The Jasper weekly courier., 1874-11-20

Among tile most interesting phenomena
witnessed during the trip OF the Hayden
Expedition in the high mountains were
those caused BY the presence of large
amounts of electricity. Last year the ex-
ploring parties had occasion several times
TO experience slight discomfort from like
causes, but the intensity was by far less
than during the present season.
DIR. Endlicott relates the following to
your correspondent For more than six
weeks rain was our faithful companion.
falling more frequently about noon and
afternoon than any other tiIne of the dav.
Rain Ia the valleys was turned into snow
or hail on the high points usually occupied
as stations. and il was there and then we
had ample opportunity of witnessing a
series OF phenomena just a. interesting a.
dangerous. Ascending station Nine. I'm
compahgne Peak. whose attitude j. 1890
feet. we had the first experience Of the kind
this year, and although we stood upon the
summit a early "a ..3O "A. m. IL was not
more than an hour or two before the in
tensity of the electric fluid made any lon
ger stay impossible. The first indications
of an approaching storm can Of course b.
seen or heard from distance. but not un-
ill the characteristic buzzing is heard does
the electricity become uncomfortably plen-
UfHl at the point of observation. Although
10y no means an aesthetic comparison, ihe
sound produced by the rapid succession
OF small discharges closely resembles that
created by the frying OF bacon. Ere
quently this noise may not be observed
while lying down or reclining in a sitting
posture. but will be noticed A. soon a.
the observer rises to standing
position. II not occurring then, il
may sometimes be- produced by
holding hammer or rifle in the air verti-
cally-any thing that will reach a higher
stratum OF the atmosphere. As the cleo
tricity accumulaies, however, 1t will be
found that the hair of the head and whi>-
kers assume an abnormal position-siand
on end-opcTatlng so much To our dis
comfort that. before continuing our invest
igations. each member OF the party had his
head aud face closely sheared. The ap-
pearance OF every man before this with
bri>iling hair and beard. was singular and
laughable. Soon the buttons and other
projecting portions of the clothing CON-
menoed buzzing, and decidedly painful
sensations followed. At the back oi the
head and al the elbows a sharp pricking,
like that of needles or a sharp knife. was
icit. Bv this time the party came 10 the
conclusion that they were standing on
dangerous ground. or rather in dangerous
clouds, Tor they were enyeloping us on
every side. Those standing on the very
summit of the peak and along the sharp
ridges leading from IL experienced the Sc
yerest shocks. After beating "A hasty ~
Treat. and remaining on the sides of the
mountain to continue our observations,
y was noticed that after each discharge or
Hash Of lightning short rest ensued until
suilicientquantity of electricity had again
accumulated. During this time we were
Within very few feet of places struck by
hghtning. Those nearest the point struck |
Mould feel heavy shock pass through !
.hem. These same phenomena were no
tcct in our visit to other peaks during
these days of continuous storms. AT
many places we found the rocks glazed
where the electric current had passed. /
The formation of tubes in sand from the
same cause is well known. Cor. " FORK
Times.