-1859] WRITINGS OP JOSEPH HENRY. 397 



fire along the iron guy, and giving off during its progress 

 apparently as many snaps of electricity as there were links 

 in the guy, and which I supposed to be caused by the 

 resistance offered by each link to the free passage of the 

 electricity. 



" These discharges were succeeded by a heavy gush of rain 

 which obstructed my view of the Palisades, but other dis- 

 charges of atmospheric electricity followed as the cloud 

 rushed on its course along the North river. The storm 

 lasted about half an hour. 



" Within 50 paces north of the mast described stood the 

 Morse-line mast, which is about 40 feet less in height than 

 the House mast; and during the storm there was no indica- 

 tion of any part of it being struck by lightning, although 

 there is attached to it a conductor of atmospheric electricity. 

 From this I infer that the discharge of lightning passed to 

 the earth along the iron guys of the House mast, owing 

 to its greater elevation, and to its being more south and thus 

 toward the storm. 



" Such was the vividness and intensity of the light which 

 was emitted along the guy at the time of the discharge that 

 I received the impression that the iron was melted, and ex- 

 pected every moment to see the mast prostrated by the wind, 

 but was much surprised on examining the premises next 

 day to find not the least evidence of fusion on the rod, or 

 marks of any kind along its surface to indicate the passage 

 of the electrical discharge. 



" The Palisades in the vicinity of the mast are heavily 

 timbered, and although the limbs of several trees are in con- 

 tact with the iron guys running from the mast, not the 

 slightest damage was done to any of these trees; but about 

 one-fourth of a mile south of the mast a large tree was shat- 

 tered by lightning during the same storm. 



" The mast stood about five years, and during that time, 

 as reported by those having charge of it, was struck at almost 

 every violent thunder-storm that passed over the place. It 

 was considered by persons living in the neighborhood as a 

 protection against lightning. 



" Indeed such was the confidence in it that the telegraph 

 workmen did not hesitate to take shelter during a storm in 

 a house 15 feet square which was built around the mast, and 

 in which implements, windlasses, &c., were kept. 



" Baltimore, November 30, 1853." 



The facts presented in the foregoing narrative are highly 



