74 The late Phcsnomcnon at Barladoes. 



" The fall oFthis substance was least in the morning and 

 evening, and greatest between nine and twelve o'clock. 

 Diirini; this last period, when any of us went out into the 

 air, we perceived a smell similar to that which arises from 

 water thrown upon hot embers — but with no increase of 

 heat, to the best of my perception : on the contrary, ac- 

 cording to my own sensations, it was rather colder during 

 the continuance of this phaenomenon than in common. 



" I had unluckily left my thermometer behind me, and 

 did not get it until one o'clock P. M. at which time I hung 

 it in a gallery facing the south, and open to the air, when 

 "it settled at 77-1, and continued at that height until five 

 o'clock in the afternoon, after which I forgot to examine it. 



" Ail those who ventured out with lanterns during the 

 darkness reported they had heard strange noises and cries in 

 the air ; but as they also added, that these noises and cries 

 had followed them, and that objects had been seen or felt 

 flitting pa^t them, it was no difficult matter to convince 

 most of them that these sounds arose from the birds and 

 bats, which the lights they carried with them had attracted. 

 Many animals, which had been loose at the commencement 

 of the darkness, found their way to the lights in the houses, 

 and remained at the house during the continuance of the 

 darkness. 



" Some land birds flew into the rooms where the windows 

 were open, and some few sea birds were known from their 

 cries to be hovering about the buildings. 



" After this dismal scene had contniued some time, my 

 apprehensions were considerably lessened, by bringing to 

 my retifiembrance the account of the younger Pliny of the 

 eruption of Vesuvius; and the fact mentioned to me by 

 yourself, of a substance similar in some degree to what has 

 fallen here, having been gathered off the sails of a ship, at 

 a great distance from any known land ; from whence I be- 

 gan to hope, that as no cinders had made their appearance, 

 the phaenomenon, which was alarming us, might be the ef- 

 fect of some distant volcanic eruption, and not the fore- 

 runner of anymore dreadful visitation than that which was 

 existing at the moment. 



" This idea has been strengthened by the following cir- 

 ciimstances : 



" About one o'clock in the morning Mr. H and se- 

 veral others «)n the plantation heard a very heavy and quick 

 firing, neither as minute guns from a sliip in distress, not in 

 contuuiance as from ships engaged, but in peals at intervals, 

 from the southward. The same firing wm heard so di- 

 stinctly 



