BOOK III. CIJAP. VII. 637 



Being, in the month of Otlohcr, at a houfc ui St. Mary's parifli, after 

 fcvernl dry, warm days, a heavy rahi came on, and about two o'clock 

 P.' M. twa very fmart flafhes of lightning were obfervcd near us, 

 the thunder following almoft inrtantaneoudy. The houic I was in 

 ftood on part of a high hill, and within about 200 yard^ of the fummit, 

 whereon a large cotton tree grew, at Icaft Ho feet in height, and near the 

 bafe of it was u bed of the Ibrrcl plant: I had feen the lorrel in the morn- 

 ing looking very well, and healthy; but on the day after this thunder- 

 fhower, it appeared all blafted, and the leaves as if finged by fire; 

 from that time it withered, and perifhcd. It was concluded, that a 

 ftream of the lightning had fiillen upon it; but it was a matter of the 

 iitmoft furprize to find, that fo vaft and lofty an objeft as the tree did 

 not appear to have fuflalncd any damage, either in its limbs or bark; 

 nor can I as yet account for it, unlefs by liippofing, that every external 

 part of the tree was wetted with the rain water, and thus gave an ealy 

 conduit to the electric fiuid in its defcenc to the earth. As the progrels 

 of lightning is nearly inllantaneous, and that of found above one 

 thoul'and feet, or (according to Sir Ilaac Newtou) about one thouiand- 

 one hundred and forty-two feet in a fecond, the thunder and light- 

 ning happening nearly in the fame indrant, proves the explolion to 

 have been very near us, 



S E C T. VIIL ! 



Themeafis ofprcferving Ships, Buildings., and Perfons from Accidents 



by hightmng. - 



Firfl, in regard to (liips. We are to guard ac^ainft thofe thunder 

 clouds, which come very near us. The mafl of every (hip which 

 is befct vvith thofe briglit lights called conui%:mts, or theyiv^; dc St.' 

 Elvie of the French, is within the fph^re of adion of a thunder 

 cloud. Anciently, when thefe were feen, they were only confidered as 

 the attendants of a fi:or.m,.and no confequence was drawn from them; 

 hut from the late difcoveries, they are known to be no other than a, 

 modihcation of the iame meteor which coiiftitutes thunder and liglu- 

 ning. They demonflrate, that danger is near, and that its effetls. 

 fliould.be prevented. This maybe done by connefting arod of iron 

 or other metal with the fpindles at the top of the marts, and conduft-- 

 ing it down their fides in any convenient direction into the lea water,. 

 By this means,, the accumulation oi the matter of thunder and light- 

 ning will be prevented, to a coiifiderable dilfance from the ihlo, by us.- 

 being filently difcharged through the rod ; and, if a ftioke of li^^ht- 

 niiig (hould fall, it will be coiiduded into- the fea without damage*, 



which 



