"In Europe we can scarcely form a conception of the fury and rapidity
with which fires rage through the forests of America during a dry hot
season, at which period the broken underwood, decayed vegetable
substances, fallen branches, bark, and withered trees, are as
inflammable as the absence of moisture 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