88 
have much pleasure in putting before you such other particulars 
as I have been able to gather. 
There was no warning whatever, a black cloud rolled up, a little 
rain, and then two tremendous flashes. 
The tree struck was a fine young oak, half covered with ivy, in 
a row with other oaks, some also having ivy on them. 
E. Batchelar, painter at Dorking, 2 miles off, describes a tre- 
mendous flash of blue light, and thunder instantly. 
Rev. G. R. Kensit, walking in fields about 1 mile off, describes a 
ball of blue fire which seemed to fall on his foot. 
Martha Rapley, coming home through Betchworth Park with 
perambulator and two children, was only 300 or 400 yards from 
the tree ; was so stunned and blinded that she saw nothing — per- 
ambulator seemed wrapped in flames — she did not know whether 
the children were dead or not until she got home. Neither in- 
jured. 
J. C. Richards, Esq., of Boxhill Farm, had a sheep killed about 
J a mile off ; he seemed to think it was killed by the same flash 
that split the tree. There was only one other flash. 
The tree, unfortunately, was removed at once by Mr. Hope’s 
woodreeve. I could not see that any part was blackened. Mr. 
Richards observed to me that no conceivable human force could 
have so split it. 
Part of the fibre had been made to writhe round in a most 
remarkable manner. 
Huge splinters (3 feet by 3 or 4 inches) were chopped out and 
lay a few feet off. 
The tree was divided and hung on each side of the fence about 
8 or 10 feet from the ground. The lightning seemed to have run 
down thence along the outside bark into the ground; but the 
marks were slight. The tree was still solid below the cleft. 
I am yours faithfully, 
Alan Cheales. 
