130 Supposed Connection of Meteoric Phenomena, 



indeed, was the fact ; for the great eruption alluded to before 

 (VIII. 13.) broke out on the 26th, and continued in the 

 greatest fury during the 27th and 28th, abating on the 29th, 

 and nearly ceasing on the 30th. About this time, also, it 

 was observed that the waters of the Baltic were for several 

 successive nights extremely phosphorescent (a circumstance 

 unusual so far to the north, and seldom experienced in the 

 Baltic); and it was observed that this phosphorescence was 

 most brilliant on August 28. ; the night being dark, the sky 

 covered with clouds, and the sea perfectly calm. (See 

 VIII. 15., note *.) This and the other occurrences of the 

 time must be referred to the action of the volcano. The 

 inundations in Switzerland were, as before stated (VIII. 12.), 

 higher than before known. On August 27. the snow sud- 

 denly melted on the glaciers of the Grisons, carrying away 

 whole villages, bridges, &c. ; destroying the road over the 

 Splugen; cutting off the communication between Italy and 

 Switzerland, and converting the Upper Engeddin into a lake, 

 the water of which was four feet higher than in the similar 

 inundation of 1817, when the water attained its greatest 

 elevation also on August 27. Continuing the record of 

 events in September to the close of the year, as far as our 

 present information goes : — - The earthquake and tornado on 

 September 4. 1834- have already been mentioned (VIII. 25.). 

 On September 7., at 1 a.m. (preceded, on the 2d and 3d of 

 that month, by torrents of rain, and for several days previous 

 by tremendous thunder and lightning, the thermometer* in 

 the shade, ranging from 96° to 98°), Jamaica was visited by 

 three furious shocks of earthquake, from w. to e., of greater 

 intensity than almost ever remembered in that island. There 

 were eight or ten undulations, the last shock being extremely 

 violent, and lasting thirty seconds. They w T ere immediately 

 preceded and succeeded by a sudden and most violent squall. 

 I have private information, also, from a friend resident at 

 Utica, in the state of New York, that, on Sept. 8., that place 

 was visited by a most violent tornado, not more than two 

 miles in breadth, attended by thunder, dreadful hail, and 

 torrents of rain, which greatly injured the town. It was con- 

 sidered the effect of the extreme heat and intolerable drought 

 that had been for some time felt there ; and was succeeded 

 by cooler and healthier weather. As Utica is only 1° 30' E. 

 of the meridian of Kingston in Jamaica, it is not improbable 

 that the occurrence of this tornado may indicate an extensive 

 draught of the air over the heated region of America to the 

 south, a continuation of the derangements which took place 

 in the atmosphere over Jamaica on the morning of the pre- 



