( *>9 ) 
fince been given in the ThiUfopb, Tranfati. but is here confirm’d 
That July 24th, 1681. A Ship whereof one Mr. Lad was Ma- 
iler about 100 Leagues from New England in Lat. 38 met 
with a violent (lorm of Thunder, wh ch did much Damage to 
the Ship; at' which time, a bituminous Matter fell on the 
Ship burning with that Violence, as not to be extinguish'd 
with Water till it was all burnt out, fmelling ftrongly like 
fired Gunpowder ; and when they came to obferve the Stars 
ac Night, they found the Polarity or Dire&ion of their Sea- 
CompafTes to be changed 5 the North-Point being turned to 
the South, and fo continued to do for the reft of the Voyage 
for a toco Leagues. He adds farther, that one of thele 
Compaftes continues to do fo ftill, and was upon his Table 
before him at the time of his writing this prefent Letter. He 
makes a Quere whether this may be accounted for by Mr. 
Eoyfs Experiment of heating a Loadftone red-hot, and by 
altering the Pofition in which it was cool’d, he could change 
its Polarity. Which fome may fay, might happen to this 
Needle, fuppofing it was made red-hot, and turned upon its 
Center in the Storm. 
From Thunder he proceeds to Earth- Quakes, which tho* he 
fays they have not done with them the Mifchiefs frequent in 
Sicily , Italy, &c. yet they have had feveral very fenfible and 
affrightning. In the Year 1663, they had 6 or 7 violent 
lhakes in the fpace of 3 Days : a Town lying on the River 
Connecticut, has had fcores of them in a Year, for many\ r ears 
together. The Indians affirm, that feveral Rivers have not on- 
ly been ftopt in their courfe and diverted, but fome wholly 
Iwallowed upby Earth-Quakes. He farther adds, a pafiage out 
of Joffelin who dwelt in the Neighbourhood, that in the Year 
1670, at a place called Kendunch, near the fide of the River, 
a piece of clay Ground was thrown up over the tops of high 
Oaks, growing between it and the River, which it thereby 
ftopt, and left a Hole in the Place from which it was thrown 
forty Yards fquare, &c Next as to Storms of Hail, he re- 
lates that they have had very extraordinary ones, infomuch 
that they have lain 3 or 4 Foot thick on the Ground, 
