328 Professor Dewar [1885-6. 



NOTES RELATING TO PROFESSOR DEWAR'S LECTURES 

 OlSr THE STOI^Y OF A METEORITE. 



Delivered on December 29 and 31, 1885, and January 2, 5, 7, 9, 1886. 



Account of the Dhurmsala Meteorite. 



Beport to Punjab Government, dated Dhurmsala, 28 July, 1860. 



On the afternoon of Saturday, the litli of July, 1860, between the 

 hours of 2 and 2 . 30 p.m., the station of Dhurmsala was startled by a 

 terrific bursting noise, which was supposed at first to proceed from 

 a succession of loud blastings or from the explosion of a mine in the 

 upper part of the station ; others, imagining it to be an earthquake 

 or very large landslip, rushed from their houses in the firm belief 

 that they must fall upon them. 



It soon became apparent that this was not the case. The first 

 report, which was far louder in its discharge than any volley of 

 artillery, was quickly followed by another and another, to the 

 number of fourteen or sixteen. Most of the latter reports grew 

 gradually less and less loud. These were probably but the rever- 

 berations of the former, not among the hills but amongst the clouds, 

 just as is the case with thunder. It was difiicult to say which were 

 the reports and which the echoes. There could certainly not have 

 been fewer than four or five actual reports. During the time that 

 the sound lasted the ground trembled and shook convulsively. 



From the diff'erent accounts of three eye-witnesses there appears 

 to have been observed a flame of fire, described as about 2 feet in 

 depth and 9 feet in length, darting in an oblique direction above the 

 station after the first explosion had taken place. 



The stones as they fell buried themselves from a foot to a foot and 

 a half in the ground, sending up a cloud of dust in all directions. 



Most providentially no loss of life or property has occurred. 



Some coolies, passing by where one fell, ran to the sj)ot to j)ick 

 up the pieces ; before they had held them in their hands half a 

 minute they had to drop them owing to the intensity of the cold 

 which benumbed their fingers. 



This, considering the fact that they were apparently but a 

 moment before in a state of ignition, is very remarkable. Each 

 stone that fell bore unmistakable marks of partial fusion, 



The morning and afternoon preceding the occurrence had been 

 particularly dull and cloudy. Temperature was close, sultry, and 

 oppressive. The thermometer was above 80° of Fahrenheit, and no 

 rain had fallen. I had no barometer by me at the time ; I am there- 

 fore unable to state what was the precise pressiu'c of the atmosphere. 



