204 SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



ground is cultivated — the remainder is covered with brushwood like 

 that over waste land. 



It appears that six persons only chanced to be in this tract at the 

 time — two of them within a mile of each other — three close together, 

 but about six miles from the latter — and one at Du Toit's, eight miles 

 farther on. Beyond Du Toit's the line of direction is over rugged 

 mountains for a considerable distance, and, 1 believe, uninhabited. — 

 Hence I conceive I am warranted in supposing that but a small 

 proportion of the original mass has been found; but enough for the 

 purpose of analysis and future comparison ; altogether about 20 lbs. 

 avoirdupois, according to the following list : 



lb. oz. 



No. 1. Sent to Sir John Herschel 1 13^ 



No. 2. Ditto, ditto, 4 2 



No. 3. To Capt. Beaufort of the Admiralty 3 14^ 



No. 4. In fragments, found by Barend Jooste, most of it in my pos- 

 session 3 15 J 



No. 5. Given to me by Doctor Versveld, of Stellenbosch, the property of 



this Observatory „ 15J 



14 13 

 Estimated amount of the portions in the hands of private gentle- 

 men, most of vvhich I have seen 6 



Total 20 13 



Nos. 1 , 2, and 3, are covered with the ftised crust all round, indicating that they separated 

 from the original mass in a state of fusion. No. 3 is nearly so, but is cracked near the centre, 

 and a small portion appears to have been separated from it. 



The following analysis of No. 1, by Faraday, was sent to me by Sir J. Herschel : — 



Water 650 



Sulphur 4-24 



Silex ' 28-90 



Protox. of Iron 33-22 



Magnesia 19-20 



Alumina 5*22 



Lime , 1-64 



Ox. of Nickel 0-82 



of Chrom 0-70 



of Cobalt trace 



Soda trace 



100-44 



The violence of the explosion of this meteor may be surmised from 

 the fact, that it was heard at the distance of 50 miles from the Bokke- 

 veld. At Worcester two reports were heard in succession, but 1 ap- 

 prehend the second was the echo of the first, since no person in the 

 Bokkeveld heard two explosions, and the lay of the mountains was 

 likely to produce several echoes. The optical deception of the ball 

 appearing to separate nearly over-head where Mr. Meiizies and Mr. 

 Thompson stood, is a proof that it was much elevated at the instant. 



I have only to add, that as the material specimens of meteors do 

 not possess any intrinsic value, beyond the extension of natural know- 

 ledge, they should be forwarded to natural depositories or scientific in- 

 stitutions, and not retained as mere objects of curiosity, or in the less 

 informed circles of delusion. I saw last week a fine specimen in the 

 hands of a farmer in the country, which was picked up by a Hotten- 

 tot (belonging to his grandfather) near the Great River, who saw it 

 fall. It must have been in their possession about 60 years. This 

 man had refused 50 dollars for it, as a captain of a ship said it would 

 secure the possessor against the effects of a thunder-storm !" 



