240 An Atcoiuit of,a Shower of Meteoric St-one's, 



that a large and heavy body had really fallen from the skies 

 with tremendous momentum. 



This stone was all in fragments, none of which exceeded 

 the size of a man's list, and was rapidly dispersed by nume- 

 rous visitors who carried it away at pleasure. Indeed we 

 found it Very diflicult to obtain a sufficient supply of speci- 

 mens of the various stones, an object which was at length 

 accomplished principally by importunity and purchase. 

 From the best information which we could obtain of the 

 tjuantity of fragments of this last stone, compared with its 

 specific gravity, we concluded that its weight could not have 

 fallen much short of 200 pounds. All the stones, when 

 first found, were friable, being easily broken between the 

 fingers ; this was especially the case where they had been 

 buried in the moist earth, but by exposure to the air they 

 gradually hardened. Such were the circumstances attend-* 

 iog the fall of these singular masses. We have named living 

 witnesses 3 the list of these may be augmented, but we con- 

 sider the proof as sufficient to satisfy any rational mind. 

 Further confirmation will be derived from the mineralogical 

 description and chemical examination of these stones. 



The spejcimens obtained from all the diffi^rent places are 

 perfectly vsimilar. The most careless observer would in- 

 stantly p\:onouncc them portions of a common mass, and 

 different from any of the stones commonly seen on this 

 globe. 



Of their form nothing very certain can be said, because 

 only comparatively small fragments of the great body of the 

 meteor have been obtained. Few of the specimens weigh 

 one pound — most of them less than half a pound, and from 

 that to the fraction of an ounce. Mr. Bronson*s piece is 

 the largest with which we are acquainted ; we possess the 

 next, which weighs six pounds, and is very perfect in its 

 characteristic marks, and we have a good collection of 

 smaller specimens, many of which are very instructive. 

 They possess every irregular variety of form which might be 

 supposed to arise from accidental fracture with violent forces 

 On many of them, however^ and chiefly on the large speci-- 



mens« 



