On the Meteors of 13th November, 1833. 135 
number of falling stars were observed in various parts of the heav- 
eqs. 5 
The conclusion to be drawn from the foregoing facts is, that 
the substance of which fiery meteors are constituted is of various 
kinds, from the dense ferruginous matter of a€rolites to that which is 
flocculent and of the texture of cotton, or to matter so attenuated as 
to be almost impalpable. The high degree of combustibility, at- 
tending some of these substances is to be particularly noted. 
Meteoric phenomena, more or less resembling the one under re- 
view, have occurred at several periods before. ‘The one most like 
the present, is that described by Humboldt, to which reference has al- 
ready been made, in the former part of this article (p. 368.) The 
entire account as given in Humboldt’s Personal Narrative, (vol. 3. 
pp- 331-346,) is worthy of being consulted not only for the interes- 
ting facts it contains, but for the opinions of so eminent a meteorolo- 
gist. We shall have occasion to recur to this author hereafter. 
In the month of April, 1803, a similar appearance presented itself 
in the United States, which is thus described in the Richmond (Vir- 
ginia) Gazette of April 23d. ‘From one until three in the morn- 
ing, those starry meteors seemed to fall from every point in the heav- 
ens, in such numbers, as to resemble a shower of sky rockets. The 
inhabitants happened at the same hour, to be called from their hou- 
ses by the alarm bell, which was rung on account of a fire that broke 
out in the Armory, but which was speedily extinguished. Every 
one, therefore had an opportunity of witnessing a scene of nature, 
entirely novel, in this part of the globe, and which, probably, will 
never appear again. Several of these shooting meteors were accom- 
panied with a train of fire, that illuminated the sky, for a considera- 
ble distance. One, in particular, appeared to fall from the zenith, of 
the apparent size of a ball eighteen inches in diameter, that lighted the 
whole hemisphere, for several seconds. A hissing noise, was plain- 
ly heard in the air, and several reports resembling the discharge ofa 
pistol. fad not the city bell been ringing, the reports would prob- 
ably have seemed much louder. The sky was remarkably clear 
and serene, and several of the largest meteors were observed to de- 
scend almost to the ground, before they exploded. Indeed, many 
of those, which we saw, appeared to approach within a few yards of 
* Annual Register, 1832. 
