and in its Vicinity. J51 



hot as Friday, and the nights uncommonly hot, though very 

 bright star-light. Having been informed that mischief 

 was done at Kensington Palace, by the tremendous flash 

 I had witnessed, I went to view the spot. A large elm in 

 the outer Palace-yard, near the Guard-house, and about 120 

 yards from the spot where our carnage stood, was struck in 

 a manner rather uncommon. A main root about the size 

 of a man's thigh was blown out of the ground to the length 

 of twelve feet from the trunk of the tree, and was broken 

 into three pieces. The trunk or' the iree was barked at in- 

 tervals, not in a continued line, and this injury quitted the 

 main stem at the lowest large branch, and followed that 

 branch up to a fork where some decay appeared in the wood. 

 Beyond that, no injury appeared, nor was the main stem or 

 any other branch higher up affected. The whole appearance 

 of' the tree, as well as the sensation I felt from the explo- 

 sion, lead me to think that the shock was from the earth 

 to the passing cloud. 



The part of the Palace directly opposite to the tree is a 

 long building with large arched windows. In these 48 

 panes of glass were broken by the concussion. This build- 

 ing is about 50 yards from the tree. 



The sentinel at the Duke of Sussex's door was knocked 

 down by the shock, and remained, as he said, senseless for 

 some minutes. 



Another carriage had just quitted the door where we were, 

 and which was perhaps still nearer the tree than we were. 

 The horses stopped short, and remained motionless. The 

 gentleman in the carriage, when he recovered from his sur- 

 prise, spoke to his coachman, who as well as the footman de- 

 clared themselves stunned and blinded. After a pause of a 

 few minutes they however recovered, and felt no further ill 

 effects. 



I have been several times as near mischief in storms as 

 I now was ; but I am certain that I never saw or heard any 

 lightning or thunder which could be at all compared in 

 tremendous severity to this : indeed it was of a different 

 kind from any other, as the sound was not sharp and crack- 

 ling as thunder very near usually is, but deep and heavy. 

 Two of the gentlemen who were with me have been often 

 in the southern parts of Europe and the Mediterranean, 

 where storms are much more severe than is usual in Enc;. 

 land; but they agreed with me that they never had wit- 

 nessed any thing at all like this. Its effect in London, 

 though the nearest part of the town is full two miles from 

 the explosion, was very singular. Almost every body was 



waked 



