320 EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING. 



itiast by a large iron thimble near it, which was fixed to the 

 mizen-stay : this thimble it scorched black, and cut a part of 

 the stay; from whence its direction was no longer prece^ible. 

 The greased All the parts of the topmast and top-gallant-riiast, which were 

 shattered hut scrapped and greased j were split into a thousand pieces ; but 

 the blacked neither the heads of these masts, nor the caps, whore they were 

 uninjured. Covered with blacking, received any injury. None of the yards 



The yards were which were fixed to the masts, four in number, received the 

 smallest damage from the lightning, nor any of the sails touched 

 by it. Four men which were sitting under the top, to shelter 

 themselves from the rain, had the hair of their heads and eye- 

 brows a little singed, but received no further injury. The colour 

 of this lightning appeared to be a pure white. 

 The main- In June 1788, a snow, in Bombay Harbour, belonging to 



sn^vv^destrov- ^^^ Honourable East India Company, was struck- by light- 

 ed, and not the ning. It embraced the main-topmast head, rent that mast 

 ^'^^ ^' in pieces, and the mainmast was split from head to heel, arid 



rendered unserviceable 5 whilst the main, and main-topsail 

 yards that were fixed aloft on the masts, did not receive any 

 injury. 

 Similar events. In July or August 1792, a ship from Bombay, bound to China, 

 was struck by lightning in Malacca Strait, near Prince of Wales 

 Island. It embraced the masts forward, and destroyed them ; 

 but none of the yards which were fixed on these masts received 

 any injury. 

 The King About September 1793, the King George, a large ship, 



t^^°v^'of'^^"' belonging to Bombay, proceeding up Canton River, was struck 

 Bombay, had by lightning. It embraced the fore-top-gallant-mast head, 

 destrr^eTb*^ shivered the masts in the fore part of the ship, killed the people 

 severe light- in the fore-top, and some of those on deck which stood near 

 se"onfiie ^^^^ ^^® foremast. Although the fore-lopmast and top-gallant-mast 

 were much perforated by the lightning, and in danger of tumb- 

 ling down, none of the yards were injured. The electric matter 

 was conducted by the foremast into the hold imperceptibly ; 

 for no traces of it were visible where it penetrated below the 

 deck ; notwithstanding, when no danger was apprehended, the 

 ship was perceived to be on fire forward, about seven houra 

 The lightning after she was struck by the lightning. There was stowed in 

 set fire to resin- ^|^ j^ y the foremast, olibanum, myrrh, and sandlewood: 



ous goods stow- ' ' ' J ' 



cd near the the olibanum, being an inflammatory, resinous substance, was 

 foremast. ggj 



