isture can make them. To such
irresistible food for combustion we must add the auxiliary afforded by
the boundless fir forests, every tree of which in its trunk, bark,
branches, and leaves contains vast quantities of inflammable resin.

"When one of these fires is once in motion, or at least when the flames
extent over a few miles of the forest, the surrounding air becomes
highly rarefied, and the wind consequently increases till it blows a
perfect hurricane. It appears, that the woods had been on both sides of
the north-west partially on fire for some days, but not to an alarming
extent until the 7th of October, when it came on to blow furiously from
the westward, and the inhabitants along the river were suddenly
surprised by an extraordinary roaring in the woods, resembling the
crashing and detonation of loud and incessant thunder, while at the
same instant the atmosphere became thick darkened with smoke.

"They had scarcely time to ascertain the cause of this awful phenomenon
before all the surrounding woods appeared in one vast blaze, the flames
ascending from one to two hundred feet above the tops of the loftiest
trees; and the fire rolling forward with inconceivable celerity,
presented the terribly sublime appearance of an impetuous flaming
ocean. In less than an hour, Douglas Town and Newcastle were in a
blaze: many of the wretched inhabitants perished in the flames. More
than a hundred miles of the Miramichi were laid waste, independent of
the north-west branch, the Baltibag, and the Nappen settlements. From
one to two hundred persons perished within immediate observation, while
thrice that number were miserably burned or wounded, and at least two
thousand were left destitute of the means of subsistence, and were
thrown for a time on the humanity of the Province of New Brunswick. The
number of lives that were lost in the woods could not at the time be
ascertained, but it was thought few were left to tell the tale.

"Newcastle presented a fearful scene of ruin and devastation, only
fourteen out of two hundred and fifty houses and stores remained
standing.

"The court-house, jail, church, and barracks, Messrs. Gilmour, Rankin,
and Co.'s, and Messrs. Abrams and Co.'s establishment, with two ships
on the stocks, were reduced to ashes.

"The loss of property is incalculable, for the fire, borne upon the
wings of a hurricane, rushed on the wretched inhabitants with such
inconceivable rapidity that the preservatio