An Electric Storm

           Friday,August21.Onthemorrowthemagnificentgeyserhasdisappeared.Thewindhasrisen,andhasrapidlycarriedusawayfromAxelIsland.Theroaringsbecomelostinthedistance.

           Theweatherifwemayusethattermwillchangebeforelong.Theatmosphereischargedwithvapours,pervadedwiththeelectricitygeneratedbytheevaporationofsalinewaters.Thecloudsaresinkinglower,andassumeanolivehue.Theelectriclightcanscarcelypenetratethroughthedensecurtainwhichhasdroppedoverthetheatreonwhichthebattleoftheelementsisabouttobewaged.

           Ifeelpeculiarsensations,likemanycreaturesonearthattheapproachofviolentatmosphericchanges.Theheavilyvolutedcumuluscloudslowergloomilyandthreateningly;theywearthatimplacablelookwhichIhavesometimesnoticedattheoutbreakofagreatstorm.Theairisheavy;theseaiscalm.

           Inthedistancethecloudsresemblegreatbalesofcotton,piledupinpicturesquedisorder.Bydegreestheydilate,andgaininhugesizewhattheyloseinnumber.Suchistheirponderousweightthattheycannotrisefromthehorizon;but,obeyinganimpulsefromhighercurrents,theirdenseconsistencyslowlyyields.Thegloomuponthemdeepens;andtheysoonpresenttoourviewaponderousmassofalmostlevelsurface.Fromtimetotimeafleecytuftofmist,withyetsomegleaminglightleftuponit,dropsdownuponthedensefloorofgrey,andlosesitselfintheopaqueandimpenetrablemass.

           Theatmosphereisevidentlychargedandsurchargedwithelectricity.Mywholebodyissaturated;myhairbristlesjustaswhenyoustanduponaninsulatedstoolundertheactionofanelectricalmachine.

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