tion twice the time necessary for it to blow over a vessel at anchor. Twen- ty minutes may be accounted the max- imum of the time during which the gusts attending these tempests general- ly continue in any violence. But they are commonly the forerunner of rains, which follow very copiously for seve- ral hours.
The intenseness of the lightning, and rapid succession of its flashes, have in more than one instance, in the last three years, surpassed any exhibition of the kind often witnessed in the tem- perate latitudes.
In the autumn of 1822 occurred a tornado, about twelve o'clock at night, which was followed by a succession of thunder showers, until daylight. The track of the electrical clouds was di- rectly over the settlement, and at a very little distance above it. Between each of the blinding flashes, and the re- port which followed, no interval of time could be measured. The horrors of the night were steadily illuminated by a pale vengeful glare, of which it is be- yond the power of language to convey any just impression; and the reverbe- rations of three, and even more succes- sive peals of thunder, could sometimes be distinguished at the same instant. Still, that Providence, which has since so signally watched over the welfare of
our little community, protected every individual, both in person and proper- ty, from its ravages.
It may be added, in conclusion, that the well known laws which govern the explosions of the electric fluid com- bined with a thunder-cloud, give them often a different direction in tropical and in the higher latitudes. In the former, the earth and incumbent atmosphere, over which the cloud passes, are found to be charged with a homogeneous modification of the fluid-and conse- quently limit its action to the different masses and divisions of the cloud it- self. But in the latter, the surface of the earth is oftener found negatively elec- trified in relation to the cloud above it, and the reverse; when the explosions taking place from the one to the other, threaten every projecting object in their range with destruction.
This simple provision of the Crea- tor, by which the tropical portion of the globe is so effectually protected from the natural effects of its own lightning, cannot fail to excite in a re- flecting mind, not stupified with sen- suality or hardened by pride-in one, especially, which has experimentally attested its sufficiency, the most mov- ing sentiments of admiration and gra- titude.
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