Account of a Remarkable Storm. 127: 
The state of the weather previously to the commence- 
ment of the storm was as follows :— 
The sky was cloudy, the air thick, (to adopt common lan- 
guage) and very sultry ; the clouds were low and heavy, the 
wind blew fromthe 5. W. — Debility and languor were gene- 
rally complained of. No thermometrical, or barometrical 
observations were made, within my knowledge. 
About half past 3 o’clock P. M. three distinct clouds, 
dense and black, arose in the southeast, in quick succes- 
sion. <A brisk shower followed. A fresh wind blew fora 
little period ; but before 4 o’clock a calm ensued, which 
lasted nearly an hour. A short suspensioy of the rain took 
place soon after 5 o’clock. The whole quantity which had 
descended between this time, and the commencement ofthe 
storm, was considerable. About half past five, another dense 
and black cloud accompanied by a fresh wind, arose from 
theS. W. Shortly before the cloud reached the zenith, 
three vivid streaks of lightning issued from it, appearing like 
branches of the same flash. ‘These were followed by three 
very sharp peals of thunder, instantaneously succeeding 
each other. 
About the same time, or immediately after, a very thick 
and dark cloud rose up rapidly from the N. E. They met 
immediately over the town. At this instant a powerful rain 
commenced. The air soon after became so obscure, that 
trees, and buildings, and other large objects, could not be 
discerned at the distance of a few yards. The obscurity did 
not appear to arise from a fog, ofthe usual kind ; but from 
the abundance of the rain, and the low descent of the 
clouds, which appeared to rest upon the ground, or to hang 
a little above it. Afterthe clouds met, the wind became very 
variable, and blew for short periods from almost every 
point of the compass. At times it came with so much force 
as to drive the rain in a very unusual manner, through the 
crevices in doors and windows, and the roofs of dwelling 
houses. Many houses which had never before been known 
to leak, at this time admitted great quantities of water. In 
several instances the wind suddenly abated, and a calm of 
a few minutes ensued. The lightning and thunder were 
unusually severe. The thunder frequently resembled a 
violent crash, and was as sudden, and of as short continu- 
ance, as the sound occasioned by the firing of a cannon, or 
