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 stones; but had, as it were, ramified itself not only between the joints of the stones, but had insinuated itself in its melted state into all their small clefts and interstices. The spindle terminated in one stone, which occupied the whole area of the obelisk, and was three feet and near two inches in diameter, and one foot in thickness. Into this stone the spindle was inserted five inches of its depth, and fastened by melted lead. Under this stone the obelisk was hollow; but above it was solid, excepting the space left for the spindle.

Upon examining these several particulars, no injury had been done by the lightening to the vane, its cross, copper ball, or spindle. Of the seven courses of stone at the upper part of the obelisk, and which were above the whole stone into which the spindle was inserted, the five upper courses, though connected together at top and bottom with iron collars sodered with lead, were not damaged; but the two stones, which formed the sixth course, were cracked, shivered, and fragments thrown from them. The seventh course consisted likewise of two solid stones. These were burst from the spindle, which was, by the intervention of the lead, connected with them, broke into many parts; each was moved from its place; some pieces were thrown down, and one large one projected five inches over the stone, immediately under it. The whole stone, into which the spindle was inserted, and upon which it rested, was burst from the center into a great many pieces, and every piece removed from its place. Some of these were thrown from the steeple. Several of the larger masses of this stone, which still cohered, were very much shivered. The centre of the stone,