358 SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



lightning were mixed with one part of common iron ; and 

 from the mixture were made two sabres, one knife and one 

 dagger. By the addition of the common iron, the new 

 substance acquired a fine temper ; the blade fabricated 

 from it proving as elastic as the most genuine blades of 

 Ullmanny, and of the South, and bending, like them, with- 

 out leaving any mark of the bend. I had them tried in 

 my presence and found them cut excellently, as well indeed 

 as the best genuine sabres. One of these blades I named 

 Katai or the cutter ; and the other Burk-serisht or the light- 

 ning nature d. 



" A poet composed and presented to me on this occasion 

 the following tetrastich : — 



This earth has attained order and regularity through the Emperor Tehangire : 

 In his time fell raw iron from lightning : 

 That iron was, by his world-subduing authority 

 Converted into a dagger, a knife, and two sabres." 



With these early examples of the more modern and 

 authentic records may be compared the two following 

 which are quite modern ; one relating to a meteoric stone 

 that fell in Russia, and the other to an iron that fell in 

 Mexico. The first has a special interest as the stone in 

 which Diamond was found, and the second as the only 

 modern meteorite which has been known to fall during a 

 shower of shooting stars. 



Fall of the Novo- Urei Stone. 



"At 7'i8 a.m. on 22nd of September, 1886, some 

 peasants were working in a field at Novo-Urei in Russia. 



"It was a dull morning without rain, although the sky 

 was covered with clouds. Suddenly the air seemed filled 

 with a bright light, followed in a few seconds by a violent 

 report which was immediately succeeded by a second 

 explosion. At the same moment the terrified peasants saw 

 a fiery ball fall to the ground only a few yards from where 

 they stood, and a second, but larger one was seen to 

 descend into a neighbouring wood. The whole thing 

 lasted less than a minute. The men fell in mortal terror 

 to the ground and for some time dared not move. They 

 thought that a frightful storm had burst over their heads> 



