OF A METEORIC STONE. 329 



detached by the shock. The weight of this stone was about 

 thirty live pounds. From the descriptions which we have 

 heard, it must have been a noble specimen, and men of sci- 

 ence will not cease to regret, that so rare a treasure should have 

 been sacrificed to the dreams of avarice, and the violence of 

 ignorant and impatient curiosity; for, it was immediately bro- 

 ken in pieces with hammers, and, in the hands of unskilful 

 pretenders, heated in the crucihle and forge, with the vain 

 hope of extracting from it silver and gold : all that remained 

 unbroken of this mass, was a piece of 12 pounds weight, since 

 purchased by Isaac Bronson Esq. of Greenfield, with the libe- 

 ral view of presenting it to some public institution. 



Six days after, another mass was discovered, half a mile north 

 west from Mr. Prince's. The search was induced by the con- 

 fident persuasion of the neighbours, that they heard it fall near 

 the spot where it was actually found, buried in the earth, and 

 weighing from 7 to 10 pounds. It was found by Gideon Hall 

 and Isaac Fairchild. It was in small fragments, having fallen 

 on a globular detached mass of gneiss rock, which it split in 

 two, and by which it was itself slavered to pieces. 



The same men informed us, that they suspected another 

 stone had fallen in the vicinity, as the report had been distinct- 

 ly heard, and could be referred to a particular region, somewhat 

 to the east. Returning to the place; after an excursion of a few 

 hours to another part of the town, we were gratified to find 

 the conjecture verified, by the actual discovery of a mass of 

 13 pounds weight, which had fallen half a mile to the north 

 east of Mr. Prince's. Having fallen in a ploughed field, with- 

 out coming into contact with a rock, it was broken only into 

 two principal pieces, one ot which, possessing all the characters 

 of the stone in a remarkable degree, we purchased, for, it had 

 now become an article of sale. 



Two miles south east from Mr. Prince's, at the foot of Tas- 

 howa hill, a fifth mass fell. Its fall was distinctly heard by 

 Mr. Ephraim Porter and his family, who live within 40 rods 

 of the place, and in full view. They saw a smoke rise from 

 the spot as they did also from the hill, where they were positive 

 that another stone struck, as they heard it distinctly. At the 



