in the Neighbourhood of Laigte. 227 



changes which, according to the report of eye-witnesses, 

 among whom we mtist reckon our colleague Le Blond, took 

 place in the interval of a few days after the explosion of the 

 meteor^ and of which I myself observed very sensii^le traces 

 on breaking fragments of different dimensions ; and this 

 nev\- comparison of testimonies and facts serves only to 

 show a new agreement between them. 



All the physical and moral proofs which it has been pos- 

 sible to collect are therefore concentrated, and converge to- 

 wards one point : and if we consider the manner in which 

 I was led, by a comparison of the testimonies, to the place 

 of the explosion ; the number of particulars which I col- 

 lected on the spot ; their coincidence with those which I 

 brought from the distance of ten leagues ; the multitude of 

 the witnesses ; their moral character ; the resemblance of 

 their accounts, and perfect agreement from whatever part 

 obtained, without its being possible to discover a single ex- 

 ception in that respect ; it may be concluded, without the 

 sniallest doubt, that the fact to which these proofs refer 

 actually took place, and that stones really fell in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Laiole on the 26th of April 1802. 



From tlie aegicgate of tlie testimonies we have deduced 

 the following description of the phcenomenon : 



On Tuesday, April 26, 1802, about one in the afternoon, 

 the weather being serene, there was observed from Caen, 

 Pont-Audcmer, and the environs of Alengon, Falaise, and 

 Verncuil, a fiery globe of a very brilliant splendour, wiiich 

 moved in the atmosphere with great rapidity. 



Some moments after there was heard at Laigle, and in 

 the environs of that city to the extent of more than thirty 

 leagues in every direction, a violent explosion, v/hich lasted 

 five or six minutes. 



At first there were three or four reports like those of a 

 cannon, followed by a kind of discharge which resembled 

 a firing of musketry ; after which there was heard a dreadful 

 rumbhng like the beating of a drum. The air was calm 

 and the sky serene, except a few clouds, such as are fre- 

 quently observed. 



This noise proceeded from a small cloud which had a 

 rectangular form, the largest side being in a direction from 

 cast to west. It appeared motionless all the time that the 

 phacnomenon lasted. But the vapour of whicli it was com- 

 posed was projected momentarily from the different sides 

 by ihe effect of the successive explosions. This cloud was 

 aljout half a leaj'iic to the tiorth-norlh-east of the town of 

 Laigic : it was aC a great elevation in the atmosphere, for 

 P 2 the 



