Natural History, 233 



frigate United States, who have returned from a voyage in the 

 Pacific, gave Dr. Mitchell a piece of common salt from that 

 part of the coast of ChiU to the south of Coquimbo. An in- 

 crustation of salt is found along this coast 30 miles in length, and 

 several miles in width. It has the appearance of that compact ice 

 which forms on the surface of lakes and rivers in America, towards 

 the middle of winter. Its thickness is about two feet. When a block 

 of it is removed, the space is soon filled up by new salt. The great 

 road runs for a considerable distance along the edge of this curious 

 formation. It has frequently happened, that when mules, horses, 

 and even men have died in this part of the route, their bodies have 

 been perfectly preserved for a long time afterwards. — Ann. Mari- 

 times, 1827, p. 617. 



23. Fall of an Aerolite and accompanying Phenomena. — The 

 fall of an aerolite, weighing 36 pounds, at Vaigou, one of the 

 Sandwich islands, is described by M. Jt^gur Jt^kimof, a lieutenant 

 who accompanied Captain Kotzebue in his voyage round the world, 

 with attendant meteorological circumstances, which seem closely 

 connected with it. It fell at II o'clock in the morning of the 1 4th 

 September, 1825. A short time previously, the sky became charged 

 with clouds, until the entire island was covered with a dense black 

 veil. The fall of the stone was immediately preceded by a violent 

 gust of wind from the N.W., and even at sea, sounds like those of 

 thunder were heard. Immediately after these detonations, the 

 aerolite fell in the middle of the village of Ganagauro, and broke 

 into pieces on touching the ground. The Russian travellers ga- 

 thered many of these pieces, one weighing 151bs. They resemble 

 the aerolites generally known. — Bull. Univ. A. ix. 325. 



24. Meteor exhibiting a peculiar Green Colour. — '*Onthe night of 

 the 11th of February, (1828), between 11 and 12 o'clock, as I was 

 crossing the East river between this city (New York) and Long 

 Island, I observed a beautiful meteor, which was visible for about 

 two seconds. Its course was from a point perhaps 5° below the 

 zenith, towards the horizon, in a north-east direction. It described 

 an arc of perhaps 20°, when it apparently exploded, but without 

 any report that I could hear. Its colour was a singularly pure grass 

 greeuy of a light shade ; the trail which it left was of the same 

 colour, and so were the scintillations which accompanied its appa- 

 rent explosion. The latter were distinct, like those which accom- 

 pany the bursting of a rocket, but by no means so numerous. Two 

 gentlemen who were in the boat with me at the time also saw it." — 

 Mr. Silliman. Silliman's Journal. 



25. On the Ascent of the Jung Fran. 

 Sir, Interiakeny Sept. 12, 1828. 



Thinking the following account of an ascent to the Jung Frau 



JULY— SEPT. 1828. R 



