The Placer herald., 1867-01-19
impression which revealed the ball remained
npon the ave

upon the eye.
II, then, rifle e-buet move with sufficient
tapidity 10 destroy life without the interpo-
si!'on OF sensation, much more is a flash Of
lightning cotnpetent to produce this effect.
Accordingly, we have we'll authenticated
cases Of people being struck senseess by
lightning. who, on recovery, had no memory
OF pain. The following circunlstantial case
is described by llemmer. Ga the 5Oth Of
June, lTsB, soldier in the neighborhood
Of Mannheim, being over,aktn 10y rain,
placed himself under tree, beneath which
a woman lad previously taken shelter. He
looked up to see whether the branches were
thick enough to afford the required pro,ec.
ton, and just then was struck BY lightning,
aud fell senseless 10 the earth. The woman
a, bis side experienced the shock in her foot,
but was not struck down Some hours af.
terward, the man revived, but knew nothing
about what had occurred, save the fact Of
his looking up at tn, branches. This was
his last act Of consciousness, and he passed
from the conscious to the unconscious con.
dition without pain. The visible marks of a
lightning stroke are usually insignificant;
the hair is sometimes burnt; slight wounds
are Observed while, in some Instances, a
red streak marks the track Of the discharge
over the skin.
The effects Of shock of artificial lightning
on a gentleman of our acquaintance, who is
very sensitive to the electric discharge may
be here described Under ordinary circum.
stances the discharge from small Leyden
Jar is exceeding y unpleasant to him. Some
time ago be happened TO stand in the pres.
ence of numerous audience, with battery
of fifteen large Leyden jars charged beside
him. Through some a~kwardness on his part,
he touched and the discharge Of the bat
terry went through his body. Here life was
absolutely blotted out for very sensible in
terva, without trace of pain. In second
or two consciousness returned: the recipient
Of the shock saw himself in tbs presence of
his audience and apparatus, and, by the help
OF these external facts. immediately conclud
ed that he had received the battery dis.
charge. His intellectual consciousness Of his
position was restored with exceeding rapid
ity, but not so bis optical consciousness To
prevent the audience from being alarmed,
he observed that it had often been his desire
to receive accidentally such a shock and
that his wish bad at length been fulfilled.
But while making this remark, the appear.
ance which bis body presented to him was
that ofa number Of separate pieces. The
arms. for example, were detached from the
trunk, and seemed suspended in The air. In
fact, memory, and the power OF reasoning.
appeared to be complete long before the
optic nerve was restored to healthy action.
But what we wish chiefly to dwell upon here
is the absolute painlessness Of the shock;
and there cannot be a doubt that in the
case Of person struck dead by lightning,
the passage from life to death occurs without
consciousness, being in the least degree i'm.
plica:ed. 1t is an abrupt stoppage of sensa-
'on, unaccompanied by pang.
DEATH OF PzARKo.-32e years ago,
Francisco Pizarfo. the conqueror Of Peru,
was murdered in his own house. "Tbey that
take the sword shall perish by the sword"
BY the sword be had risen; by the sword he
was to perish; not on some we'll fought bat
tefeld, with the shouts Of victory ringing
in his ear; but in his palace hall, by the as.
sassins blade. In his own fair capital of
Lima, the City Of Kings the gem of the
Pacific, which had sprung up under bis aus
pices, with Incredible rapidity, for Pizarro
seemed to impart his vast energy to all about
him, score OF conspiraiors, assembled at the
house Of Amalgro's son, plotted this death.
1t was on Sunday in June, l54l, at the
hour of dinner, that they burst into his
apartment with the cries of death to the
tyrant." A number Of visitors were with
him but they were imperfecty armed, and
deserted him, escaping by the windows, and
his balf-brother, Martinez de Alcantora, two
pages, and as many cavaliers, we're all who
stood forward in defense of their chief
They soon fell, overpowered by numbers and
covered with wounds But Pzarro wa. not
the man to meekly meet bis death Alone,
without armor, his cloak around one arm,
his good sword in his right hand, with a
vgor and interpdity, surprising at bis ad-
vanced age, the old hero kept his cowardIy
assailants at bay. "What, ho!' he cried,
"traitors, have you come to kill me in my
own house?" And. as be spoke, two Of bis
enemies fell beneath his blows. Rada, the
chief of the conspirators, impatient of the
delay, called out, "Why are we SO long
about it? Down with the tyran," and tax
ing one Of his companions in bis arms, he
thrust him against the Marquis. Pizarro in
s,antly graphing with his opponent, ran
him through with his sword. But, at that
moment, he received wound in the throat,
and reeng, he sank on the floor. when the
swords Of Rada and several others were
plunged into his body. "Jesu!" exclaimed
the dying man; and, tracing cross with his
bloody finger on the floor, he bent down bis
head 10 kiss it, when stroke, more friendly
than the rest, put an end to bis earthly ex
stence.
EBThe Alta says, that the projected
railroad frvm Vallejo to Sacramento will be
finished this year. A Il the iron is furnished,
and New York capitalists have bound them,
selves to furnish the money as fast as it is