t i8 9 3 
fiance that occurred in my laft voyage, may perhaps 
have greater weight with fome Teamen, than all the 
reafonings of the electricians. If it fhould be a means 
of perfuading them to make ufe of conductors, my 
intention will be anfwered. 
In April laft, as we approached the coaft of 
America, we met with ftrong South-weflerly gales : 
they had continued leveral days, when exceeding dark 
heavy clouds arofe in the oppofite quarter, forced 
againfl the wind that blew with us, till they had 
covered all the North-eaftern half of the hemifphere : 
the ftruggle then between the two winds was very 
extraordinary ; fometimes one prevailing, fometimes 
the other. I was apprehenlive we fhould have much 
lightning, and got my conductor in order j when, in 
hauling up the mainfail, the fheet block ftruck vio- 
lently againft the back-ftays, to which the chain was 
fattened (EE in fig. 1. Tab. VII.), and, as I found 
afterwards, broke the latter, which occafioned the 
phenomenon I am going to defcribe. It was near 
midnight and very dark, when I firft obferve a pale 
bluifh light a few feet above the quarter rail : at firft 
I thought it proceeded from the light in the binnacle ; 
but, finding that it frequently difappeared and return- 
ed again precifely in the fame place, and that it fome- - 
times emitted fparks not unlike thofe of a lmall fquib, , 
I began to fufpeCt that it proceeded from the con- 
ductor. To be certain, I ordered all the lights to be put 
out below, and, that no rays of light might iflue from 
the binnacle, I covered it entirely with my cloak. I 
was prefently confirmed in my conjecture, that the 
light and fparks which I had oblerved proceeded 
from the chain; for, placing myfelf. near it, during 
the 
