450 ATMOSPHERICAL PHENOMENA , 
ture, without any other sign of being hurt, 6* 
the fill; was singed a little about the rump. 
In the parish of Samford-Couetney, near ^ j ,„g ii> j 
ifi Devon, on the 7 th of October, 1811, about tll'^ 
afterno ;n, a sudden darkness came on. ^ onil 
being in the church-porch, a great fire ball fell 
and threw them down in various directions, but 
one being hurt. The ringers in the belfry declare ^ Jc 
never knew the bells go so heavy, and were „ c!' .j 
ringing. Looking dowm from the belfry into 'j^yrsi'V 
they perceived four fire balls, which suddenly ,• ihtf^ 
the church was filled with fire and smoke. - ,, 
gregation received a blow in the neck, which cat * _ 
bleed both at nose and mouth. He observed tn 
smoke to ascend to the tower, where a large bea*^' gu‘l^ 
one of the bells was hung, was broken, ^”4 H' « pii'‘'v 
breaking, the bell fell to the floor. One of 
of the tower, next the town, w'as carried away, 
of the stones were found near a barn door, at a 
distance from the church. _ J 'bjt 
On the 1 5th of December, 1754, a vast 
ning fell on the great hulk at Plymouth. It 
or two to the westward of the hulk, and ’'•1® tl^ ii 
it with incredible v'elocity. A portion ot ft 
(a part of the apparatus which serves to hoist m 
masts of the men of war) was cut out, of a litfS ii> 
at least eighteen inches, and about fifteen g‘'!i,icll 
this particular piece was in three or four p'*^ jjjoli ^ 
iron hoops, about two inches broad, and ,(■) 
which were completely cut in two by the bS,' . 
done by the nicest hand and instrument. ^ ' 
was immediately succeeded by a dreadful P<^‘‘ ^ [)jib^- iT 
and that by a most violent shower of hail, ^ 
being as large as nutmegs, and for the greal®'^ 
same size and shape. ‘'J 
Among the many fatal accidents by lightnu^^ I” ^ 
befallen ships, the following is a remarkable if* ^ 
year 1 746, a Dutch ship lay in the road ol i/ 
was preparing to depart for Bengal. The < j/ 
calm, and towards evening the sails were 1*^® ^ 
advantage of the wind which then constantly ^ 
the land. A black cloud gathered over tl>^ ^ 
