44 REPORT— 1851. 



moned to arms. This is perhaps the only meteor on record that caused 3000 

 men to be roused from their slumbers. Were officers in command of Euro- 

 pean troops in India to direct soldiers on duty to keep watch on the appear- 

 "ances of the sky, a vast mass of information on nocturnal phsenomena might 

 in a short time and with very little trouble be placed in our possession." 



No. 12. — Meteor of 2nd May 1850, observed at Bombay. — A meteor seen 

 from near BycuUah Church on the 2nd of May seemed due east : first visible 

 about 45°, it fell nearly 20^ and then vanished without explosion. It v.-rs 

 nearly pure white, increased in size as it descended, did not librate, and left 

 no train behind it, and was at its brightest about the size of Jupiter. — G. B. 



No. 13. — Meteor of lOth June 1850, observed at Kishnaghur. — "To the 

 Editor of the Morning Chronicle, — Sir, — As the phsenomenon I am about to 

 record was a most extraordinary one, I hope you may receive further notices 

 of it. Last night I was sitting in the open air with two other gentlemen at 

 about twelve or thirteen minutes after ten o'clock, when a most beautiful 

 brilliant meteor appeared, which we all saw. It issued from the heavens 

 near a star of second magnitude about midway between Scorpio and a planet 

 to the west ; its direction was very nearly from south-west to north-east ; it 

 did not drop, but shot rapidly across the heavens, appearing to increase in 

 size and brightness, and after proceeding a considerable distance (gaining 

 rather than losing its splendid brilliancy) it burst and numerous luminous 

 particles were discharged from it. About a quarter of a minute after it had 

 so disappeared, and while we were expressing our wonder and admiration, a 

 distant though loud rumbling sound commenced and reminded us of regi- 

 mental file firing. At first we thought it might be thunder, though there 

 were very few clouds, and they were only near the horizon. The sound 

 continued for certainly half a minute, and we had time to receive the impres- 

 sion that it followed in the track of the meteor, when the sky was perfectly 

 clear and bright. It was also seen by natives and described exactly.— 

 J. C. Brown." 



" Kishnaghur, June 11, 1850." 



No. 14. — "Meteor of \st July 1850, observed at Bombay. — On Monday 

 evening, the 1st of July, about half-past seven o'clock, a beautiful meteor 

 was seen to shoot across the sky from south-east to north-west for a distance 

 of about 20°, when it exploded about 70° from the horizon, bursting with a 

 bright flash into a number of pieces." — Bombay Times, July 3. 



No. 15. — "Sir, — DidI, or did I not, see a comet yesterday (Nov. 6) evening 

 in the south, about 15° above the horizon ? It was about a degree, or per- 

 haps two, in length, pointing towards the east. Whatever it was, it was 

 very faint, so I might have been mistaken : this evening will decide it. — E." 

 " November 7." 



" Sir, — I know not whether you have received any account of a shooting 

 star which I saw last evening ; if not, you are welcome to the following de- 

 scription of it. I was walking in company with a friend on the terrace of 

 his bungalow, situated on Malabar-hill, about seven o'clock last evening, 

 when our attention was directed towards that part of the sky from whence 

 proceeded a sudden emission of intensely bright light, and we found it was 

 caused by a large meteor which shot with inconceivable velocity across the 

 heavens. Its course was from north-west to south-east, leaving in its track 

 a luminous train. It was visible about three seconds, and then burst into 

 innumerable stars of the most brilliant colours, very much resembling a large 



