at Corrientes containing Native Lead. 15 



fell in an oblique direction, probably at an angle of about 60° 

 with the earth, and its course was from east to west. 



" Its appearance was that of an oblongated sphere of fire, and 

 its tract from the sky was marked by a fiery streak, gradually 

 fading in proportion to the distance from the mass, but as m- 

 tensely luminous as itself in its immediate vicinity. The noise 

 that accompanied it, though unlike thunder, or anythmg else 

 that I have heard, was unbroken, exceedmgly loud and terrifac. 

 Its fall was accompanied by a most sensible movement of the 

 atmosphere, which I thought at first repellent from the falhng 

 body, and afterwards it became something of a short whirlwind. 

 At the same time I and my companions all agreed that we had 

 experienced a violent electric shock; but probably this sensation 

 may have been but the efi'ect on our drowsy senses of the inde- 

 scribably intense light and noise. The spot where it fell was 

 about one hundred yards from the extreme right of our division, 

 and perhaps four hundred from the place where I had been 

 sleeping. Accompanied by our general (Dr. Joaquin Madauaga), 

 I went°within ten or twelve yards from it, which was as near as 

 its heat allowed us to approach. 



" The mass appeared to be considerably imbedded in the earth, 

 which was so heated that it was quite bubbling around it. Its 

 size above the earth was perhaps a cubic yard, and its shape was 

 somewhat spherical ; it was intensely ignited and radiantly light, 

 and in this state it continued until early dawn, when the enemy, 

 having brought his artillery to the pass, forced us to abandon it 

 to continue our march. I may mention, that, at the tune of ita 

 fall, the sky above us was beautifully c^ear, and the stars were 

 perhaps more than usually bright ; there had been sheet light- 

 ning the previous evening. 



" I never afterwards had an opportunity of revisiting the 

 Mocorita, for our permanent eucam])ment was thirty-five leagues 

 to the north of that pass, between which and our encampment 

 the country was entirely depopulated by our long war ; but as 

 the spot where the aerolite fell was known to many of our sub- 

 altern officers, who were frequently sent to observe the frontier 

 of Entre Rios, I have heard them describe it as a ' piedra de 

 fien-o,' i. e. a stone of iron ; and I once provided one of the most 

 intelligent of them with a hammer in order that he might bring 

 mc a sample of it. On his return, he told me it was so excess- 

 ively bard that the hammer bent, and was broken in unsuccess- 

 ful attempts to break off a small piece of it." 



