2 Supposed Connection of Meteoric Phenomena, 



seven months. A writer in the Philosophical Transactions, 

 speaking of Ireland more than 150 years ago, says, that there, 

 " for three quarters of a year, the wind is westerly ; " and 

 adds, " we have sometimes known passengers wait, at Chester 

 and Holyhead, three months for a fair wind to come hither." 

 {P. T., 1676.) 



Now, in 1809, Vesuvius and Etna were both in eruption ; 

 and there was an earthquake at the Cape of Good Hope 

 (Phil. M., 1830); besides many other convulsions of the 

 elements*: and the year 1764 was distinguished by earth- 

 quakes in India, the Azores, and England ; and by tempests, 

 meteors, and other atmospherical phenomena, in America, 

 Holland, and Great Britain : a year, too, of famine, pesti- 

 lence, and plague. As something more than a hasty allusion 

 is here made, I may instance some of the occurrences of 1 764? 

 which the year 1833 has paralleled. On 



Jan. 14th occurred a violent tempest, doing universal damage all 

 over England. 18th, Meteor at St. Neotts, Hunts, with lunar rainbow. 

 19th, Rocks split, and inundations, at Naples. 31st, Gale in the North 

 Sea. Meteor at St. Neotts : crossed meridian at 50° inclination to west ; 

 39 seconds falling to the earth. 



Feb. 12th, Tide flowed If h, before time ; ebbed and reflowed at Bris- 

 tol. In the Severn, half an hour before time ; second tide at true time. 



April 2d, Earthquake at Dacca. Ganges rose 20 ft. ; violently agitated. 

 At Lockepoer, a tract of country fifteen miles in circumference, with the 

 inhabitants, swallowed up. 



June 18th, Dreadful thunder storm in London. 



July 20th, Fiery meteor, large as the sun, seen at Philadelphia, in n.e. 

 to N.w., 50° high ; opened and divided, and exploded like a cannon. 



Sept. 16th, Violent winds in England. 28th, Highest tide in the 

 Thames known for years. 



Oct. 3d, Lowest ebb known in London for years. Highest flood at 

 Ostend ever known; town overflowed. 9th, Rain of blood (?) in Duchy 

 of Cleves, and at Utrecht. 9th and 10th, Unceasing rains in Holland. 

 12th, Earthquake in Azores, from s.w. 



Nov. 6th, Earthquake in Oxford, Gloucester, Berks, and Wilts. Calm ; 

 but tempestuous immediately after: the air, previously, dull and gloomy, and 

 filled with a reddish vapour. 18th, Great fire at Konigsberg, caused by 

 lightning. 



There is not one of the particulars above mentioned to 

 which something corresponding may not be found in the years 

 1833 or 1834-. Even the /^/-mentioned incident has its fellow ; 

 for it was observed that, at the time when the earthquake 

 occurred at Littlehampton and Chichester, on Jan. 23. 1834, 

 the wind, which had been previously calm, rushed in vio- 

 lently from the south-west. A similar circumstance is related 



* On Nov. 6. 1809, a most frightful hurricane, from the north, desolated 

 Iceland. It blew for twenty-four hours ; and carried salt spray, like rain, 

 all over the island. (Mackenzie's Travels.) 



