1825.] which fell at Nanjemoi/, Maryland, North America, 187 



rusliing through a small aperture, passing rapidly in the course 

 from north-west to south-east, nearly parallel with the river 

 Potomac^ Shortly after, a spot of ground on the plantation of 

 Capt. W. D. Harrison, surveyor of this port, was found to have 

 been recently broken, and on examination a rough stone of an 

 oblong shape, weighing sixteen pounds and seven ounces, was 

 found about eighteen inches under the surface. The stone, 

 when taken from the ground, about half an hour after it is sup- 

 posed to have fallen, was sensibly warm, and had a strong 

 sulphureous smell. It has a hard vitreous surface, and when 

 broken appears composed of an earthly or siliceous matrix, of a 

 light slate colour, containing numerous globules of various sizes, 

 very hard, and of a brown colour, together with small portions 

 of brownish yellow pyrites, which become dark coloured on 

 being reduced to powder. I have procured for you a fragment'^ 

 of the stone, weighing Jour pounds and ten ounces, which was 

 all I could obtain. Various notions were entertained by the 

 people in the neighbourhood on finding the stone. Some sup- 

 posed it propelled from a quarry eight or ten miles distant on the 

 opposite side of the river ; while others thought it thrown by a 

 mortar from a packet lying at anchor in the river, and even pro- 

 posed manning boats to take vengeance on the captain and crew 

 of the vessel. 



I have conversed with many persons living over an extent of 

 perhaps fifty miles square ; some heard the explosion, while 

 others heard only the subsequent whizzing noise in the air. All 

 agree in stating that the noise appeared directly over their 

 heads. One gentleman, living about 25 miles from the place 

 where the stone fell, says, that it caused his whole plantation to 

 shake, which many supposed to be the effect of an earthquake. 

 I cannot learn that fire-ball or any light was seen in the heavens 

 — all are confident that there was but one report, and no peculiar 

 smell in the air was noticed. I herewith transmit the statement 

 of Capt. Harrison, the gentleman on whose plantation the stone 

 fell. 



Statement of W, D, Harrison, Esq. 



On the 10th of Feb. 1825, between the hours of twelve and 

 one o'clock, as nearly as recollected, I heard an explosion, as I 

 supposed, of a cannon, but somewhat sharper. 1 immediately 

 advanced with a quick step about twenty paces, when my atten- 

 tion was arrested by a buzzing noise, resembling that of a hum- 

 ming bee, which increased to a much louder sound, something 

 like a spiqning-wheel, or a chimney on fire, and seemed directly 

 over my bead ; and in a short time I heard something fall. The 



* This specimen is not y£t received.— ./:^w€r. Ed» 



