NATURAL HISTORY AND PHYSIOGRAPHY OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 435- 
the province has ever suftered was, of course, the great Miramichi fire 
in 1825, of which we have a vivid description by Cooney in his 
History of Northern New Brunswick and Gaspe. A brief reference 
to the effects of a great fire before 1677 between the Nepisiguit and 
Miramichi is given by Father Christian LeClercq in his “ Nouvelle 
Relation de la Gaspesie,” in 1691, of which the part of interest to us 
is translated into English and published in Hay’s Canadian History 
Readings (St. John, 1900), page 275. It is of interest to note that 
Father LeClercq attributes this fire, which must have nearly or quite 
equalled the later great fire of Miramichi, to lightning. In a still 
unpublished report on a survey of the river St. John, by Chas. Morris, 
in 1765, in the Public Record Office, a great fire of 1761 is referred 
to. Thus, he says of the Belleisle ; “ the Timber of all the Lands hav- 
ing been burnt about Four years ago by the Indians.” Later he says : 
“All the Timber upon both sides Washademoak has been burnt by 
the Indians.” Of Grand Lake, he says : “ The Lands for a good way up 
the lake have suffered the same mischief as the lands of Washademoak, 
being burnt and all the timber destroyed.” The implication in 
Morris’ words is that the fires were set purposely by the Indians, 
which, if true, would recall the fires set periodically in the west by the 
Indians for purposes connected with hunting, and which are believed^ 
to be a chief cause of the treelessness of those regions. 
47. — Measurements of Magnetic Dip in New Brunswick. 
(Read March .5, 1901). 
In the Society’s Bulletin, No. XVII, page 105, Professor Duff 
gives a brief account of the scientific status of the study of magnetic 
dip, together with the results of some measurements made by himself 
in different parts of the province. He states that earlier observations 
are not known to him.- Some earlier observations, over three hundred 
in number, were made, however, in 1840-41, by the surveyors of the 
north line from the source of the St. Croix, under charge of Major 
Graham. (United States, Executive Documents, 27th Congress, 2nd 
Session, 1841-42 Doc. 70). The results appear not to have been 
published in detail, but are doubtless preserved in manuscript im 
Graham’s report in the Department of State at Washington. 
