By Bqyde Beck

n 10 April 1815, Mount Tarn- bora, a large volcano in the OSunda Islands (now part of Indonesia), began to tear itself apart. For two days the island shook from the force of the biggest eruption in recorded history. Explosions were heard 1,800 kilometres away. In Java, 500 kilometres dis- tant, British authorities thought the sound was pirates' cannon fire, and sent gunboats to investigate. Fifteen centimetre stones came to earth 40 kilometres away. An unnatural night- fall descended under a thick cloud of dust 1,000 kilometres wide. Tambora lost 1,400 metres in height over those two days. A crater 12 kilometres wide appeared at its centre. The immediate death toll from rockfall, ashfall, gas, and tsunami, approached 10,000 people. Over the next few months, nearby islands would lose another 80,000 people to cholera and famine. Although few considered it at the time, Tambora had longer-term impacts. Modern volcanologists esti- mate the explosion hurled skywards over 150 cubic kilometres of dirt (roughly equal to the land area of Prince Edward Island down to a depth of about 25 metres.) Although the heavier bits fell immediately back to earth, smaller particles drifted into the upper atmosphere. Tambora's dust motes made for many spectacular sun- sets, that summer of 1815. The follow- ing months were memorable for less aesthetic reasons. The dust cloud low- ered average mean temperatures by an estimated 1.5 degrees Celsius. Climate on every continent was affected. In North America and Europe, 1816 would be remembered as "the year without summer." eaaem "An Unpropitious Season . ." Cold winters were nothing new to Benjamin Chappell of Charlottetown (ex- of New London). He had been not- ing the weather in his diary since the 1770s. In the winter of 1816, though, his references to exceptional cold appear with distressing regularity. "Very cold so as to make us miser- able," he wrote on 27 January. "Saturday it was much colder this year — very cold — very cold," he lament- ed on 10 February. Five days later he observed, "the weather continues so cold that little business can be done — very cold and so many people frost By Bqyde Beck 20 burnt Mrs. Moore house is crowded also a tradition that suggests a heavy "A Matter For Anxious with them."* snowfall in northern Nova Scotia Consideration..." If January and February were bad, around the same time. It is hard to tell March offered little relief. The 10th if it snowed anywhere on Prince Luckily for the Island, this was the one saw "a clear day and very very cold — Edward Island that summer. Chappell crisis for which the questionable tal- the thromometer [sic] is 24 degrees is the only source available, and he ents of Lieutenant Governor Smith below freezing." Ten days later, "a mis- makes no mention of a summer snow- were uniquely suited. Smith had been erable cold snow blow a morning as is storm. However, he was also 78 in ruling by Executive Council decree seldom known." As April gave way to 1816, and was making only a few since 1813, when he suspended the May, a note of alarm began to creep entries per month in his diary. It is House of Assembly. Governors in other into Chappell's diary. "Some rain bless possible there was snow in other parts jurisdictions were more sensitive to the God," he wrote on 28 May, "so the of the colony that went unobserved by thoughts of their elected representa- grass is beginning to grow, but this is the aging diarist. tives, and thus more reluctant to make two weeks later than before — great Even in areas that did not suffer a sweeping executive decrees. Smith death amongst the cattel [sic]." The summer snowfall, fears for the harvest considered his House of Assembly to 21st of June "was the first day of warm were widespread. "It is acknowledged be in the grip of dangerous, nay traitor- weather." on all hands," conceded an American ous, radicals. He had no qualms about The severity of the weather was a paper in early July, "that the first crop using his executive power. On 22 topic of concern throughout the of grass has been very light, perhaps October, as the state of the harvest colonies. A correspondent to Nova no more than half the usual quantity." became known, "His Excellency was Scotia's Royal Gazette wrote that on 20 "Precautions against scarcity cannot pleased to take into consideration the March "a party of five gentlemen in be too generally recommended," necessity of laying a restriction upon two sleighs left Pictou . and passed warned a Nova Scotia newspaper. "We the export of all agricultural produce across the bay to Pictou Island, the ice have a few days remaining, during from this Island during the present in that part of the Northumberland which potatoes, barley and turnips autumn." No vessel carrying wheat, Strait with few exceptions as smooth may be sown with hopes of their com- barley, oats, flour, oatmeal, bread or as on all the harbours upon the coast ing to maturity. Nothing which may potatoes would be allowed to leave — they tried the thickness of it in two provide sustenance for men and beast Prince Edward Island. places, one of which was near the mid- ought to be neglected." By October it With Smith's decree, fears of dle of the channel, where it was found was apparent. Where the harvest had famine diminished. The bad harvest nearly three feet thick — most not failed completely, it was down became more an economic issue. remarkable when it is considered the sharply — even on fertile Prince Prince Edward Island was a net tide runs two miles an hour and that it Edward Island. As Lt. Gov. CD. Smith exporter of food. Most tenant farmers is evidently ice made there and not recalled, 'The season of scarcity which relied on surplus crops to pay their drifted there . they returned home has lately affected so many countries landlords. Many landlords relied on without having seen open water, a cir- has to a certain degree extended to this income to pay their quit rents to cumstance not within the memory of this Island." The winter of 1816 had the government. By forbidding export the oldest settler in the place." been cold. The winter of 1817 to mainland markets, Smith removed In late June, a Quebec newspaper promised to be cold and hungry. the temptation for landlords to reported that there had been "only five squeeze their tenants to make rent at or six days in which the thermometer any cost. has risen above 60 degrees of Governments in other colonies Fahrenheit." The same paper recorded found the problem more expensive to an hour-long snowfall on 6 June. deal with. In Nova Scotia, the price of Flurries continued for two days. bread doubled as authorities in Halifax Carriages ploughed through snow- struggled to feed those who suddenly banks that came up to their axles. could not afford to feed themselves. Barely budded trees began to shed The Legislature had to vote £8,600 for their leaves, and newly-shorn sheep relief in 12 counties. Significantly, the were dying from the cold. "In almost two counties that probably had the every house the stoves are regularly most trade with Prince Edward Island heated the same as in winter." There is (statistics to confirm this are lacking) required one third of the entire relief bill. In Lower Canada, Governor-in- Chief Sir John Coape Sherbrooke *The scientific community thought it knew what was at the root of the unseasonable weather, and demanded his Legislature take imme- Chappell agreed. "Packet arrived," he wrote on diate measures "to secure the lower 18 June, "and in Holland paper a paragraph from orders from the dreadful effects of New York respecting spots in the sun so large as to be seen with the naked eye — thus the cause of so very cold weather." Astronomers in Britain thought the sunspot "was almost certain- Lt. Gov. C. D. Smith. His energy and ly a comet which has fallen into the sun." initiative proved assets during the "season of scarcity." 21 spring for the first time in four years. In a rare moment of good relations be- tween the Governor and his House, the Assembly lavished praise on Smith's management of the crisis. 'Tour refusal to lay a further restraint upon com- merce is one of the soundest exercises of power confided to you and affords 'Wil the colony most satisfactory proof that no fetters will ever be emplaced upon its trade but in the case of the most urgent and evident necessity." The Legislature's relief was not mis- \L^»»J^:.::..*s&£ufil placed. As spring turned to summer, it became apparent that the "season of m&^l^^gM scarcity" was a singular event. Enough of Mount Tambora had filtered back to earth to allow the climate to resume its normal conditions, Although some lUf noted that winter again seemed to be ifaew by 1844, when George Hubbard painted this view of Charlottetown from its hanging on longer than usual, Benjamin Royalty, the Island's capital remained very much nestled in the countryside. Chappell planted his potatoes in mid- May, and was able to record the arrival of fine, warm, summer weather around famine." In February, 1817, he fol- Frederick Holland, pointed out the first of July — right when it usually lowed Prince Edward Island in order- MacPhee's loyal service as a militiaman. begins on Prince Edward Island.

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