MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 177 



Smoke. — In June, 1849, the wind prevailed much from 

 the north and north-west, and for a whole week, viz., from 

 the 12th to the 18th of that month, the Bermudas were en- 

 veloped in a white mist, not unlike London smoke, and 

 which was found by the Eoyal Mail steam-packet to extend 

 from the port of New York to those islands: This mist 

 deadened and obscured the rays of the sun, causing it to 

 shine with greatly diminished power. Many persons 

 considered the mist to be sea fog, while others pronounced 

 it to be smoke. 



Subseq[uent 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 Ed- 

 ward Island, and which the prevalence of northerly winds 

 had driven across the ocean to the Bermudas, a distance of 

 full seven or eight hundred miles. 



These fires were all induced by the extreme dryness of 

 the season in the British North American Colonies. 



The following extract from the " Prince Edward Island 

 Qazette," of June 19th, 1849, bears upon the subject: — 



" Fires have been raging in the woods in all directions 

 for the last fortnight, and have caused serious apprehensions 

 that, not only the wood would be destroyed, but that fences, 

 houses, bams, and even crops would be swept off by the 

 devouring element ; the atmosphere being surcharged with 

 smoke to an unprecedented degree. We regret to say, that 

 rumours have reached us that, in some localities, these ap- 

 prehensions have been, to a degree, realized. In the neigh- 

 bourhood of Bedeqiie, Crapaud, New Devises, Johnston's 

 Eiver, and Monaghan Eoad, it is said that much damage has 

 been done ; but as the people are occupied night and day 



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