W. H. PRATT 



LIGHTNING PHENOMENA AT BLACKHAAVK. 



91 



tier, one of the skulls exhumed from Movmd No. o, where the 

 house was built in 1871. It is an especially interesting- one on ac- 

 count of its peculiar shape, remarkably br^ad at the base, and 

 " gothic" form; and also from the fact that several '* rondelles" 

 have been sawed out from it on each side. 



The Smithsonian Institution has also kindly presented us with 

 the vase — which however is in fragments — taken from Mound No. 

 (5, and sent thert^ bv Col. ('rawford as heretofore iii(Mition(Ml. 



Lig-htiiinji: Pheiioiuena at Blackliawk. 



HX W. II. PKATT. 



During the night of August 13-14, 1879. the family of Mr. Kisten- 

 macher, residing on the edge of the rather low blulf in Blackhawk 

 district, two miles west of this city, were startled by a terrible crash, 

 and going out to see what had happened, Mr. K. found that the light- 

 ning had "struck" a tree neai' the house. 



Our friend, Mr. Wm. Riepe, who resides in a house l)ut a few rods 

 distant, at the first opportunity, called my attention to the phenomena 

 exhibited there, and together we made a very careful examination of 

 the place. 



The house is situated on a southwestern slope, elevated some 40 

 feet above the fiat land of the Blackhawk bottom, and the land just 

 back (northeast) of the house is a few feet higher. The house is a 

 small one, built of brick, and without a lightning rod. Immecliatelv 



South.! 



Scale, 35 feet to au inch. 



[North 



north of the house is a grove of thrifty oak trees, ten to twenty feet 

 apart and 40 or 50 feet high, and just west of this little grove the 



