I8S Vol. Beaufoy* 8 Astronomical Observations, [Sept* 



time which elapsed from my first hearing the explosion, to the 

 falling, might have been fifteen seconds. 1 then went with some 

 of my servants to find where it had fallen, but did not at first 

 succeed (though, as I afterwards found, I had got as near as 30 

 yards to the spot) ; however, after a short interval, the place was 

 found by my cook, who had (in the presence of a respectable 

 white woman) dug down to it before I got there, and a stone 

 was discovered from 22 to 24 inches under the surface, and 

 which, after being washed, weighed sixteen pounds, and which 

 was no doubt the one which I had heard fall, as the mud was 

 thrown in different directions from 13 to 16 steps. The day was 

 perfectly clear, a little snow was then on the earth in some 

 places which had fallen the night previous. The stone when 

 taken up had a strong sulphureous smell ; and there were black 

 streaks in the clay which appeared marked by the descent of 

 the stone. . I have conversea with gentlemen in different direc- 

 tions, some of them from 18 to 20 miles distant, who heard the 

 noise (not the explosion). They inform me that it appeared 

 directly over their heads. There was no fire-ball seen by me or 

 others that I have heard. There was but one report, and but 

 one stone fell to my knowledge, and there was no peculiar smell 

 in the air. It fell on my plantation, within 250 yards of my 

 house, and within 100 of the habitation of the negroes. 



I have given this statement to Dr. Carver, at his request, and 

 which is as full as I could give at this distant day, from havino* 

 thought but little of it since. Given this 28th day of April, 

 1825. W.D.Harrison, 



Surveyor of the port of Nanjemoy, Maryland. 



Article V. 



Astronomical Observations , 1825. 

 By Col. Beaufoy, FRS. 



Bushel/ Heath, near Stanmok\i^ .i; 



Lftdtudt^^^io 37' 44-3'" North. Longitude West ii^i^e ll' 20-93". 



Observed Transits of the IMoon and Moon-cuhninating Stars over the Middle Wire of 



^,,,1 , . the Transit Instrument in Siderial Time. , = mo.t ni 



1825. Stars. Transits. 



July2fi.— eOphiu H** IT 21-10" 



26.— ftOphiu 17 15 46-29 



26.— e^Ophiu 17 20 49-8tt 



26.— rfOphiu 17 33 01-77 



26. — iMoon's First or West Limb, ... 1 7 47 29-56 



26.— /." Sagitt 18 03 22-74 



26.-^21 Sagitt 18 15 0108 



