372 On the Meteors of ISth JYovember. 



that all the stars of the firmament, seemed to be darting from 

 iheir places. Many persons thought a shower of fire was falling, 

 and became 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 less vividly, for 

 four or five hours. During the period just previous to the dawn, it 

 was observed by many intelligent persons in this city, whose state- 

 ments coincide most perfectly, as to the almost injinite 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- 

 ed to burst into numbers of smaller stars, as they fell ; and it is said 

 that some were seen to fall upon the earth and to rebound into the 

 air. As no vestiges, however, have been discovered upon the 

 ground, it may be presumed that this was an optical deception. 

 From the same cause the accounts differ, as to the size of some of 

 the meteors. One, in particular, is stated by several, to have been 

 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 

 it was seen 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 



