The following extraordinary circumstance was communicated in a letter from Scotland:
"About the end of June last, a poor woman died in the hospital at Aberdeen, and was buried in a churchyard in the neighborhood. A company of young surgeons agreed with the grave-digger to set some mark on the grave as a direction for them; but some person, in order to disappoint the grave-digger's employers, moved the signal to another grave, that of a woman who had been buried about 3 or 4 months. The party came, and directed by the mark agreed upon, dug up the grave, drew out the coffin, and carried it home; but, upon opening it, a vapour, like a flame of brimestone, came forth, and suffocated them in an instant. Two women also going past the room fell down dead. It is said, that eleven persons thus perished."
Published in The New-Jersey gazette, Nov. 15, 1784
On Tuesday last, 2 Men putting a Pump into a Well at Broadstone in the Road to Finglass were Suffocated by some poysonous stench or vapour, a long Ladder being let down into the Well, one of the Men descended by it, in order to settle the Pump, but when he had gone down a certain depth, there he stood without Motion, or speaking one word, with his Face Erect; the People above called to him to order him how he should settle the Pump; but he answered nothing, his Companion went down to know what was the matter, but before he got to him, he heard him fall into the Well. The people above then Calling to the other to hasten down to save him, but perceiving him also without Motion or Speech, they Imputed it to be something extraordinary, and beginning to draw up the Ladder, the second Man dropt down dead, as the other had done. Miners call this a Damp.
From a Written Letter, Dublin, Aug. 24
Published in the Boston News-Letter (published as The Weekly News-Letter) Nov. 8, 1728
