42 Account of a Fall of Meteoric Stones. 



About 30 or 40 seconds after this, three loud and 

 distinct reports, like those of a four- pounder, near at 

 hand, were heard. They succeeded each other with as 

 much rapidity as was consistent with distinctness, and, 

 all together, did not occupy three seconds. Then fol- 

 lowed a rapid succession of reports, less loud, and run- 

 ning into each other, so as to produce a continued rum- 

 bling, like that of a cannon-ball rolling over a floor, 

 sometimes louder, and at other times fainter : some 

 compared it to the noise of a waggon, running rapidly 

 down a long and stony hill; or, to a volley of musquetry, 

 protracted into what is called, in military language, a 

 running fire. This noise continued about as long as 

 the body was in rising, and died away apparently in the 

 direction from which the meteor came. 



The accounts of others corresponded substantially 

 with this. Time was differently estimated by different 

 people, but the variation was not material. Some aug- 

 mented the number of loud reports, and terror and 

 imagination seem, in various instances, to have magni- 

 fied every circumstance of the phenomenon. 



The only thing which seemed of any importance, be- 

 yond this statement, was derived from Mr. Elihu Sta- 

 ples, who said, that, when the meteor disappeared, there 

 were apparently three successive efforts or leaps of the 

 fire-ball, which grew more dim at every throe, and dis- 

 appeared with the last. 



Such were the sensible phenomena which attended 

 this meteor. We purposely avoid describing the ap- 



