On the Meteors of 13th November, 1833. 135 



number of falling stars were observed in various parts of the heav- 



ens."* 



The conclusion to be drawn from the foregoing facts is, that 

 the substance of which fiery meteors are constituted is of various 

 kinds, from the dense ferruginous matter of aerolites to that which is 

 flocculent and of the texture of cotton, or to matter so attenuated as 

 to be almost impalpable. The high degree of combustibility, at- 

 tending some of these substances is to be particularly noted. 



Meteoric phenomena, more or less resembling the one under re- 

 view, have occurred at several periods before. The one most like 

 the present, is that described by Humboldt, to which reference has al- 

 ready been made, in the former part of this article (p. 368.) The 

 entire account as given in Humboldt's Personal Narrative, (vol. 3. 

 pp. 331-346,) is worthy of being consulted not only for the interes- 

 ting facts it contains, but for the opinions of so eminent a meteorolo- 

 gist* We shall have occasion to recur to this author hereafter. 



In the month of April, 1803, a similar appearance presented itself 

 in the United States, which is thus described in the Richmond (Vir- 

 ginia) Gazette of April 23d. "From one until three in the morn- 

 ing, those starry meteors seemed to fall from every point in the heav- 

 ens, in such numbers, as to resemble a shower of sky rockets. The 

 inhabitants happened at the same hour, to be called from their hou- 

 ses by the alarm bell, which was rung on account of a fire that broke 

 out in the Armory, but which was speedily extinguished. Every 

 one, therefore had an opportunity of witnessing a scene of nature, 

 entirely novel, in this part of the globe, and which, probably, will 

 never appear again. Several of these shooting meteors were accom- 

 panied with a train of fire, that illuminated the sky, for a considera- 

 ble distance. One, in particular, appeared to fall from the zenith, of 

 the apparent size of a ball eighteen inches in diameter, that lighted the 

 whole hemisphere, for several seconds. A hissing noise, was plain- 

 ly heard in the air, and several reports resembling the discharge of a 

 pistol. Had not the city bell been ringing, the reports would prob- 

 ably have seemed much louder. The sky was remarkably clear 

 and serene, and several of the largest meteors were observed to de- 

 scend almost to the ground, before they exploded. Indeed, many 

 of those, which we saw, appeared to approach within a few yards of 



* Annual Register, 1832 



