254 Description and Analysis of a Meteoric Mass. 
the magnet. After the effervescence ceased, it was heated in 
order to dissolve every thing that was soluble. The insoluble 
part was washed and dried; it was pure carbon, and weighed 
464 grains. 
The hydrochloric solution being treated with nitric acid, to 
convert the protoxide of iron into peroxide, and precipitated by 
ammonia, gave peroxide of iron equal to three grains of metallic 
iron. The filtered solution was treated with pure potassa, and 
a hardly perceptible gray flocculent precipitate was obtained, s0 
that this iron was free from nickel. 
Carbon, - . - - - - 46.5 
Iron, - - - - - - - 3.0 
Loss, - - - - - - - 0.5 
100.0 
3. Sulphuret of Iron.—A small fragment of the pyrites was 
dissolved in diluted hydrochloric acid, under a brisk effervescence 
of sulphuretted hydrogen gas. Part of it was insoluble; this 
after being washed and dried, was exposed to heat, by which the 
sulphur was sublimed, leaving a black powder. 'The quantity 
used was too small to determine the proportion ; it is composed 0 
sulphuret of iron and carbon. 
4. Hydroxide of Iron.—The hydroxide of iron lost about 17 
per cent. by being heated, and had all the characters of a similar 
residue from brown ironstone or hematite. 
This is not the only instance in which meteoric iron has been 
found in the State of Tennessee. A small mass of it was found 
in Dickson County ; another, a few miles west of Canyfork in 
De Kalb County. The latter had a smooth glossy surface, and 
was of an oval shape, its longer diameter being from 10 to 22 
inches. | 
It is said that several masses have been found about 20 miles 
east from the warm springs in Buncombe County, North Carolina. 
I went to the spot, during my last excursion in East Tennessee, 
but T could learn nothing with certainty concerning it, and did 
not see any of the metal.* 
Nashville, Tenn., Nov. 8, 1839. 
dicate 
* One mass, at least, of meteoric iron has been found in this county, and an anal- 
ysis of it was published by Prof. C. U. Shepard, in this Jour, Vol. 36, p- 81—E?*- 
