[ 16° ] 
XV. Account of the Effects of Lightning on Board the 
Atlas. By Allen Cooper, Efq. Mafter of the Atlas Eajl 
India-matt. In a Letter to Jofeph Banks, Efq. P. R. S. 
Read January 19, 1779. 
A 
•n T a R up Mother-Bank. 
DEAR SIR, jan. 4, .779. 
S I am defirous of acquainting you with every ob< 
fervation made either by my friend Dr. lind or 
myfelf during the voyage, I cannot help troubling you 
with an account of the melancholy effects of the light- 
ning on board my lhip the Atlas on the 3 1 ft of Dec. 
1778. The morning and forenoon of that day were 
clear and cold, with a ftrong dry wind from the N.W. 
which by Dr. lind’s wind-gage generally fuftained a 
column of water of two inches and was fo high as to 
prevent boats coming off to the (hip. At 3 P.M. a fquall 
from the N.N.W. came with a violence fcarcely credible, 
attended with very heavy rain, large hail, and the molt 
fevere lightning, which ftruck our main-maft-head, de- 
scended down the raaft or its rigging, and entered the 
.gun-deck fomewhere nigh the main hatchway. Thole 
(a) A force equal to lb. 10,4, 
5 
who 
