396 WRITINGS OP JOSEPH HENRY. [1855- 



" It was composed of three pieces of heavy timber placed 

 one above the other and fastened together by iron bands, to 

 which were attached long iron braces or guys secured at the 

 lower ends to the rock for the purpose of sustaining the mast 

 in its perpendicular position. The braces or guys were 

 formed of iron rods three-fourths of an inch in diameter, and 

 painted black. The longer or outer ones, (those which were 

 attached to the top of the mast and along which the electricity 

 descended to the earth,) terminated about 32 paces from the 

 lower end of the mast: they were composed of pieces of iron 

 rod of thirteen feet in length, and each piece terminated in 

 a bolt and shackle, thereby forming a series of links 30 in 

 number. 



"A lightning-rod six feet long, three-quarters of an inch 

 diameter, painted white, sharpened to a point, but not tip- 

 ped with platinum, and secured at its lower end to the iron 

 band to which were attached the upper set of guys, projected 

 about two or three feet above the truck of the mast. The 

 point of the rod was at the time in the center of a cedar bush 

 in full foliage which had been placed there by the riggers 

 when they completed the mast. 



"At 3 p. M., when the storm commenced, I placed myself 

 in the railway house at Fort Washington, a point distant 

 about three-quarters of a mile from the mast at Fort Lee, on 

 the opposite side of the river. From my position I could 

 distinctly observe the gust as it advanced from the south- 

 west; and from the heat of the weather and appearance of 

 the clouds I expected to witness heavy discharges of atmos- 

 pheric electricit}'', and prepared my mind to observe the 

 effects of the storm on the mast at Fort Lee, having frequently 

 expressed a desire to witness a thunder-storm in the vicinity 

 of the mast, as I felt assured the iron rod and guys would 

 protect it from injury. 



"As the gale increased the clouds advanced with a heavy 

 atmosphere, and accompanied with frequent discharges of 

 lightning and loud thunder. When it approached the mast 

 the foremost cloud assumed the shape of an inverted cone, 

 (similar to those I have witnessed in the Gulf of Mexico, 

 forming a water-spout;) and I soon observed a terrific flash 

 of lightning descend by the southern iron guy clearly 

 defining its form and every link of the guy as though it 

 were a rod of red-hot iron; and this appearance continued 

 for at least four seconds, followed by three or four heavy 

 peals of thunder in rapid succession, during which time 

 the lightning appeared to flow in a continued stream of 



