Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-10-17
ST.. Jonks, IN. B.l Sept. %.

ST. JoHKs, On. b. Sept. 20.
Since our last we have received cor
roborating accounts OF an extensive and
caIamitous fire, which has spread its raya-
yes for near 100 miles in extent over the
most fertile proportion Of the North and
w estern parts of Nova Scotia, from the
neighborhood Of Yarmouth to the county
OF Annapolis. The fire continued burning
for the space Of three days, aud such was
its intensity that The very potatoes were
burnt in the earth houses, barns, fences,
fields OF grain, stock Of all kinds, whole
villages and settlements, fell prey to the
devouring element, and not vestige Of
vegetation or heritage remains :--several
Lives also are lost. From among several
statements we select the following, as con-
tanning simple, but affecting representa-
lion oil the awful seems and II what this
writer relates of the distress which hap.
pened 10 his family, and his immediate
tneiehbors within his observation, be true,
wha, must have beeH the general catami-
| ty! The space Of country said to be laid
waste, we have travelled, and the greatest
space between the extremes without
| house, is between Yarmouth and Salmon
River. seventeen miles the settlement at
Mentasan alone contains several thousand
souls.
Extract of ieffsr from Dir. John Vet
more TO his son IN this city.
son returning from Yarmouth, We run
under our bare poles for Bartlet's River,
hoping the tide was up; we in a lew mo-
meuts were ia the breakers, and without
striking, anchored safe; found the whole
shore in flames eastward, landed near
Porier's and followed the shore all round
Black Point, the wind blowing hurri-
cane, the flames out run US, an immense
fire behind Frank Davoo's which threat
ened destructionto every thiog; we reach
ed the road behind this fire; got home
safe, took tea, thinking ourselves safe;
went 10 assist the French who were mo-
wing; young Franks house in fIames, and
others not to be seen for the smoke' we
STAYED perhaps twenty minutes; returned,
mel one Of The children crying, Clarke's
house was on fire = we run oar best, met
women and children flying before the
tempest; the mill, barn aud house, with
twenty acres Of land in blaze; trees fall
inc IN All directions; we got TO The house
,bronqb 40 rods of almost solid fire; threw
Trunks. &c. &c. into the we'll; took
bed tied woolIen blanket round it and
escaoed for my life, the fire flying on me
like heavy shower of hail; fell under
the he'd cot breath and ran, fell again
nearly melted with beat and suffocsted
with smoke; rose once more and fell
again. Quit my load; saw my boys ahead
barefoot. could not enter the fire, they
met me and We got the bed safely through;
Mr.. Clark came mp with book ia his
hand, nothing more saved, all burnt 10 the
we'll; fences and fields of potatoes swept
clean. My fields though not much burn
ed are all laid open to the mercy OF cattle
and hogs at sunset found my house aud
uncle Nathaniel's crowded with women
and children, who left their all and fled
before the fiery tempest, from the neIgh-
borhood of Beaver River Wednesday
morniug Z O'Clock fine rain that deaden-
ed the fire; heard the settlement at Bea-
yer River was all in ashes Mr.. Sanders,
Clark, and myself went to their assistance,
found but three houses standing for six
miles 10 length; Thomas Trask has lost
his house, new grisi aud saw mill, 2 barns
full Of grain, hay. &c. yoke of oxen,
one horse. 2 or 8 cows, several hogs, all
their furniture and little boy years old
burnt in the house, having crept into the
cradle and was left unperceived, together
with a trusty dog which lay by its side.
DAM has lost all, COW, hogs. furni>
lure, clothing, &c. the word at sunset was
to escape for their lives. Daniel took up
his child and bid his wife follow him and
my brother Rama; others cried, which
way shall We fly answer, TO the Lakes
some reached it, others we're cut off and
drove up the road for mile ov more be-
fore an opening was found TO the sea shore.
Husbands and wives were parted by the
fire and smoke and did not meet again
until the next day. Daniel took his wife
VERY sick) on his back to the edge Of the
lake aud waded out some rods TO bog,
which sunk with them, but he found old
stuff and raised IL, so that his wife set in
the water until morning. Rama lost them,
he vaded 10 his neck and there stood
twelve hours the fire often streaming in
his face, when he was obliged to sink un-s
der, then rise and take breath; found
him on Wednesday, and took him home
with me, he had eat nothing for twenty
six hours. II was a melancholy scene to
see fences swept away. fields Of grain, po-
tatoes and 'urnips all burnt up; great
numhtrs Of cattle, sheep, aud hogs lying
dead hY or near the road. some persons