On the Meteors of 13th November. 383 



We are also informed, that from the beginning of that Phenom- 

 enon, there was not a space in the firmament equal in extent to three 

 diameters of the moon, which was not filled at every instant with 

 falling stars ; all of which left luminous traces from five to ten de- 

 grees in length, that lasted seven or eight seconds; and that many of 

 them had a very distinct nucleus as large as the disk of Jupiter, from 

 which darted sparks of vivid light. The light of those meteors was 

 white, which is attributed to the absence of vapors, and the extreme 

 transparency of the atmos|)here ; and we think, that those of a red- 

 dish and fiery aspect, which we beheld, had fallen from the rest, and 

 that this appearance was the effect of the vapors which had risen 

 from the earth, or of the thin clouds of smoke which had ascended 

 from the burning prairies, into which they had wandered." 



We have in our possession many other descriptions of similar merit 

 with the foregoing, of which we shall make more or less use here- 

 after. These descriptions have been selected not merely on account 

 of their supposed accuracy, but as affording accounts of the phenom- 

 ena as they appeared in various parts of our country, from east to 

 west and from nortlj to south. 



12. It was not until after the first sheets of this article were put to 

 press, that the writer obtained the following ingenious observations 

 made near this place, (New Haven,) by Mr. James JV. Palmer, Prac- 

 tical Surveyor, &c. 



Mr. Palmer, being abroad in the earlier parts of the night, and 

 having observed an unusual number of falling stars, was induced to 

 read over an account of the meteors described by Andrew Ellicott, 

 which occurred Nov. 12, 1799. This being the same time of year, 

 his curiosity was excited, and he mentioned to members of his fami- 

 ly his expectation of a similar phenomenon. From 7 o'clock in the 

 evening, he had noticed a reddish vapor, which first appeared low in 

 the south, but gradually rose up the southern sky to the zenith. It 

 was very thin, but still obscured the smaller stars. When this vapor 

 appeared, the wind was southwest, although an hour or two before, 

 it had been at the West. This vapor continued to prevail during 

 the earlier parts of the meteoric display. Mr. P. retired to rest 

 about 12 o'clock. At 2 o'clock, a man in his employment discov- 

 ered the meteors through the window of his chamber, and immedi- 

 ately called him. 



Mr. Palmer, considering the phenomenon as electrical, immedi- 

 ately made some experiments to ascertain the electrical state of the 

 atmosphere. His silk pocket-han'dkerchief held at one end in the 

 right hand and drawn swiftly through his left hand, emitted a very 



