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Whirlwinds excited hy Fires. 371 



eye could reach. At times, the column would assume a sinu- 

 ous or wavy direction, and would again become straightened 

 into its upright position." 



I learned also from Mr Akin, that he has on several occa- 

 sions noticed a whirling motion in the clouds during the exhi- 

 bition of a violent hail-storm, and that such storms, accord- 

 ing to his observation, are always attended by a continuous 

 thundering roar, not unlike that of the above-described whirl- 

 wind. One of these hail-storms he described as passing within 

 three roods of the house in which he resided ; tearing up trees, 

 scattering their limbs in the air, and desolating a path or track 

 of about fifty yards in width. Another of these storms, of a 

 more extended character, Mr A. describes as very destructive 

 to the farm on which he then lived, and as having left the 

 ground covered with hailstones, to the depth of four or five 

 inches, and in particular situations, to the depth of even 

 twenty inches. This hail-storm acted on a tract of near two 

 miles in its entire width, and was also attended with the above- 

 mentioned peculiar noise in the atmosphere during its con- 

 tinuance, and also with heavy thunder and vivid lightning. 

 In this last case, no whirlwind was felt at the surface, but he 

 supposes one of considerable magnitude to have been in action 

 in the atmosphere. 



For an account of another interesting case of the same cha- 

 racter, and which I received not long after the above, I am 

 indebted to the Hon. Theodore Dwight, now of Hartford, 

 Conn, and formerly a resident of this city. It was related to 

 me more than once by this gentleman, for my gratification, 

 and was, at my request, drawn up by himself, and kindly placed 

 at my disposal. 



Statement of Theodore Dwight, Esq. 

 " In the month of April 1783, I resided at Stockbridge, in 

 the state of Massachusetts. The season, for a number of 

 weeks previous, had been remarkably dry, and in various places 

 much mischief hud been done by fires which were kindled in 

 the woods. Beside other fires, one occm'red upon a mountain 

 lying between Great Harrington and Stockbridge, which spread 

 and advanced till it reached the northern termination of the 



