486 MEMOIRS NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, VOL. XIII. 



6. 1846: Shepard. Report on meteorites. Amer. Journ. Sci., 2d ser., vol. 2, p. 380. 



7. 1848: Shepard. Report on meteorites. Amer. Journ. Sci., 2d ser., vol. 6, p. 410. 



8. 18G-: von Reichenbach. No. 11, pp. 296, 297, and 304. 



9. 1869: Silliman and Kingsley. An account of the meteor which burst over Weston, in Connecticut, in Decem- 



ber, 1807, and of the falling of stones on that occasion. Amer. Journ. Sci., 2d ser., vol. 47, pp. 1-S. 



10. 1876: Wright. On the gases contained in meteorites. Amer. Journ. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 11, pp. 259-262; idem, vol. 



12, pp. 167 and 169. 



11. 1884: Meunier. Meteorites, p. 227. 



12. 1885: Brezina. Wiener Sammlung, p. 190. 



13. 1893: Newton. Lines of structure in the Winnebago County meteorites and in other meteorites. Amer. 



Journ. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 45, pp. 153 and 355. 



14. 1897: Wulfing. Die Meteoriten in Sarnmlungen, 1897, p. 384. 



15. 1907: Fakrington. Meteorite studies, II. Publ. Field Columbian Mus. Geol. ser., vol. 3, pp. 128-129. 



White Sulphur Springs. See Greenbrier County. 

 Whitfield County. See Dalton. 



WICHITA COUNTY. 

 Texas. 



Here also Austin 1836, Brazos, Red River 1875, and Young County. 

 Latitude 33° 12' N., longitude 98° 40' W. 



Iron. Coarse octahedrite (Og) of Brezina; Arvaite (type 7) of Meunier. 

 Known since 1836; described 1860. 

 Weight, 145 kgs. (320 lbs.). 



The first account of this meteorite was given by Shumarcl ' as follows: 



The interesting specimen of meteoric iron we are about to describe is preserved in the State Geological Cabinet at 

 Austin, where at our earnest solicitation it was deposited by the late Maj. R. S. Neighbors, United States Indian agent, 

 who obtained it during the month of May, 1S36, from the eastern side of Brazos River about 60 miles from the Comanche 

 Reserve, in latitude 34° N., longitude 100° W. 



The history of this meteorite as furnished by Major Neighbors is in substance as follows: 



For many years its existence was known to the Comanches, who regarded it with the highest veneration and believed 

 it possessed of extraordinary curative virtues. They gave to it the names Ta-pic-ta-car-re (Standing Rock), Po-i- 

 wisht-car-re (Standing Metal), and Po-a-cat-le-pi-le-car-re (Medicine Rock), and it was the custom of all who passed 

 by to deposit upon it beads, arrowheads, tobacco, and other articles as offerings. 



According to the Indians the mass was first discovered by the Spaniards, who made several ineffectual attempts 

 to remove it on pack mules but were finally compelled to abandon it on account of its great weight. 



The Comanches at first endeavored to melt the mass by building large fires around it, but failing in this, they 

 next attempted to break it in pieces, in which they were likewise unsuccessful ; they then conceived the idea that it 

 was a wonderful medicine stone and therefore worthy of their most profound regard. 



When the meteorite was conveyed to the Indian reserve the Comanches collected in great numbers around their 

 valued medicine stone and, whilst manifesting their attachment by rubbing their arms, hands, and chests over it, 

 earnestly besought Major Neighbors to permit them to keep it at the agency. The mass was, however, shortly after- 

 wards (July, 1836) taken to San Antonio, where it remained in the possession of Major Neighbors until last summer, 

 when it was forwarded by him to Austin. 



The present weight of the specimen is 320 pounds, but the original weight was perhaps 3 or 4 pounds greater, a piece 

 having been cut off from the larger end before it came into our possession. The form is flattened ovoid, or truncated 

 pyramidal, with the angles more or less rounded. It measures 2 feet in length by 1 foot in width ; at the larger extremity 

 the thickness is about 8 inches and at the smaller 4 inches; the surface is marked with irregular, smooth, shallow 

 depressions, and for the most part presents a dark somewhat oily appearance, though in places it is covered with a thin 

 film of oxide of iron. The freshly-cut surface has a bright silvery gray hue which becomes tarnished after being exposed 

 for a time to the air. The iron is remarkable for its toughness and malleability. 



An analysis of this iron was made by Prof. W. P. Riddell in the laboratory of the Geological Survey and he has fur- 

 nished the following statement of its composition: 



Agreeably to your request I herewith furnish you a statement of the results of my analysis of the meteoric iron 

 presented to the State Cabinet by the late Maj. R. S. Neighbors: 



I. The assay was dissolved in aqua regia, which effected a complete solution. 



II. The solution was carefully neutralized by aqua ammonia and then an excess of chloride of ammonium added. 



III. The peroxide of iron was precipitated by benzoate of ammonia. 



