61 



It was more tlian a flash, for the brightuess continued for two or three seconds' 

 the color being described as red, white and blue intermixed. 



"After an interval, variously estimated from one to three minutes, came a 

 crash of sounds from the north similar to the passing of electricity from one 

 cloud to another over a partially clear sky, as sometimes hoard overhead on a 

 summer day. Here the sound, or rather succession of sounds, continued about 

 three minutes, and appeared to some as a distant cannonade, and to others as a 

 Jhu dejoie of musketry; to others, again, the rumbling of heavily laden carriages 

 over a hard road or bridge, suggesting the idea of an earthquake. There was, 

 however, no tremulous motion of the ground. Thermometer 3^ above, and ba- 

 rometer steady at 29.J inches for several hours before and after." 



The next notice we have of it is at Moncton, in this province, about 30 miles 

 in a straight line north by west of Amherst, and about 85 miles E.NE. of St. 

 John. Of its appearance here the Westmoreland Times says: "About 11 p. 

 m. we had several very bright flashes of lightning and some heavy peals of 

 thunder, and in addition to this a beautiful meteor of great brilliancy. The 

 first appearance of the phenomenon was in a westerly direction, and it gradually 

 went off toward the NE. The moonlight, which was very good, was altogether 

 eclipsed by the appearance of the above while it lasted. The night was very 

 cold." 



Whether this extraordinary meteor was seen and can be traced beyond this 

 to where it struck the earth is at present uncertain. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Deccmhcr 3. — The coast of England was visited with a terrible gale, which 

 inflicted very great disasters on shipping, and caused much loss of life. It Avas 

 also very destructive on land as well as at sea and on the coast — chimneys, 

 trees, roofs, barns, houses, &c., being blown down by the violence of the wind. 

 The list of casualties extends over thirty columns of the London pa^Ders, and 

 embraces almost every locality on the coast of the United Kingdom, and many 

 points on the adjacent continental seaboard. — Newspaper. 



December G. — Charleston, South Carolina. At 2 p. m., while a furious wind 

 prevailed from the northwest, the iron-clad Weehawkeu, while lying at the en- 

 trance of Charleston harbor, went down at her anchorage. — Keivsjjaper. 



December 6. — Utah. During Saturday night and Sunday morning (5th and 

 6th) there was another fall of snow in the valley. It came lightly, and lies 

 ■well ; very pleasant for sleighing. — Dcserct News, Great Salt Lake City, Utah, 

 December 9. 



December 11. — Westfield, Massachusetts. First snow this season. 



December 11. — Boston, Massachusetts. Wet snow began to fall about 11 

 p. m., and now (12th, 10 a. m.) has not wholly ceased; about an inch has fallen; 

 the first this autumn. The average time at Boston of the first whitening of the 

 ground by snow is the first of December. The first foil in 1859 was on De- 

 cember 4; in 1860, December 4 ; in 1861, November 25; and in 1862, No- 

 vember 7. — ]\feteorological correspondent of the Boston Traveller. 



December 11. — Fleming, Pennsylvania. The first snow of the season fell 

 to-day. 



December 11. — St. Augustine, Florida. The orange trees are now loaded 

 with their golden fruit as heavily as ever were northern apple trees in a year of 

 plenty. There are Avhole orchards of them. — Newspaper. 



December 12. — St. John's, NeAvfoundland. A severe northeast gale, with a 

 heavy snow-storm, has prevailed since the 9th, and still continues. — Neicspaper. 



December 12. — Springfield, Massachusetts. First snow of the season fell 

 this day; unusually late. 



December 16. — Boston, Massachusetts. This day is the anniversary of the 



