262 Dr Turner's Examination of the Native Iron 



or four leagues, were produced by explosions from the veins. 

 He had consequently a theory to support ; and we know here 

 something of the difficulty with which geological opinions are 

 abandoned. Our Indian, therefore, who is admitted to be a 

 man of observation, would probably decline to produce speci- 

 mens calculated to overset his former assertions, as it is very 

 improbable that he would be sent for the purpose of obtaining 

 specimens without the tools necessary to secure the success of 

 his mission. 



The desert of Atacama, as it is termed in the maps, is situ- 

 ated on the shore of the Pacific, between Chili and Peru. 

 The town of Atacama lies in lat. 23° 30' south, and long. 

 69° 30' west, about half-way between the ocean and the vol- 

 canic range which runs along the western edge of the great 

 peninsula. 



Connected with, though independent of this notice, I may 

 mention, that it is also to Mr Woodbine Parish that the Bri- 

 tish Museum is indebted for another remarkable mass of na- 

 tive iron, presented some time ago in the name of that gentle- 

 man by Sir H. Davy. The history of it is unfortunately not 

 given in detail. It is considered by Mr Parish to be the same 

 mass described in the Philosophical Transactions of 1788 by 

 Reuban de Celis, which was found in the province of Chaco 

 Galamba. But there is a great discrepancy in the weight. It 

 is rather surprising that no accurate description of this mass 

 has as yet met the eye of the public, although it is itself placed 

 under its aspect on the steps of the great stair of the Museum. 



Art. XI. — Examination of the Specimen of Native Iron from 

 the Desert of Atacama in Peru. * By Edward Turner, 

 M. D. F. R. S. Ed., Professor of Chemistry in the London 

 University. 



The native iron from the desert of Atacama in Peru has ex- 

 ternally all the characters of meteoric iron. The metal in the 

 specimen is tough, of a whiter colour than common iron, and 

 is covered on most parts with a thin film of the oxide of iron. 

 The interstices contain olivine. 



The specific gravity of some clean fragments is 6.687; and 

 * This article forms an appendix to the preceding paper of Mr Allan. 



