6 The. N&f.Ü R A L \ H IS frQR Y
this very time, the Veflèls commonly made ufè of for expedite
Sailing, are ftiled Brigantines.
The Air for the moft part ismildjlCerene and healthlhij
excepting on the Fenny and Maritime parts of the County]
where they are frequently vifited with; malignan t and intermitting
Fevers, Scurvies, GonJïmptianSilBr&pJiespRheu-
matiffflSy and the like j. oceafion|d hy «Sflpiiureaus Saline
Effluvia^ fomctifnes extremelyyfe/zW,..which I have fee-:
quently ohferv’d to be fo, before the approaching of fome
extraordinary Storm] and it is moft certain, the Inhabitants
upon the Sea Goafts, from the hollow murmuring
Nbife,- which is frequently heard from the Ocean , and the
offeniive Smells perceiv’d from thole Crafts, will maleasl
early and certain a Prognoftick of the .Change of Weather,
as the Modern Firtaoficim do by iheirMercurial Tubmm
It is oblervable,. whilft this ISfeileiis heard in the Ofceaffl,
the Surface of the -Water., is elevated after an unufual
manner; and upon the fubfiding óf the Water it is obfbrv’d,
the Storm immediately fucceeds : ¥iom which Th/gnamena
it is ncafonable to conclude,: the following; Tempefts tor he
oceafion’d by Eruptions ifrèm. the Boirels ,off the? Earth,
ftrugling with that mighty Kiemiettfc,i till they, had forced
their way;'through. its imminfe Eodygjwhiehriiiftérwards
flying about in the circumambient Atmofphere, frequently
occafion tempeftuous Commotions, and fometinaes:. pefti-
lential Diftempers. Thefe being the Thtemmena, which are
almoft each Year oblervable, I haften to more unufual Accidents;
and, fixfi, fli all begin with thofe of Lightning and
Thundery and other Appearances in the Heavens. |
About Eight Years ago, in a liiiall Village, caW&Elswickj
upon a Sunday about Three of the Clock ii) the Afternoon
happen’d a terrible Tempeft of lightning and Thunder,
which produced very difmal EffeCts. The particulars of it
were thefe: After feveral amazing Claps of Thunder j and
dreadful Flalhes of Lightning, at laft fti-uck thro’ the Air
a
L A N G A SH IR ^ C H E S H I R E , &c. 7
a Blaze, not much unlike that of an. artificial Serpent ; it
took its courfe into a Chimney, and feat down therBncki
outwardly, feemed to burft like a Squib upon the „ground,
and-^frer^a^^s'jçlondçfï FumfSie^Mchhad
exaChly the fmell of Sulphur., A Man lying in the Range
of the Chimney, was Killed, and lay as if he had been fleep-
ing ; the Bench upon which he lay was fplit under him, and
under that,m ne^r to hi1» was Attiré
the Wife of the Houfe, with a little Child upon her Knee,
thçMnther aft^ard^was ^me^y^with t^MuorAlhus,
and tine Child fell into the Rtcket§,< yjhich iftp,rtted tfie
Spine y and after fome Years, being confined to his Bed, died
of th a t Diftemper. ; -
Behind a Table feveral Perfons were, .fitting] .and from
amongft'Four nr-Fiye,, only One wasiftruck off his Seat into
the midft of the Room, and was. for fomc timz Rarafytic!^
in his lower Parts; but I afterwards by? a du&;.,jÇourfc of
Phyfiek,.- and Bleeding, cafid; BlifteriWgfhiuf immediately
upon- the Accident, reftorédi him: toighisj fdrmerjHeallh;
Another,gentleman fitting in à' Çhairmear him./wa^ftrpek
out qfj^ anddayjppon, Tfi§s ground an moft Tqj>t
which I dàw him^ i hutrbpBIqedthgrand S|ift|ring
in four© Days rejeoyer’d him.1
tifl^Pî^ard Porch ,tyefe fitting federal PerfonS,' and a
young-Man Kill’d out qf th© midft^^de^ no^ffôf the reft
h^ing,injured, 0£ fenfiblerof any.DifturbaUee ] only.one Wo-
Waft, like'a' GufL of ‘Wind# .wider her
Çf^^v'hhLir^iyft. no jam^gfi-. v i
hfithe Roomsrrlihoye I : obftrv’d tfie following ,'phenomena
: The Chamber Door was: thrown off th© Hinges inta
the, midft. q| |fie Room,, the Curtains of the, Bed.,wçre
mÿiwp,. dkgonaLPdliygiit piégés g Wm-
9 fix dpfirm in,a . from
theiTftations, butm® Glafs broke upon the ouy-fide of th©
hl^ck fïtesçn,, whidvwfg infiphfi and had
no fmell ; the Brick Pillars, in which they were fix’d;, were
C x pierced