238 MIRAMICHI DESTROYED BY FIRE. 



found that a fire had also nearly destroyed 

 Fredericstown, the seat of Government, together 

 with the Government House, the residence of 

 His Excellency, the Lieut. Governor of the 

 Province. On the day preceding the destruc- 

 tive visitation at Miramichi, the air was clouded 

 with smoke, and it was intensely close, but no 

 particular alarm was felt by the inhabitants, 

 till a rumbling noise was heard to the north of 

 the Settlement ; which increased rapidly during 

 a dead calm and pitchy darkness that prevailed, 

 about half-past seven on the following night. 

 The calm however was soon disturbed by the 

 rushing of a strong breeze, bringing w T ith it 

 some sparks and cinders of the sweeping devas- 

 tation that was swiftly approaching. A violent 

 hurricane almost instantaneously followed, 

 pouring down upon the town immense masses 

 of flames, ashes, and hot sand, to its immediate 

 ruin, and that of the adjoining Settlements. To 

 describe the scene (said an eye witness) at this 

 awful period, is beyond the power of language. 

 It resembled more the immediate interposition 

 of the hand of the Almighty, than the rage of 

 the elements, in an ordinary state of convulsion. 

 The flames were of such magnitude, and withal 

 so furious, that they seemed unlike the fires of 

 this world ; when ever they grasped a building, 



