Obfervations in Electricity - 87 
“ been fixed) and then the lightning immediately fhi- 
“ vered the reft of that maft as far as it was greafed, till 
“ it met the bottom of that and the top of the top-maft, 
w which had likewife been coated over with lamp-black 
“ and oil, on an old coat of tar. Over thefe it glanced, 
u without any perceptible effect, till it reached that part 
“ of the top-maft which was alfo greafed; this part it fhi- 
“ vered, fplitting off large fplinters which were thrown 
“ on the deck. The lower part of the fore-maft being 
u tarred, the lightning Aid over it for about nine 
u feet, without the leaft mark of violence; then darted 
u into the fore-maft, where it was greafed ; rived it ter- 
u riblv, tearing off fplinters as large as a man’s arm, and 
“ four or five feet long, all the way down. It continued 
H this courfe till it again met a coat of tar, which was 
“ laid on the maft for more than five feet above the 
“ deck; here its effects on the maft difappeared, and its 
“ courfe feemed to be divided different ways by two at- 
“ tractive bodies of iron ; one, in a cleet faftened to the 
“ fore-maft, about ten inches below the top of the laft 
“ mentioned coat of tar, by two large fpike-nails: this 
“ cleet with the nails was entirely ftruck off; the light- 
** ning then tore the canvas coating round the foot of 
u the maft (about a yard below the cleet) without any 
u other hurt to the maft itfelf; and from thence was 
“ attracted . 
