The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-05-06
ACCOUNT OF THE FIRE OF ST.
Ell MO

In the month of June, 1908, passing from
| the Island of Ivina to that of Maiorca. on
board Spanish polacea ship, and manned
by about thirty rufians, Genoese. Valen-
clans, and Catalonians; fine southerlv
gale, by seven in the evening, brought us
within six or seven leagues Of the anchor
age In Palma Bay. About this time, the
breeze failing us astern, was shortly
succeeded by light and battling breezes OF
the land. No sooner had the setting sun
Withdrawn his golden beams from the tops
OF the lofty hills, which rise to the west,
.iIan cloud, gathering upon the summit OF
mount Galateo, spread gradual darkness
on the hills below, and extended at length
premature obscurity along the very sur
lace OF the shore. About nine, the ship be-
canned, the darkness was intense, and rem
deied still more sensible by the yellow fire
That CLEANED upon the horizon at the south,
and aggravated by the deep-toned thunder
which rolled ut intervals on the mountain.
accompanied by the quick rapidity of that
forked lightning, whose eccentric course
and dire effects, set all description at def
ance. BY half past nine, the hands were
sent alott to turl the top gallant sails, and
reef the top-sails, in preparation for the
threatening storm. When retiring to rest,
a sudden cry of st. Elmo and St. Ann, was
heard from those aloft, and fore and aft the
deck. An interpreter called Justify down
the hatchway. that st. Elmo was on board,
and desired me to come up. A few steps
were sufficient, and to my great surprise, I
found the top-sail yards deserted, the sails
loose, and beating in the inconstant breeze,
the awe-struck and religious mariners, bare
headed, on their knees, with hands uplifted,
IN voice and attitude of prayer, in earnest
devotion to st. Elmo or st. Ann, according
to the provincial nature of their speech.
On observing the appearance of the mast.
the maln-top- gallant-mast-h head, from the
truck, for three feet down, was perfectly
enveloped in colored blaze ofpale phospho-
rus looking light, completely embracing the
circumference Of the mast, and attended
with flirting or creeping motion, as exem-
plltied experlmentally, by the application
of common phosphorus upon board. and
the fore and mizen top-gallant- mast-heads
exhibited similar appearance in relative
degree.
This curious illumination continued with
undlmnlshed intensity, whence becoming
gradually, fainter and less extensive it final
ly disappeared, after duration of not less
The seamen, in the meantime, having fin
ished their devotions, and observing the
light to remain stationary, returned prompt
ly to the yards and under favor of this
Spirit OF the Storm" now quickly perform
ed that duty, which on critical coniuncture.
had been abandoned, under the influence of
their superstition and their fears. During
the prevalence of the lights, as well as
through the remaining hours of night, the
wind continued, except in occasional puffs,
light and variable; and the morning ushered
in with clear sky, hot sun, and a light
southerly breeze; which in due time.
brought US safe to the anchor of Palma.
Conversing with the interpreter on the
nature of this extraordinary atmosphercal
phenomenon, he expressed his implicit be-
lief that 1t was provided by the immediate
power of st. Elmo, the tutelar deity Of
those who trave! on the vast Deep" in re-
gard TO their interests in moment of sud-
den danger, and used every argument to
persuade me that the present safety of the
ship'was due to the very timely and friend
ly interference of this aerial demigod, and
that no accident could possibly have hap
pened to the sails, while the seamen were
at prayers, as long as the light glowed sta
tionary on the mast. Had the light, he con-
tinued gradually moved from the mast head
to the deck, and from thence to the kensel.
as he had often seen it, the event would
have prognosticated a gale of wind or other
disaster, and according to the depth of the
descent, so would be the nature of the evil
to come. In the present instance, the lights
gradually disappeared, like the snuff Of a.
candle, and the weather continued clear and
fine for several subsequent days.
Edinburg Philosophical Journal.