187 



ft, the next, \vhen it comes near the first, nmv dfe- 

 prived of its fire, flashes into it, and deposits its own 

 water. The third cloud approaching, and ail that suc- 

 ceed, act in the same manner, us tar back as they ex- 

 tend, which may be for several hundred miles. Hence 

 the continual storms of thunder, lightning, and rain, o 

 the east side of those vast mountains, the Andes, which, 

 running north and south, intercept ail the clouds brought 

 against them from the Atlantic Ocean. In a plain 

 country there are other means to make them drop their 

 water. For if an electrified cloud, coining from the 

 sea, meets in the air a cloud coming from the land, and 

 therefore not elect lined, the first will give its flash into 

 the latter, and thereby both will be made to deposit 

 their water. The concussion of the air contributes also 

 to shake down the water not only from those two clouds, 

 but from others near them. When the sea and land 

 clouds would pass at too great a distance from each 

 other, they are mutually attracted, till within the distance. 

 For the sphere of electrical attraction is fur beyond the 

 Hashing distance. And yet where a cloud contains much 

 fire, it may strike at a considerable distance. When a 

 conductor has but little fire in it, you must approach 

 very near before you can draw a spark. Throw into it 

 a greater quantity of fire, and it will give a spark at a 

 greater distance. But if a gun barrel, when electrified, 

 will strike and make a noise at the distance of an inch, 

 at what a distance, and with how great a noise, may ten 

 thousand acres of electrified cloud strike I No wonder 

 that this should melt meials, (which our artificial Hash* 

 docs in some degree,) though perhaps not so properly by. 

 its heat, as by insinuating into the pores, and creating <t 

 violent lepulsion between the particles of the metal it 

 passes through. This overcomes the attraction whereby,, 

 they cohere, and so melts the metallic body. And this 

 accounts for its melting a sword in the scabbard, or gold 

 in the pocket, without burning either. 



But thunder-clouds do not always contain more than 

 their natural quantity of electric iire. Vtjry frequently 

 they contain less. And wheu this is the case, wheat 



