54 Notice of' the Rarer Atmospherical Phenomena in 18*24. 



form of large cumulostrati. At this time, one of these, bear- 

 ing about S. E., was observed to begin to break into fragments 

 and dissolve on its lower surface, and soon after, when it had 

 thus been considerably lessened in size, it began gradually to 

 ascend into the higher regions of the air, in the most beauti- 

 ful manner, dissolving as it rose. After attaining an elevation 

 equal to that of some other cumulated masses, it bi'oke down 

 into distinct cirrocumuli, which by degrees vanished about 

 the twilight. The ascent of the cloud occupied about five mi- 

 nutes; and, as it was large, it presented an unusually interest- 

 ing spectacle. In the course of the evening, another cloud, 

 more distant, was seen to present similar phenomena in the 

 same order. The wind was from the north, scarcely percep- 

 tible. After this, for several days, much rain fell, with vari- 

 able winds and moderate pressure. 



The 2d of September was particularly distinguished by the 

 occurrence of an unusually high temperature for the season, 

 both here, and all over the south of Scotland and north of 

 England. The morning of the first was very fine, tempera- 

 ture moderate ; by noon, however, it had increased much, 

 and the force of the sun's radiation was very great. In the 

 afternoon, cumulostrati came from the S. W., (the wind hav- 

 ing veered to that quarter, since morning, from the N. E.,) 

 which clouds preventing radiation from the earth at night, 

 caused the heat to be particularly oppressive, as it remained 

 nearly the whole evening at 70° Fahr. ; about 11 or 1 2 P. M. 

 much sheet-lightning was seen in the S. W. Next day was 

 still warmer ; in the afternoon the clouds increased, and much 

 rain fell, but here there was no electrical discharge. Al- 

 though the high temperature was the greatest evil here, it was 

 not so in other places ; for reports from Kelso, Berwick, Bel- 

 ford, Newcastle, and many places in Yorkshire and Northum- 

 berland, give accounts of a most alarming storm of thunder 

 and lightning having occurred, accompanied with a vast 

 quantity of rain, and spreading destruction over a great ex- 

 tent of country. — Many men and domestic animals were kill- 

 ed by the lightning. 



It was during this storm that the subterraneous bog burst 



e 



at Keighley in Yorkshire, which may be traced to the vast 



