continued 

 drought. On May 18th, a thunderstorm, accompanied 

 with heavy rain, passed over Hamilton at midnight. 



In June the wind prevailed very much from the north- 

 west, and from the 12th to the 18th of that month the 

 islands were enveloped in a white mist, not unlike smoke, 

 which was found by the Royal Mail Steam Packet to 

 extend from New York to Bermuda. This mist com- 

 pletely obscured the sun's rays, and was supposed by 

 some persons to be " fog," and by others " 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 Edward 

 Island, and which the prevalence of northerly winds had 

 driven across the ocean to the Bermudas. 



These fires were all induced by the extreme dryness of 

 the season in the British North American Colonies. On 

 June 25th, vegetation in the vicinity of Hamilton was 

 parched up, and even the Indian corn, melons, and sweet 

 potatoes were withering from drought. Water was very 

 scarce, and the poorer classes begging it in every direc- 

 tion. This month ended without rain. 

 25 



