378 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



oblique direction, probably at an angle of about 60 with the earth, and its 

 course was from east to west. 



Its appearance was that of an oblongated sphere of fire, and its track from 

 the sky was marked by a fiery streak, gradually fading in proportion to the 

 distance from the mass, but as intensely luminous as itself in its immediate 

 vicinity. The noise that accompanied it, though unlike thunder, or anything 

 else that I have heard, was unbroken, exceedingly loud and terrific. Its fall 

 was accompanied by a most sensible movement of the atmosphere, which I 

 thought at first repellent from the falling body, and afterwards it became 

 something of a short whirlwind. At the same time I and my companions 

 all agreed that we had experienced a violent electric shock ; but probably 

 this sensation may have been but the effect on our drowsy senses of the in- 

 describably intense light and noise. The spot where it fell was about one 

 hundred yards from the extreme right of our division, and perhaps four 

 hundred from the place where I had been sleeping. Accompanied by our 

 general (Dr. Joaquin Madauaga), I went within ten or twelve yards from it, 

 which was as near as its heat allowed us to approach. 



The mass appeared to be considerably imbedded in the earth, which was 

 so heated that it was quite bubbling around it. Its size above the earth was 

 perhaps a cubic yard, and its shape was somewhat spherical ; it was in- 

 tensely ignited and radiantly light, and in this state it continued until early 

 dawn, when the enemy forced us to abandon it to continue our inarch. I 

 may mention, that, at the time of its fall, the sky above us was beautifully 

 clear, and the stars were perhaps more than usually bright ; there had been 

 sheet lightning the previous evening. 



I never afterwards had an opportunity of revisiting the Mocorita, for our 

 permanent encampment was thirty-five leagues to the north of that pass, 

 between which and our encampment the country was entirely depopulated 

 by our long war ; but as the spot where the aerolite fell was known to many 

 of our subaltern officers, who were frequently sent to observe the frontier of 

 Entre Rios, I have heard them describe it as a " piedra de fie'rro ; that is, a 

 stone of iron ; and I once provided one of the most intelligent of them with 

 a hammer in order that he might bring me a sample of it. On his return he 

 told me it was so excessively hard that the hammer bent, and was broken in 

 unsuccessful attempts to break off a small piece of it. 



MINERAL PRODUCTS OF GREAT BRITAIN FOR 1856. 



From the reports of the keeper of the mining records of Great Britain, 

 published August, 1857, we derive the following correct data respecting the 

 mineral productions of Great Britain for the year 1856 : 



The value of the mineral produce of the United Kingdom in 1856, at the 

 mine, colliery, or quarry, before any charges for carriage were made, or cost 

 added in any way for manufacture, was upwards of thirty millions and a 

 half sterling, as follows : 



Tin, 663,850 



Copper Ore, .' 2,343,960 



