METEORITES OF NORTH AMERICA. 139 



If we except the bright projecting edges of the pyritic veins, the Wid man nstatten figures produced by etching 

 with dilute nitric acid on polished surfaces in directions of cleavage in this iron are by no means striking. Little 

 channels and waving striae, bright at bottom and dull at top, are indeed brought into view; but these are BO minute and 

 irregular as to require the use of a microscope before their true character is detected. If, however, cross sections to 

 the above surfaces are polished and etched, we then pee the delicate, silver-white lines which are so common in other 

 meteoric irons. As this iron is cleavable into layers of extreme tenuity, I selected a number of layers whose edges 

 were the brightest on these etched surfaces, for analysis; my inquiry being chiefly to ascertain whether the ratio of 

 the iron to the nickel was the same here as in average portions of the mass. I was satisfied that it contained no greater 

 per cent of nickel than I had found in the analysis made at Charleston. 



In polishing some of the carbonaceous balls above alluded to. minute grains of pyrites were rendered visible; 

 and others still smaller, which had a more silvery whiteness. A small fragment was crushed under water in a mortar, 

 and yielded white malleable grains, similar to tin. Portions of the mass were then acted Xipon by the blowpipe along 

 with carbonate of soda, when the most satisfactory evidence of the presence of tin was afforded. I found also that 

 (by treating these carbonaceous masses with nitric acid and subsequently igniting with potassa) they contain silicon 

 and magnesium in decided proportions, with traces of aluminum. Their shape and mode of occurrence served to 

 suggest an analogy they sustain to the embedded grains of olivin in the Pallas iron of Siberia, and the Otumpa iron of 

 South America, the difference in the case being that in the Tennessee iron no oxygen was supplied for the combustion 

 of the silicon, the magnesium, the aluminum, and the iron. * 



Partsch s described the piece in the Vienna Museum as follows: 



Compact and dense native iron with little pyrrhotite and (according to Professor Troost) much graphite. We 

 have only some small oxidized fragments easily disintegrating like that of Asheville. The crystalline structure is 

 shown by the well-marked Widmannstatten figures on etched surfaces. 



Shepard 4 gave the following additional notes : 



For our earliest notice of this truly wonderful locality of meteoric iron we are indebted to Doctor Troost and myself. 

 The history of this locality is still further illustrated by the following particulars, derived from two letters from Judge 

 Jacob Peck, of Jefferson County, Tennessee, the one dated July, 1845, and the other December of the same year. 

 Extract from the former, which was addressed to Dr. J. H. Kain, of this city: " The large mass of meteoric iron found 

 some years ago in Cocke County (on a creek called Cosbys), fell into the hands of some persons who tried to break it with 

 sledge hammers, but not succeeding, they placed it upon what is here called a ' log-heap,' where, after roasting for some 

 time, it developed certain natural joints of which advantage was taken with cold chisels and spikes for its separation 

 into fragments. These were put into a mountain wagon and transported 30 or 40 miles to a sort of forge and there ham- 

 mered into ' gun scalps,' apd other articles of more common use. Some remnants of the mass fell into the hands of 

 Doctor Troost. The original mass was one of rare character and ought to have been preserved entire. Much of it was 

 composed of large and perfect octahedral crystals. Its weight was about a ton. Another mass weighing 112 pounds 

 was found near the locality of the larger one. This also was malleable, very white, and easily cut with a sharp instru- 

 ment. It was picked up by a mountaineer who, supposing it to be silver, asked $1,500 for it. After retaining it for 

 some years he finally sold it to a friend of mine for a small sum, who transferred it to Doctor Troost." 



Extract from the letter of December, 1845, to myself: " The weight of the mass has been variously estimated, but I 

 am certain it was never weighed prior to its being broken up. It was probably about 2,000 pounds. In figure it was 

 an oblong square block. I saw several very regular octahedral crystals that had been detached from the exterior angles 

 of the mass. I had formerly supposed that the whole of it had been taken to Lary's forge, in Sevier County, and the 

 greater part of it there wrought into 'gun scalps ' ; but very recently I have been informed that part of it was taken to 

 the forge of Peter Brown in Green County, and there forged. I understand that a man by the name of McCoy had a 

 neat bar forged from it for making a gun barrel which, to use the expression of Brown's son, 'was as bright as silver.' In 

 the conversation young Brown informed me that he thought a piece of the iron in its natural state still remained. On 

 searching, it was found by a little girl of the family. It weighs rather more than a pound and had been preserved by 

 the family as a nutcracker. 



" The great mass was found on a hill, or rather on an offset of an eminence, at about 100 feet above the bed of Cosby 

 Creek. I was at the place after the mass was taken away. The formation was a hard clay slate, and very little impres- 

 sion was left at the spot except some stains of red oxyd of iron. McCoy, who claimed to be the owner of the land, took 

 me there under the impression that I should be able to aid him in discovering a mine of pure iron near the spot, 

 especially as the mass of 112 pounds was found in the same immediate vicinity. The search of course was to no purpose. 

 The mass of 112 pounds appeared to me to be identical in character with the fragments I have seen of that supposed to 

 weigh a ton." 



The specific gravity of this iron, as given by Partsch. is 7.26. I have found that of the included magnetic iron 

 pyrites to be 4.454. 



Joy 5 gave an analysis and description of the iron as follows : 



The meteoric iron of which I made the following analysis was described in 1840 by Doctor Troost, of Nashville, in 

 whose possession it is found. The mass weighing 112 pounds was discovered at Cosby Creek, Cocke County, Tennessee, 

 after another iron mass weighing nearly 2,000 pounds and of very similar character had been found a little earlier in 



