METEORITES OF NORTH AMERICA. 339 



I may now proceed to the discussion of the meteor's path, and first of all I shall aim to state the data with as much 

 accuracy as possible. It is proper to say that the latitudes and longitudes of places in my first communication on this 

 subject were inserted by the editors, apparently from common maps. I shall here give latitudes, longitudes, and 

 relative distances of places as nearly as they can be determined from the most reliable surveys of this part of Ohio 

 yet made, which, so far as the distances are concerned, may be supposed near enough for the purpose in view. The 

 accompanying map is on too reduced a scale to be easily made accurate; but it will aid the reader in understanding 

 the following remarks. 



In my former estimates I decided upon that path which seemed to agree best with all the observations then known 

 to me. After more thorough investigation, it seems better to give first the results formed from a few observations which 

 there is now reason to consider the most reliable, and then to show how nearly the other observations confirm these. 



The witnesses on whom I shall most rely are William C. Welles, of Parkersburg, a graduate of Nassau Hall, and 

 D. Mackley, Esq., a lawyer of Jackson, Ohio. My reasons for this selection are: First, the superior intelligence of the 

 witnesses; secondly, their favorable places of observation, one at a great distance from the meteor's path and the other 

 comparatively near; and finally, the great pains taken by each to note the facts accurately on the spot, with a view 

 to publication. I may add also that I have subjected both these witnesses to close examination. 



Mr. Welles's place of observation was in the State of Virginia (latitude 39 17', longitude 81 240, about 3 miles 

 east of Parkersburg. His testimony is as follows: He saw the meteor through an opening in the clouds, first appearing 

 about 50 east of north, and disappearing 20 east of north. It was in sight about 3 seconds. Its altitude when 35 

 east of north was about 65. Of this he is most confident. When asked at what altitude its visible path produced 

 would cut the meridian to the north of him, he pointed from 50 to 55. It is important to observe that Mr. Wellee's 

 judgment as to angles is to be strongly relied upon, because he is somewhat accustomed to astronomical observations. 



Mr. Mackley's place of observation was Berlin (latitude 39 6', longitude 82 23'), about 6 miles nearly northeast 

 of Jackson, Ohio. His testimony is as follows: He saw a brilliant meteor pass over a cloudless space from about 55 

 east of north to about 40 east of north. It was moving nearly parallel with the horizon. When it first appeared, ita alti- 

 tude was about 30; at its disappearance it was about 2 lower. It was in sight about 6 seconds. Mr. Mackley's account 

 of the manner in which he estimated the angles serves to strengthen confidence in his accuracy. He says that as nearly 

 as he could judge the meteor appeared at one-third of the distance from the horizon to the zenith, and the arc which 

 it described, when projected on the horizon, would be one-half the altitude. He states also that he visited the place 

 again in order to determine, as accurately as possible, the points of the compass. 



In order now to make a first approximation, let us assume that the path of the meteor, when projected on the earth, 

 would pass through New Concord (latitude 40 1', longitude 81 45'), on either side of which the heaviest stones fell. 

 The bearing of this line, as shown by the direction of the route along which the stones were scattered, by the direc- 

 tion in which different pieces are ascertained by Professors Andrews and Smith to have reached the ground, and by 

 the direction to which the successive reports attending their fall receded, must have been nearly northwest. Let 

 us then suppose, by way of trial, thai it was exactly northwest. Mr. Mackley saw the meteor from Berlin in a north- 

 east direction. Now these two directions being at right angles to each other, it follows that its real path was nearly 

 parallel with the earth's surface, for otherwise its apparent path could not, under the given conditions, have been 

 nearly parallel with the horizon, as Mr. Mackley declares it was. It follows also that its height above the earth was 

 not far from 40 miles, for the altitude given by Mr. Mackley is from 28 to 30, and the distance northeast from Berlin 

 to the projection of the supposed path upon the earth is about 70 miles. 



We may now proceed to correct this first approximation by combining the observations of Messrs. Mackley and 

 Welles. We may assume that the path of the meteor for a short space, such as these two observers saw it traverse, 

 could not have departed very far from a straight line; for it was moving in the highest regions of the atmosphere, and, 

 according to any hypothesis, with immense velocity. Then the line which will best agree with the observations of both, 

 and at the same time, when projected on the earth, pass through New Concord, runs 40 west of north. Let us first 

 consider Mr. Welles's observation azimuth 35 eastof north, altitude 65. The base line in this case (from Mr. Welles's 

 station to the supposed projection) is 19 miles; the consequent height 41 miles nearly. This was at a point over the 

 eastern part of Washington County. Next, take Mr. Mackley's first observation azimuth 55 east of north, altitude 

 30. The base line in this case is 68 miles, and the consequent height (after allowing for the curvature of the earth) 

 40 miles. This was over the southern part of Noble County. Next, consider Mr. Mackley's second data azimuth 

 40 east of north, altitude 28. The base line is about 69 miles, and the resulting height 38 miles nearly. This was 

 over the northern border of Noble County. Now, by comparing the distances between these stations with the corre- 

 sponding differences of height, it will be seen that they are not far from proportional, which gives a trajectory between 

 the above limits, not departing far from a straight line though descending somewhat more in the last part than in the 

 first. But if we suppose the bearing to have been one or more degrees greater or less than 40 west of north, we shall 

 in like manner obtain, from the same observations, a trajectory departing from a straight line altogether too rapidly to 

 be admissible; in the one case, indeed, convex toward the earth, in the other case rising and falling successively 

 within the limits of the atmosphere. 



The path now found is consistent with Mr. Welles's approximate estimate of the altitude (from 50 to 55) at which 

 the arc described by the meteor would, when produced, cut the meridian. In the statements of other witnesses we 

 find as close agreement with those of Messrs. Mackley and Welles as could be expected from ordinary observers of sudden 

 and startling phenomena. In the neighborhood from 8 to 10 miles north of Marietta a considerable number of persons 



