422 Mr. Sturgeon's Description of 



tion line to the focus of the storm, which, if not earlier dis- 

 posed of, would probably be transported by it to the Nore or 

 to the Channel ; a direction nearly at right angles to that of 

 the wind at this place. 



The lightning was very fine from the straggling clouds 

 which passed over our heads, and from others which crossed 

 the Thames much nearer to London. These clouds separated 

 from the splendid group already noticed, and travelled in the 

 direction of the wind towards the N. or N. by E., and would, 

 if not obstructed, discharge their lightnings as a distinct storm 

 over the country about Waltham, Epping, Chipping Ongar, 

 Harlow, &c. 



The wind had abated to such a degree before I arrived in 

 the Barrack-field, and the rain fell so heavily during the time 

 I was there, that it was with some difficulty that I got the kite 

 afloat; and when up, its greatest altitude, I imagine, did not 

 exceed fifty yards. The silken cord also, which had been 

 intended for the insulator, soon became so completely wet 

 that it was no insulator at all. Notwithstanding all these im- 

 pediments being in the way, I was much gratified with the 

 display of the electric matter issuing from the end of the 

 string to a wire, one end of which was laid on the ground, 

 and the other attached to the silk at about four inches distance 

 from the reel of the kite string. An uninterrupted play of 

 the fluid was seen over the four inches of wet silken cord, not 

 in sparks, but in a bundle of quivering purple ramifications, 

 producing a noise similar to that produced by springing a 

 watchman's rattle. Very large sparks, however, were fre- 

 quently seen between the lower end of the wire (which rested 

 on the grass) and the ground ; and several parts of the string 

 towards the kite, where the wire was broken, were occa- 

 sionally beautifully illuminated. The noise from the string 

 in the air was like to the hissing of an immense flock of geese, 

 with an occasional rattling or scraping sort of noise. 



Two non-commissioned officers of the Royal Artillery were 

 standing by me the whole of the time, who, unaware of the 

 consequence, would very gladly have approached close to the 

 string; and it was not until I had convinced them of the 

 danger of touching, or even coming near to it, at a time when 

 the lightning was playing about us in every direction, that 

 I could dissuade them from gratifying their curiosity too far; 

 probably at the expense of their lives. We anxiously and 

 stedfastly watched what was going on at the end of the string, 

 and the display was beautiful beyond description. The reel 

 was occasionally enveloped in a blaze of purple arborized 

 electrical fire, whose numberless branches ramified over the 



