372 On the Meteors of 13th November. 
that all the stars of the firmament, seemed to be darting from 
their places. Many persons thought a shower of fire was falling, 
an ame exceedingly alarmed. ‘The light was so intense, that 
apartments, where persons were sleeping, were strongly illuminated, 
and some were aroused under the apprehensions that their dwel- 
lings were in flames. It prevailed most for about an hour before the 
dawn of day. It is known to the writer, that numbers of shooting 
stars were seen as early as 2 o’clock, in the morning. The phe- 
nomenon must have continued therefore more or Jess vividly, for 
four or five hours. During the period just previous to the dawn, it 
was rved by many intelligent persons in this city, whose state- 
ments coincide most perfectly, as to the almost infinite number of 
the meteors. In the words of most, they fell, like flakes of snow. 
They appeared to the writer himself, just after the dawn, in almost 
incessant gleams; but the spectacle, at that time, must have lost 
much of its magnificence.—Those who saw it to the best advantage, 
agree as nearly as could be expected, considering that it is often ne- 
cessary, in such cases to make some allowance for extraordinary ex- 
citement. It is well ascertained that several of the meteors appear- 
to burst into numbers of smaller stars, as they fell; and it is said 
as large as the moon, while to others it appeared considerably small- 
er. So also, the most brilliant of them, was said by some, to have 
been visible for more than a minute, though it. could not, proba- 
bly have continued longer than a few seconds. It is evident, not- 
withstanding, that this meteor was of ‘an uncommon size, and that 
i n much longer than is usual for these transitory scintil- 
lations. It is certain that one of the trains remained faintly visible 
for about thirty seconds. No audible explosion so far as we can 
learn attended any of the meteors. It was as it were, a perfectly 
silent and simultaneous dance of the stars. It is probable, that the 
phenomenon was seen over a wide range of the country. A gen- 
tleman from several miles beyond the Severn, saw the meteors at his 
residence, in as great abundance as they occurred here. The steam- 
boat Maryland, also, being about to leave Cambridge, on the east- 
ern,shore, the hands were up at an early hour, and the observations 
of the captain and of all on board, agree substantially with what 
was witnesssed at Annapolis. 
Notwithstanding the strong persuasion of several observers, that 
the meteors fell upon the ground, the writer is convinced that their 
paths were in the upper and rarer strata of the atmosphere, since op- 
tical principles show that in darting away to the horizon, they would 
