332 Chemical A7ialysis of Meteoric Iron. 



Art. VIII. — Chemical Analysis of Meteoric Iron, from Clai- 

 borne, Clarke Co., Alabama; by Charles T. Jackson. 



Aug. 5, 1834. — Mr. F. Alger handed me this remarkable min- 

 eral, which he had received from Mr. Hubbard, who had obtained 

 the specimen during his travels in Alabama, and thought, from 

 the bright streaks in it, that it might be an ore of silver. 



On examining this substance, it soon appeared that it was dif- 

 ferent from any metallic ore of terrestrial origin, and that it is a 

 very peculiar and remarkable meteorite. 



Having surmised its probable origin, I was desirous of seeing 

 the gentleman who brought it from Alabama, and at the request 

 of Mr. Alger, Mr. Hubbard called upon me and gave me the fol- 

 lowing particulars as to its locality. 



He found the specimen on the surface of the earth, near Lime 

 Creek, in Claiborne, Alabama. The soil at that place is composed 

 of red marl, or clay, and the rocks in place are sandstones, mostly 

 of a gray color. The mass from which my specimen was bro- 

 ken, was of an irregular triangular shape, rounded at the corners, 

 and was 10 inches long by 5 or 6 inches in thickness. It was ex- 

 tremely heavy, insomuch that he could not conveniently carry 

 with him the whole mass, and therefore employed a negro to 

 break it with a sledge-hammer ; which operation proving too dif- 

 ficult for him, Mr. Hubbard took the sledge himself, and with the 

 cutting edge, by many hard blows, he ultimately succeeded in 

 detaching the portion in my possession. It is much to be regret- 

 ted that he did not bring with him the whole mass, and I desired 

 him to send for the remainder, but have not yet heard from him. 

 He is of opinion, that there are many other similar masses near 

 the spot where this was found ; but it is not probable that they 

 abound to the extent imagined. I beg leave, however, to call the 

 attention of travellers to the locality mentioned, where the re- 

 mainder of the specimen still exists neglected. 



Description of the Specimen. — It is of an irregular form, 

 rounded upon all the sides excepting on that where it was frac- 

 tured, which presents a rough hackly surface, with projecting, 

 bright, silvery streaks, and deep greenish and brown eroded sur- 

 faces, from which an exudation of green liquid takes place, on 

 exposing the specimen to moist air. 



