234 j4n Account of a Shower of Meteoric Stones, 



rather like what is commonly called heat lightning. Its 

 surface was apparently convex. 



Where it was not too much obscured by thick clouds, a 

 conical train oF paler light was seen to attend it, waving, 

 and in length about 10 or 12 diameters of the body. In 

 the clear sky a brisk scintillation was observed about the 

 body of the meteor, like that of a burning firebrand carried 

 against the wind. 



It disappeared about 1.5 degrees short of the zenith, and 

 about the same number of decrees west of the meridian. It 

 did not vanish instantaneously, but grew, pretty rapidly, 

 fainter and fainter, as a red-hot cannon ball would do, if 

 cooling in the dark, only with much more rapidity. 



There was no peculiar smell in the atmosphere, nor were 

 rfny luminous masses seen to separate from the bodv. I'he 

 whole period between its first appearance and total extinc^ 

 tion was estimated at about 30 seconds.. 



About 30 or 40 seconds after this, three loud and disthict 

 reports, like those of a four-pounder, near at hand, were 

 heard. They succeeded each other with as nuich rapidity 

 as was consistent with distinctness, and^ all together, did 

 not occupy three seconds. Then followed a rapid succession 

 of reports less loud, and running into each other, so as to 

 produce a continued ruitibling, like that of Jl cannon ball 

 rolling over a Hoor, sometimes louder and at other times 

 fainter; some compared it to the noise of a waggon, running 

 rapidly down a long and stony hill ; or- to a volley of mus-*- 

 quetry, protracted into wh.it is called, in military language^ 

 2. running jire. This noise continued about as iotig as the 

 bbdy was in rising, and died away, apparently in the direc- 

 tion from which the meteor came. 



The accounts of others corresponded substantially with 

 this. Time was differently estimated by difiVrent people> 

 but the variation was not material. Some augmented the 

 number of Joud reports, and terror and imagination seem, 

 jti various instances, to have magnified every circumstance 

 of the phaeriomenon. 

 The Only thing which seemed of any importance beyond 



this 



