1885-6.] on the Story of a Meteorite. 329 



The clouds, which were of the form technically called cumuliis and 

 cirrhus, were hanging low at the time, and the atmosphere heavily 

 charged with electricity. 



Such are simply the facts of the case as they occurred. 



There are of course all sorts of conjectures as to the probable 

 cause of the occurrence. Some state the stones to be of volcanic 

 origin; others that they were hurled from the heights above the 

 station or projected from the moon ; but I am inclined to regard 

 them as real hond-fide meteorolites. Their weight seems to indicate 

 that they are semi-metallic substances, composed probably of meteoric 

 iron alloyed with nickel and mixed with silica and magnesia or some 

 other earthy substance. They are nearly double the weight of a 

 piece of ordinary stone of similar dimensions. 



Another very singular phenomenon was witnessed at Dhurmsala 

 on the evening of the same day that the aerolite fell. This appears 

 to have been a succession of igneous meteors, such as fire-balls, or 

 falling or shooting stars. This singular sight did not attract the 

 attention of most people. I quote the account from the writer who 

 describes it verbatim. 



" I think it was on the evening of the same day that the meteor 

 fell that I observed lights in the air. They commenced to appear 

 about 7 P.M., and lasted for about three hours till 10 ; they appeared 

 for about one minute, some for longer, then went out again, other 

 lights appearing in their places ; sometimes three or four lights 

 appeared in the same place together, and one or two moved off, the 

 others remaining stationary, they looked like fire - balloons, but 

 appeared in places where it was impossible for there to have been 

 any houses or any roads, where people could have been. Some were 

 high up in the air moving like fire-balloons, but the greater part of 

 them were in the distance, in the direction of the lower hills, in 

 front of my house, others closer to our house, and between Sir A. 

 Lawrence's and the Barracks. I am sure from some which I observed 

 closely that they were neither fire-balloons, lanterns, nor bonfires, or 

 any other thing of that sort, but hond-fide lights in the heavens. 

 Though I made enquiries amongst the natives the next day, I have 

 never been able to find out what they were or the cause of their 

 appearance." 



Another Account. 



About 2 P.M. on Saturday, the 14th of July, a tremendous mid-air 

 explosion was heard at Dhurmsala, Kangra, Dalhousie, Madhoopoor 

 and Goordaspoor. The vapour or smoke following the explosion 

 was distinctly seen at Dalhousie about thirty miles, and at Kangra 

 ten miles from Dhurmsala, where the explosion, said to have 

 resembled the discharge of an 84-pounder, was followed by the 

 descent in various parts of the station, some two miles apart, of 

 large masses of aerolite. One piece that fell near the Dhurmsala 



