Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 054.pdf/314

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broke to pieces. That this bar was joined in the middle to one end of another bar, about one foot long, and one inch thick, which laid horizontally, and, passing to the wall, had been there fastened with lead. That the lightening in rushing along the inclined bar, had wasted or reduced its thickness in some places very considerably: insomuch, that it looked like a burnt poker which had been long used: and broke the bar into two pieces, about an inch above the joining of the lesser bar; the ends of which had a burnt flaky appearance. That the other parts of the bar were changed in colour to a grey, or whitish hue; resembling iron, after it has been exposed to a violent heat, and then suffered to cool.

That the horizontal bar had also undergone an extraordinary change by the lightening, but particularly at that end next the wall of the chapel, it being reduced from one inch in diameter, to the size of a slender wire, but tapering towards the wall.

That when the soldiers rested against the wall, their heads were about the same height with the shortest bar; and, from what he can recollect, were very near being opposite to that end thereof, which was inserted in the wall.

That the two soldiers were forced from the wall at the same instant by the lightening: so that their feet, which were one yard or more from it, were nearest to the wall, and their heads the farthest off. That their flesh appeared very black. That their cloaths were burnt and scorched in many parts: and their belts shriveled up, as if they had been exposed to a large fire. That captain Dibden, and other people, felt a disagreeable kind of an electric shock, at the same instant that the soldiers were killed.

Captain