Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-09-20

discharging itself into the air, has been seen
edging with light the names Of horses the met
! al trimmings Of their harness, the lashes OF
whips, the brims of hats, the tops and edges of
umbrellas. the sharp points of swords and Ian
ces, the extremites of hair and whiskers, the
corners of chapeaus, tn, buttons upon the coat,
flaments of straw, the beak of birds, and the
myriad needle-like examinations of vegetable
growth, with chat incompatible point and fin
ish which they took from Natures own hands.
In l773 these electrical brushes embelished
the crosses upon the steeples in Rouen, as well
as other points of eminence. At the siege of
Kngsall, in 1901, the sentinel saw electrical ia
pers burning on the points of lances and swords.
Ouyan says that they are often noticed on the
bayonets of the soldiers at Fort Gowrays, Bou-
gle, 2,200 feet above the level of the sea- Dur
ing thunder storm they have appeared like the
work of induction, cleaning upon the points of
the firearms in the armory of the tower of Lon
don. In Poland, Captain Bourdet was surpris-
ed to see, in December, 1906, she electrical glow
upon the ears of the horses, on the metallic
knobs of their harnesses, and on the whiskers
of the troops. On the 25th of January, 1852,
the tops Of the trees at Freyburg were touched
with light during a snow storm. In 1924, a
load Of straw became animated, and danced the
electrical hop, each straw standing on end, and
shining at the top. In 1925, Sir William Hook
er and IA party of botanists who were upon Ben
Nevis, shed the electrical light from their hair
when they lifted their hats. In May, 1881, the
hair of the officers at Algiers stood erect decked
out with fire. Walker, the English electrician,
on the 8th Of January, lS42, saw the same light
on the top of his own lightning rod On the
l7th Of January, 1877, an extensive snow storm
was experienced in Maine, Vermont, Massachu-
setts and even in Pennsylvania and Georgia.-
Professor Cleaveland says that upon this occa-
sion three persons, crossing the bridge over An
droscoggin, observed the borders of their hats
to be luminous, and the ends of their fingers,
though covered with gloves, were radent with
light. Professor Dewey, of Williamstown, re-
latcs that upon the same occasion, q physician
saw the light upon the ears and hair of his
horse. A gentleman tried to brush it from his
hat, and thus reminding one of the sailor, who
was sent to the topmast to bring the fire of st.
Elmo down.
In both cases, the experiment was attained
with the same success. The light spread more
widely for being disturbed Other persons wit
messed the same brightness on the trees, fences,
and logs. 1t was reported that a hiss was heard
when the hand was presented to these objects.
Moreover, the Lightning was frequent. young
man in Vermont described the phenomenon after
this wise 1t appeared as star or spark often
er than a brush A sound could be heard at
the distance Of six or eight feet resembling that
\ of water in tea-kettle just before it boils.-
The effect was greater on high ground than on
low, so that the light was seen on the hat and
shoulders. The brush was sometimes two inch
es iii length and three quarters of an inch in
diameter TO spit was to emit from the mouth
Il lumionus stream of fire. At Shelbourne,
Mass, similar light was seen upon we'll
pole; when the end came down the light disap-
pcared, and was kindled again when it went up.
Arago mentions other cases where the spit was
luminous, and one at least has come within my
personal observation at Cambridge. In 1867,
Upper and Lanfer observed near Mount Etna,
that by moving their hands through the snowy
air they produced sounds which could be heard
at the distance of forty feet. In 1881, Saus
sure, the great Alpine observer, felt cobweb
sensation among his fingers, and his attendants
were able t. draw sparks fIom gold button on
his chapeau. The beaks of birds have appeared
luminous during storms, and it has been sug-
gested that the eagle, by some preeminence in
this respect, acquired its cognom N of the min
lister of the thunder-bot. We may introduce
here the experience of Sabine and james G. Rose
) during an arctic voyage, as indicating possibil
tv of the electeical condition of the earth Or
air They entered a luminous track, about
four hundred metres long, and while in it they
could see the tops of their masts, the sails ant
cordage of their ship and when they left it the.
q passed suddenly into outer darkness.
:. Arago has collected with amazing industry
passages from the classics which may possibl
o contain illusions to the electrical light. Thu
Caesar, in the African War, says that the lance
f of the fifth legion seemed to be on fire during
0 night of hail-storms. Livy states, that the jaw
elm Of Lucius Atreus cast forth flames for tw
hours without being consumed. Plutarch rt
# cords the fact, that when the fleet of Lysande
: was on the point of attacking the Athenians
, Castor and Pollux arose and stood on the tw
:. sides of the galley of the Lacedenonian admiral
He refers te similar observations in Sardinia an
: Sicily. Pliny had just such lights on the point
e of soldiers pixies. Seneca alludes to stal
l. which reposed on the iron part of the lance
% Gylipgus And then there was the fire aroun
ia the head of Ascanius.
GEN. PELLIssIER,
4 Il II xr,kI