[ 63 ] 
XV. An Account of a. remarkable Darknefs 
^Detroit, in America: In a Letter from 
the Rev . Mr. James Stirling, to Mr. 
John Duncan : communicated by Samuel 
Mead, Ffq\ F. R. S . 
Detroit, 25th 061 . 1762. 
SI R, 
5 ‘ i 
« 
Read March 3, A Man in bufinefs feldom troubles 
l 7 6 !’ himfelf about news j yet the fol- 
lowing is fo uncommon, I cannot negledt acquainting 
you therewith. Tuefday laft, being the 19th inftant, 
we had almoft total darknefs for the moft of the 
day. I got up at day break : about 1 o minutes after 
I obferved it got no lighter than before ; the fame 
darknefs continued untill 9 o’clock, when it cleared 
up a little. We then, for the fpace of about a quarter 
of an hour, faw the body of the Sun, which appear- 
ed as red as blood, and more than three times as 
large as ufual. The air all this time, which was very 
denfe, was of a dirty yellowifh green colour. I was 
obliged to light candles to fee to dine, at one o’clock, 
notwithftanding the table was placed clofe by two 
large windows. About 3 the darknefs became more 
horrible, which augmented untill half paft 3, when 
the wind breezed up from the S. W. and brought 
on fome drops of rain or rather fulphur, and dirt, 
for it appeared more like the latter than the former, 
both 
