52 



REPORT — 1851. 



served a large ball of a whitish red appearing north-west from where I was, 

 and I think about one mile from me, and about half a mile from the surface 

 of the earth ; it seemed at first enveloped in a cloud or haze, but upon 

 emerging out it showed about the size of the full moon, travelling slowly from 

 west, and taking an easterly direction ; after having travelled about 100 

 yards, it began to throw out small ball-like comets in every direction, and 

 the balls had a greater velocity than the main body, and preceded it for a 

 short distance ; and before each ball exploded, it became scarlet-red, and 

 threw out small shocks of matter ; and after the ball had travelled 400 or 

 500 yards, it then appeared to be totally exhausted, and as it were dissolved, 

 without showing any remnant of matter. After this, the whole length that 

 the large ball travelled had the appearance as if the space were filled with a 

 reddish-white matter, and remained so for seven minutes, and then became 

 to get disordered and irregular, and in three minutes got spread, or flattened, 

 and ultimately dispersed, ai)parently by contrary currents of air. I might 

 mention, that from my residence adjoining New Court House, the first ap- 

 pearance I observed of the ball was over Mr. Reid's farm, west of Old Park, 

 and the direction taken was that of Mr. Harris's works, and then towards 

 the Upper Dam ; but certainly it did not reach so far. 



" I am, dear Sir, yours very truly, 



" J. Cameron." 

 The annexed diagram represents the appearance. 



A B, course of centre of meteor. 



F F F F, &c., small balls and lines of light projected in advance of its course, 



and oblique to it. 

 C C C, D D D, outer boundary of reddish space which remained long after 



disappearance of meteor and small balls. 

 E E E, E E E, waving appearance this red space assumed when beginning to 



break up and dissipate. 



I 



