VOL. XXVI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 431 



An Account of a Storm of Thunder and Lightning, at Ipswich. By Orlando 

 Bridgman, Esq. F.R.S. N°3l6, p. 137- 



On the l6th of July, 1708, at Ipswich, a most violent storm of thunder and 

 lightning took place, the effects of which have been both wonderful and dismal. 

 ' About 6 in the evening it was to be perceived at some distance, in the south 

 west. I happened then to be on the highest eminence about this town, from 

 whence I could very plainly distinguish the working of the storm, which I 

 judged to be about 4 miles distance from me : the instant I perceived the flash, 

 it seemed to extend itself like a bow, and cast its light a considerable way round 

 it; and the shaft of lightning did not run in a waving angular figure as usual, 

 but in a straight shaft of fire, like the fuze of a bomb, directly from the cloud 

 to the ground. Soon after there were two or three of the greatest flashes of 

 lightning, and the noise of thunder that succeeded them was so very great, and 

 caused so great an emotion in the air, that it made the rooms shake, and the 

 windows rattle, as in a great storm of wind. Dr. Dade assured me, that the 

 lightning seemed to continue some considerable time on the ground, and that 

 he could sensibly feel its heat in his face. The passage-boat was at that time 

 coming from Harwich, and just got to the town, or very near, when a terrible 

 flash killed the master and three more that were on board. I saw one of them 

 the next day ; he had a wound in his thigh, his breast was lacerated as if he 

 had been whipped with wires, and his face and body as black as if he had been 

 blown up with gunpowder, and thousands of small black spots about him. 

 The master of the vessel was not at all disfigured, but had one wound on his 

 side, like a fresh burn, but no other mark about him, only the chain of his 

 watch was melted, and no harm or burn could be perceived on his breeches or 

 cloaths. The third person was very much torn and shattered about the head ; 

 the crown of his hat was taken clear out, as if it had been cut out, and several 

 parcels of his hair driven into the substance of the hat. The fourth was very 

 little disfigured, only he had a black spot on his side, and a small wound, as if 

 made with a cauterising iron. Several others on board were wounded and 

 stunned. One of them had his hair burnt close to his head behind ; but his 

 peruke untouched ; he had a scratch on his arm about 4 inches long, and 

 a small hurt below the elbow ; he fell that night into a violent fever, grew deli- 

 rious, and if not dead yet, \9 pronounced irrecoverable ; whether he received 

 any hurt on his brain, or the violence of the fever causes the delirium, remains 

 undetermined ; there was no mark to be seen on his coat, waistcoat, or shirt, 

 where he had the hurt on his arm. Two of the persons killed were on the 

 outside, and the other two under the tilt of the boat ; and, what is remarkable^ 



