Electrical Countries. 411 



ELECTRICAL COUNTRIES. 



BY H. J. FOURNET.* 



{Continued from our September Number.) 



In a preceding article upon electrical countries, I especially 

 directed my investigations to remote regions. It now remains, 

 therefore, to concentrate the field of these researches, and to 

 remark that in the mountains of the basin of the Rhone, and 

 those in connection with them, there are some places which are 

 distinguished by electrical discharges of a very remarkable in- 

 tensity, whilst up to the present time the most absolute silence 

 reigns in others, notwithstanding the apparent identity of sur- 

 faces. I hope that the details which follow may excite some 

 attention in observers so that at last some meteorological law 

 may be established. Leaving, therefore, for the present, the 

 details already mentioned by M. Arago, I shall first consider 

 that which concerns the Alpine and Jurassic group, and after- 

 wards return to the most western parts of our country. 



Alpine Electeicity. 



1. Illumination of the rocks of Mont Blanc. 



A. During the night of the 11th of August, 1854, Mr. 

 Blackwell being stationed on the Grands Mulets (altitude 

 3455 metres), the guide, F. Le Couttet, went out of the cabin 

 about 11 o'clock at night, and saw the crests of these moun- 

 tains all on fire. He made this circumstance immediately 

 known to his companions, they all wished to be assured as to 

 the fact, and they saw that by an effect of electricity produced 

 by the tempest, each one of the adjacent rocky projections 

 appeared illuminated. Their clothes were literally covered 

 with sparks, and when they raised their arms their fingers 

 became phosphorescent. 



At the same hour we had at Lyons rather a violent shower 

 with thunder, from the south-west, and the whole of the day 

 had been very stormy. 



According to information, for which I am indebted to 

 M. Y. Payot, a naturalist universally known, the guide, 

 Couttet, of Chamounix, at the time of his ascent of Mont Blanc 

 the 25th of August, 1841, with M. Chenal, was surprised by a 

 storm on the Grands Mulets which placed them in actual danger 

 on account of the thunder and lightning which smrounded 

 them without intermission. All the stones around them had 



* Translated from the " Comptes Rendus." 



