Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1842-02-26
WHOLE NUMBER $50.
An Editor in a Thunder storm.

Al NAt IN u L II slefHhs
On the evening of the 29th ult. the ~south.es-
tern portion OF Chautauquo county N. \ was
visited by a terrific thunder storm. The editor of
the Aes'tleld (Chautauqpe couat>l Messenger
vas out through the whole OF u, and has given
The following account Of his adventures:
We were on horseback. md rode on in tho
darkness which proceeded tie rain. and which was
50 dense that We could no; see II distinguish the
head OF the animal On whoso back We sat, except
when the dnrhness was d~lssipated by the sudden
but short ntshes Of the electric n4ii. Some 81,
these were intensely VIVID. After ono of them,
It seemed as If every thing was annlhilated. and
deep, inpcnctEable, and almost pnlpable darkness
br0oded the universal mistress of The world.
Never before did We realize what was meant by
Egyptian darkness. This was lus, before the
commencement Q! the ram. As soon DIS the RAIN
began, (ahich IVES dciyen from the west by "a
mighty wind,l our beast instantly turned his head
towards the east, and, spite OF authority, bride,
or whip, stood stock still, 10 take the peltinss
from the clouds. The only way 10 proceed was
for the writer 10 get off, walk through the mui,
and lead the nag. This was not a very deiecia-
Die Job, TO be sure; but necessity was as stern in
tho case ns our Locofoco Senators are With tho
Governors message, and do II we must. So we
dIsmountcd, nnd, after considerable effort, got
Dohb:n into right angles with the tempest, which
camo roaring and believing down upon US as ii
oil the lions Of Africa had been let loose together
and were furiousIy rushing after their prey wlIlo
-ow and then the heavy rolling thunder pealed
through the angry vault, and seemed 10 madden
the NOISY tempest TO a fefcer growi, or, some-
times, 10 GroW1 IT altogether, IA The cyerpowcI-
ing stiergGNCi its 0wO tremendous voice.
We could keep the control Of our quadruped
companion only by holding hun by the name; and
thus we started on our dark and muddy trudgo
homeward. We had not proceeded far, when, on
casting on eye towards the head OF our captive
steed VIC were somewhat startled TO perceive
two small pyramids Of fire streaming up from his
ears! On 4 second look 1t was just SO! A stream
Of light about three eighths OF an inch broad a,
the base, and about IN inch in height, rose from
the tip Of each Of his cars. We halted and let
90 ouE grippe upon his name, and on looking again,
we saw similar and smaller sparks or Jets from
the end OF that part Of his name which hung over
his forehead between has ears, and also q narrow
circle Of light around each eye! We stood in a
mazement contemplating this sight, when a slight
change IN the direction Of our eye. showed Tho
same phenomenon from the corner of our cloak
collar. which lined with hair shag. We then no.
uced that The whole Of our collar, as far back as
we could sec, was trimmed with this visible ap.
pearnnco of the electric fluid, wherever the hair
formed q point. N3r was il confined 10 our col
lar, for, on casting our vision up, tho frontlet TO
our cap exhibited The same lightning tips. Hero
then, we were in HE midst Of a current of cleo.
trIcIty struggling for a passage. In a minute or
two the fash appeared, left us harmless, and re-
moved the frcry points with which we had
been envelopcd. Perhaps II was all IN ims gina.
ton; but it certainly appeared 10 us as though, tho
flash was Of longer duration than general, and had
exactly the appearance OF the atmosphere on fire.
II seemed 10 continue, with vibrating nppearnn-
ces, for two or three seconds, md the thunder was
heard before the light had ceased. This would
seem to Indicate a rapid succession ,of d~ischarg-
e., and their no very agreeable proximity TO US.