Obfervations in EkShicily, 89 
u and fhivered all the intermediate parts of thole mails, 
u where they were covered with greafe. This appears 
u lb extraordinary to me, that I thought proper to take a 
“ note of it upon the fpot, in order to occalion the making 
“ of fome philofophical inquiries and experiments on 
<l the fubjecl by thofe more capable of accounting for it 
u than myfelf : and for that reafon the above relation 
“ may be depended on as juft and true, after a repeated 
“ and critical examination of the feveral parts of the 
u mails which I have defcribed. W. D.” 
In confequence of this relation, and the hint which 
concludes it, I have been induced to make the following 
experiments, ift, A glafs tube, eight inches long, with 
a bore or cavity of about a quarter of an inch diameter, 
being filled pretty clofely with lamp-black, and each end 
flopped with a bullet, the ftem of which juft entered, 
and was cemented in the cavity of the tube, conducted 
the charge of a jar containing three fquare feet of coated 
furface inftantaneoufly, but with fcarce any expiation. 
2dly, Such a tube being filled with a mixture of lamp- 
black and oil (as ufed by the painters) entirely failed to 
conduct the fhock. 3dly, The outer furface of fuch a tube 
being painted with lamp-black and oil, and excited with 
dry warm flannel, acted (the tube being alfo dry and 
warm) as a very ftrong negative electric. 4thlv, A piece 
Vol. LXVII. N of 
