C 6+ 1 
both in fmell and quality. I took a lelf of clean 
paper, and held it out in the rain, which rendered 
it black whenever the drops fell upon it ; but, when 
held near the fire, turned to a yellow colour, and when 
burned, it fizzed on the paper like wet powder. 
During this fhower, the air was almofl fufiocating 
with a ftrong fulphurous fmell j it cleared up a little 
after the rain. There were various conje&ures about 
the caufe of this natural incident. The Indians, and 
vulgar among the French, faid, that the Englifh, 
which lately arrived from Niagara in the veflel, had 
brought the plague with them: Others imagined it 
might have been occafioned by the burning of the 
woods : But I think it moft probable, that it might 
have been occafioned by the eruption of fome vol- 
cano, or fubterraneous fire, whereby the fulphurous 
matter may have been emitted in the the ai-r, and 
contained therein, until, meeting with fome watery 
clouds, it has fallen down together with the 
rain. 
I am. Sir, 
Your moft humble fervant; 
XVI, An 
