at the Cape of Good Hope, 149 



on the one hand, and meteorites^ ov 'meteor-stones, on the other 

 hand. The phenomenon in question had a something of the 

 characteristics of each, but was more of the nature of the 

 latter body, in which case the mere fact of its appearing 

 at the epoch of the shooting-stars, maybe considered in some 

 degree significant of a connection, more especially when con- 

 firmed by a second instance in another year ; while, moreover, 

 the November period of shooting- stars had not then been 

 suspected ; and these two observations not only serve to con- 

 firm that period, but also to give the retrogression of the 

 nodes of the orbit, which has been suspected. P. S. 



Mr Fallows to the Secretary of the Admiralty, 



Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope, 

 November 9, 1829. 



•* Sir, — The inclosed document was drawn up at my request, by 

 Captain Ronald. At the moment the first explosion took place (ten in 

 the evening), I was writing in a room adjacent to that of the Transit, 

 and imagined from the loudness of the report that it might be a sig- 

 nal of distress from some vessel in Table Bay. Shortly after, per- 

 haps four or five minutes, for I cannot be certain, having no sus- 

 picion of what had been observed in the Transit-room, I heard a 

 second report, but it was somewhat fainter than the former. This 

 phenomenon has been noticed at Simon's Town, Stellenbosch, and 

 beyond Koe-berg.* — I have, &c., 



" Fearon Fallows." 



(iNCLOSURE.) 



Captain Ronald to Mr Fallows. 



Observatory, Cape of Good Hope, 



20th October 1829. 



" Sir, — As it may not be uninteresting perhaps to make some 

 record of the circumstances attending the appearance of a meteor 

 which was observed last evening, I beg leave to convey to you the 

 following notice : remarking that having seen it only through the 

 open roof of the Observatory, which prevented me from following the 

 direction it took, my report must necessarily be so far incomplete. 



" At the time of the occurrence of the phenomenon in question, 



* t. e., 20 miles to the South, 25 to the East, and 15 to the North. 



