43 



The electricity spoken of above was very troublesome, 

 rendering the needle of the transit almost useless, and 

 running in a stream at times from the end of the barometer 

 to the ground. We received a great number of shocks when 

 using the instruments. The discharge seemed to come from 

 above us, but was not always accompanied by strokes of 

 lightning. We found that the simple practice of lifting the 

 hand above the head with one finger elevated served to 

 relieve the unpleasant sensation of buzzing behind the ears, 

 and, when once more it became unbearable, by lifting another 

 finger we made the body a sort of doubled Leyden jar. The 

 delay thus obtained enabled us to pack the instruments with 

 the other hand and to get away from the monument. In 

 one instance the monument (ill-fated No. 18, which was 

 only just built) was torn into fragments by lightning while 

 we were but a short distance off.* We sometimes found 

 the wind very troublesome while making observations with 

 the transit, as it blew with terrific force over the exposed 

 summits of the peaks. We were, however, very much pleased 

 with the invigorating air of the place, and when it was clear 

 we could not have wished for greater enjoyment in out-door 

 life than we found there. 



* U. S. Geol. and Geog. Survey, 1874, p. 456, etc. 



