for this fact — for such it is — is that on that quarter 

 between us and the sea there are continual moun- 

 tains, hill behind hill, such as Nore-hill, the Barnet, 

 Butser-hill, and Ports-down, which somehow divert 

 the storms, and give them a different direction. 

 High promontories and elevated grounds have al- 

 ways been observed to attract clouds, and disarm 

 them of their mischievous contents, which are dis- 

 charged into the trees and summits as soon as they 

 come in contact with those turbulent meteors ; while 

 the humble vales escape, because they are so far be- 

 neath them. 



But when I say I do not remember a thunder- 

 storm from the south, I do not mean that we never 

 have suffered from thunderstorms at all ; for on June 

 5th, 1784, the thermometer in the morning being at 

 64°, and at noon at 70°, the barometer at 29° — six- 

 tenths one-half, and the wind north, I observed a 

 blue mist, smelling strongly of sulphur, hanging 

 along our sloping woods, and seeming to indicate 

 that thunder was at hand. I was called in about 

 two in the afternoon, and so missed seeing the gath- 

 ering of the clouds in the north ; which they who 

 were abroad assured me had something uncommon 

 in its appearance. At about a quarter after two, the 

 storm began in the parish of Hartley, moving slowly 

 from north to south ; and from thence it came over 

 Norton-farm, and so to Grange-farm, both in this 



parish. It began with vast drops of rain, which were 



196 



