342 On Luminous appearances im the Atmosphere. 
appeared to stream from their fingers. This fact was partic~ 
ularly noticed by J. Deming, Esq. of Andover. 
Such phenomena as these it is believed, have seldom 
been observed in this vicinity, probably this is the first in- 
stance since the settlement of the country.* But in other 
parts of the world they have long been witnessed—though 
not very frequently. 
When Gyllippus went to Syracuse, he perceived a flame 
upon hisspear, and during the night before the victory which 
Posthumius gained over the Sabines, the Roman javelins 
emitted light like toreches—Cesar informs us, that in the 
month of February, about the second watch of the night, 
there suddenly arose a great cloud, followed by a dreadful] 
storm of hail, and on the same night the points of the darts 
of the 5th legion appeared to be on fire. 
In 1713, Marquis de Maffei observed in time of a storm 
on a mountain a brilliant flame issuing from the ground, at- 
tended with a loud noise. 
In October 1805, on an evening after a considerable falt 
of rain, several gentlemen at the house of the Rev. Mr. 
Gross, Hartford Vt. noticed a bright light, resembling the 
Aurora Borealis, apparently perpendicular to White River, 
elevated a few degrees above the horizon, and from which, 
Juminous streams shot toward the zenith. 
From these facts the inquiry naturally arises, how can an 
explanation be given of their production? Were analogical 
reasoning to be admitted, the most plausible inference would 
‘be that they were caused by electricity. It is a fact well 
known, that when electricity becomes accumulated, as on 
the prime conductor of an electric machine, its tendency to 
restore an equilibrium, will cause it to escape in diverging — 
rays from every conducting point. If the experiment be 
made in the dark, beautiful electric light will be produced. 
The same unquestionably takes place whenever electrici- 
ty becomes accumulated either on the earth or in the air.— 
When electricity becomes accumulated in the upper regions 
during a shower or a storm, it is launched to the earth or 
other places which are negatively, electrified. On the con- 
* We presume that Dr. Allen has not seen an interesting collection of 
similar facts that occurred on the same occasion, and an account of which 
was presented to the American Academy at Boston, by Professor Farrar of 
Cambridge University.—See the Transactions of the Academy.— Fd. * 
