[ 4 ' I 3 
“ maft, were fhivered all to-pieces ; die had an 
44 iron fpindle at the main top-gallant-maft-head, 
44 which probably directed the ftroke. This {hip 
44 lay not more than the diftance of two cables 
44 length from ours, and in all probability we Ihould 
44 have fhared the fame fate, but for the electrical 
44 chain which we had but juft got up, and which 
44 conducted the lightning over the fide of the ftiip; 
44 but though we efcaped the lightning, the explo- 
44 fion ftiook us like an earthquake, the chain at 
44 the fame time appearing like a line of fire : a 
44 centinel was in the adtion of charging his piece, 
te and the fhock forced the mufket out of his hand, 
44 and broke the rammer rod. Upon this occafion 
4C I cannot but earneftly recommend chains of the 
44 fame kind to every {hip, whatever be her defti- 
44 nation; and I hope that the fate of the Dutch- 
44 man will be a warning to all who fhall read 
44 this narrative, againft having an iron fpin- 
44 die at the maft-head.” See Capt. Cook’s 
voyage. This condudlor was of copper wire, 
three iixteenths of an inch in diameter; which 
i am inclined to think is rather too fmall for 
the purpofe; I am of opinion it ought to be 
a quarter of an inch at leaft : and I have been 
informed by Dr. solander, that the point ori- 
ginally belonging to the condudlor, had been 
ftolen ; and that this, on which the lightning- 
fell, was of inferior workmanfhip, and not fo 
{harp; which was another great difad vantage: per- 
haps if the wire of the chain had been larger, and 
(h) Tt does not however appear, that the fmall hempen cord, 
with which the links of the chain are clofely connected, or even 
the things which conne£ted them, had received the leaft injury 
from the lightning. 
G g g 2 
the 
