MONROE COUNTY.' 429 



sions were heard in immediate succession, followed by a tre- 

 mendous rumbling or whizzing noise, passing through the air, 

 which lasted about four minutes. This uncommon noise was 

 on the same evening accounted for by Mr. Sparks and Cap- 

 tain Postian, who were informed by some negroes working 

 in a field one mile south of Forsyth, that they had seen 

 a large stone descending through the air, weighing, as it was 

 afterwards ascertained, 36 pounds. This stone was in the 

 course of the evening, or very early the next morning, reco- 

 vered from the spot where it fell. It had penetrated the earth 

 two feet and a half The outside wore the appearance as if 

 it had been in a furnace. It was covered about the thickness 

 of a common knife-blade with a black substance, somewhat 

 like lava that had been melted. On breaking the stone, it 

 had a strong sulphureous smell, and exhibited a metallic sub- 

 stance resembling silver." A fine specimen of this Aerolite may 

 be seen in the cabinet of Franklin University. A small frag- 

 ment of it is also in the cabinet of the author of this work, for 

 which he is indebted to the kindness of an accomplished young 

 lady of Forsyth. Professor Shepard, of Charleston, has ana- 

 lyzed this Aerolite. Its specific gravity is 3.52, and contains 

 the following ingredients : viz : 



Nickel-Iron, . . .10 per cent. 

 Howardite, . . 70 " 



Olivinoid, } i^ * ic ^t 



Anorthite, i ' ' • 10 to 15 per cent. 



Magnetic Pyrites, . 2 to 5 •' " 



Apatite, in traces. 



The Nickel-Iron consists of 



Iron, . . 89.00 



Nickel, . 9.00 Chromium and loss, 1.40= 100.00 



The mixture of the earthly minerals in the stone gave as 

 follows. 



Silicic Acid, . . ; 50.00 



Protoxyd Iron, . . . 33.33 



Magnesia, .... 9.30 



Lime, 5.30 



Alumina, . . . . 1.80 



99.73 



28 



