IN THE MIDDLE OF A THUNDER CLOUD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 266, 20 November 1879, Page 6

IN THE MIDDLE OF A THUNDER CLOUD.

On the 23rd of August M. F. Strobl, of Linz, joined a party which was making the ascent of the Gross Glockner. The members of the party left the Studlhutte together at two o'clock in the morning, with a storm apparently threatening from the west. At three a.m. they found themselves m the middle of the storm cloud, an43fere compelled by the Egyptian darkness surrounding them to come to a complete halt. Suddenly the storm broke out directly over their heads, the thunder and lightning, which at the same time came on, being at once awful and grand in the extreme. There were v other parties ascending the mountain at the same time, and some of their guides and member., who during the Brilliant lightning flashes were able clearly to distinguish the party to which M. Strobl belonged, stated after the storm had subsided that the electric fluid seemed to strike into and all round the company in the storm-cloud, . sa_ the six persons of whom this party consisted all nature seemed to be the scene of one vast conflagration; and they j were prepared, far the worst/ The gnide endeavoured to console them, addressing them in these words :— " Gentlemen, we shall all be struck dead ;, but what does it matter? The lwhjbning might have killed us even if%e had been in our beds." For some time the lives of the members of the party did not appear worth half a minute's purchase. Moreover, eve_y one temporarily suffered from complete blindness, owing to the overpowering intensity of the electrical display. At length, the power of vision began to return to the various members of the party, when a strange phenomenon presented itself to their sight. Each ofthe six persons appeared enveloped in all the brilliancy of Sfc.Elmo'a fire. From the hair of their heeds and beards, from their coats and hats, a stream of electric sparks was discharging itself. The cords with which their hats had, on account of the storm, been fastened to their coat buttons, gave out light, while from!) the alpenstocks which they had stuck in the snow the electric fluid streamed out. Notwithstanding the imminent danger to which they had been exposed, none of the gentlemen were in the least injured, the only inconvenience they suffered being that they were compelled by the rain, snow, and frost to return that morning to Studlhutte aud defer the ascent to a later hour of the day.