124 EFFECTS or LIGHTNING, 
its courfe, to the end of the gutter, where it united with 
that part firft mentioned. That fome part was difcharged 
into the earth by this conductor is evident, for the furface 
of the earth was thrown up at the foot of it. 
Immediately Weftward from the houfe the garden rifes 
pretty fteep, fo that at the diftance of lefs than 20 rods the 
furface of the ground is higher than the chimney tops, and 
immediately adjoining is a grove of oaks and other trees, 
of the ufual height. iis, +8 
It may feem extraordinary that the electric fluid was not 
difcharged through fome of thofe trees, which are fo much 
higher than the houfe, and over the topsof which the cloud 
mutt have paffed before it reached the houfe. But perhaps, 
on account of the vicinity of the water, the houfe, with its 
conductors, including the copper fpout, afforded a more 
ready conveyance. The hill, Weft of the houfe is one 
continued rock, covered with a few feet, or rather inches 
of earth. Therock is probably but a bad conduétor, and 
the earth on its furface pretty dry, for it had not yet rain- 
ed at that time. Had the earth been fufficiently moift at 
the foot of the conduétor, it is likely we fhould not have 
feen any effects of the lightning. ; 
This cafe feems to give fome force to an objection made 
long ago to the ufe of pointed rods. That is, that they 
may fometimes invite a difcharge of the eletric matter, 
which would otherwife have pafled elfewhere, and which 
they are neverthelefs infufficient to convey, without injury 
to the building. But it is by no means certain that the 
houfe would have efcaped had it not been furnifhed with 
rods; for we very often fee the lightning ftrike low trees 
aad buildings in the neighbourhood of others much high- 
er; and, befides, had not the copper gutter and {pout fur- 
nifhed fuch an excellent conductor, the fuid might have 
paffed quietly through one or both of the rods. But by 
whatever means the difcharge was promoted in that par- 
ticular manner, the damage done to the building was trif- 
. ling, 
