652 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVIII. No. 723 



Then the electric display began. First a 

 dull detonation to the south, and, after an in- 

 terval, a flash at the observatory window as if 

 there were wires in the observatory and elec- 

 tricity had struck them. To this we paid 

 little heed, for the occurrence was trivial. 

 After a time, however, a crash a hundred feet 

 below us and perhaps 500 feet away and the 

 immediate terror of the horse drew us to the 

 door. 



As we emerged, every artificial projection 

 on the summit was giving forth a brush dis- 

 charge of electricity. The corners of the 

 eaves of the observatory (covered with Mal- 

 thoid roofing), the arrow of the wind vane, 

 the cups of the anemometer, each sent forth 

 its jet, while the high intake pipe of the pre- 

 cipitation tank on the apex of the summit 

 was outlired with dull electric fire. 



Whenever our hands arose in the air, every 

 finger sent forth a vigorous flame, while an 

 apple, partially eaten, in the hand of Captain 

 Brambila sent forth two jets where the bite 

 left crescent points. This latter phenomenon 

 occurred, however, only when the apple was 

 raised above the head and ceased when it was 

 lowered so that the eating of the apple involved 

 no visible eating of flame. 



To cap the climax my felt hat above the 

 brim flashed suddenly into flame. I could feel 

 the draft and, it seemed to me I could hear it 

 too. The halo was dazzling, but before the 

 senses could react it was gone. I had earlier 

 but inefiectually rubbed Captain Brambila's 

 hair to elicit a discharge of electricity, but 

 because he was diminutive in size, nature had 

 selected me to serve as the point of electric 

 discharge. So vivid were the flames that con- 

 tinued to play from the corner of the observa- 

 tory that I reached up to assure myself that 

 the observatory was not actually on fire. 



We felt no ill physical effects nor any 

 special alarm, but for prudence's sake we 

 sought the interior of the observatory, where 

 the pranks of the electricity were apparently 

 completely avoided. About 7:30 o'clock, an 

 hour after the electric storm had burst, it had 

 vanished. 



The clouds, however, continued to hover 



around the summit, and the following evening 

 a heavy rainstorm swept from the mountain 

 earthward toward Eeno, gaining violence as it 

 descended, until the valley was drenched. We 

 followed the storm closely with but little in- 

 convenience from rain. 



Only once before have I met electricity ac- 

 tively present on Mount Eose. This was dur- 

 ing daylight of June 25, 1906, in a wet snow- 

 storm accompanied by dense fog. At that 

 time the thunder was pealing in the abyss 

 below me, until I felt like some Jupiter hurl- 

 ing thunderbolts at the earth beneath. 



The puzzle is that the tension did not burst 

 on the apex of the summit where the dis- 

 charge of earth electricity had particularly 

 ionized the air, instead of upon the rocks 

 below. A possible reason may be found in the 

 suggestion of Dr. E. S. Minor that the scud 

 which was sweeping between the heavier 

 clouds above and the mountain mass may 

 have become electrified by passing between 

 the two poles and then have discharged its 

 electricity as it was swept down nearer the 

 mountain where the air currents swirl in its 

 lee. 



So far the discharges on Mount Eose have 

 occurred at this lower point, and this habit 

 may prove to be the observatory's security. 

 The large extent of the summit over which the 

 brush discharge was active, and the intensity 

 of the latter, indicate imminent danger to the 

 entire observatory. It was believed, when the 

 observatory was planned, that the bolt would 

 be induced to strike the high intake pipe of 

 the precipitation tank on the crest; but such 

 a conductor, it seems, would prove insignifi- 

 cant on account of the gigantic proportions 

 of the electric activity. Besides, it is impos- 

 sible to create a satisfactory circuit from tank 

 to mountain, for the summit is apparently one 

 mass of shivered rocks whose interstices are 

 filled only with dry earth. 



A wire cage in which to sit during thunder- 

 storms has been suggested as affording pos- 

 sible immunity for the observers. It is pos- 

 sible that the observatory itself, which is 

 sheathed with Malthoid roofing above and 

 nested in the rocks below, may serve the same 



