|
Gentleman's Magazine vol.25 p.6, 1755:-
intermission, as the ground is in fine order from the
dryness and warmness of the season, which is besides
remarkably healthy in these parts.
During the lightnings mentioned in your last Mag. (See
Vol. xxiv. p.571) 3 men were walking thro' St
John's vale, over which the clouds, being pent in
betwixt the high mountains, hung pretty low, and the
lightnings were very frequent. The vale is about 500 yards
wide, and two miles long, and after they had walked about a
mile, one of them complained suddenly of uncommon oppression
in his lungs, and presently afterwards dropt down dead.
After some uneffectual attempts to recover and remove him,
the survivors being alarmed by the approach of night, and
the encrease of the tempest, went on as fast as they could.
Soon after one of these made the same complaint, and almost
instantly fell down dead, as the other had done: The third
was now struck with astonishment and terror, and solicitude
for himself suppressed for the present his concern for
others; he immediately began to run, and expected every step
to be his last, as he felt the same oppression on his
breast, which every moment increased, however this went off
after he had gone about a quarter of a mile, and he ran into
to the first house pale, trembling, and exhaused, and as
soon as he could speak directed the people to seek and
succour his companions, whom they soon found, but all
attempts to recover them proved ineffectual. G.S.
|