NATURAL HISTORY AND PHYSIOGRAPHY OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 327 
would be no trees standing. A blacksmith shop stood just at the turn of 
the road at the head of Oak Bay. Its roof was lifted and laid across the 
telegraph wires, apparently without breaking the wires, though they were 
borne to the ground beneath it There were many curious 
stories of the wind’s freaks Perhaps the most remarkable 
circumstance was that with all the buildings destroyed, though there were 
many narrow escapes, not a human life was lost on land. 
Again, in further illustration of the same subject, one of 
my most valued, observant and interested correspondents, 
Mr. P. H. Welch, of Fulton Brook, Queens County, writes 
me thus: — 
I remember it well. The afternoon was cloudy,, of a uniform gray, and 
towards sundown it began to blow quite strong, increasing to a stiff gale 
just after dark. The wind kept up a steady pressure, no gusts, and a sweeping 
roar like the fall of Niagara. I saw it pick up a heavy farm waggon and 
hurl it one hundred feet or more. It seemed to come from the southwest 
at first, but judging from the wreck it threw about it seemed to come more 
from the southeast. It threw fences all over acres of land. ... I had 
good opportunity to see its effects in the destruction of the forests, as it 
blew down acres of woods, not leaving a single tree, and the larger the growth 
the more the damage, but always in isolated patches, from two to a hundred 
and fifty acres, which can plainly be traced yet as the Saxby blow-downs. 
I remember well starting with a crew to the lumber woods a week or so later, 
and it took us five days with six men and a team to clear out four and a half 
miles of portage. I saw where it broke off hemlock trees two and a half 
feet through, and sound, and threw their butts around in a half circle, and 
some were taken by the roots several feet with a ton of clay adhering to 
them. It blew down and unroofed many buildings, and in other cases left 
not a single shingle on them. 
Our colleague, Dr. G. U. Hay, has also written me vividly 
his recollection of the fury of the gale, which he experienced 
while visiting his home at Norton. 
Fortunately we possess also an account of the gale written at 
the time by an experienced observer. The late George A. 
Boardman, the ornithologist, on October 14, only ten days 
after the gale, described it thus in a letter to Spencer F. Baird, 
of Washington; — 
Nothing like it ever took place here. It appeared like a whirlwind. 
The Universalist church was a perfect wreck; the railroad 
bridge over the falls in front of my house fell into the river; also the covered 
