322 On the Meteors of 13th November, 1833. 
following statements, which have not appeared before, throw light 
upon the commencement and progress of the phenomena as they 
developed themselves in the region of New York. 
Capt. Isaac Faurot, known as an intelligent man who sails con- 
stantly between West Point and New York, was on the Hudson, 
the whole night, on the downward passage. His account is; that, 
being in Tappan bay at 8 or 9 P. M. and the wind being south west, 
he saw, as frequently as once in every minute, common shooting stars 
coursing against the wind to the S. W. by W. or W.S. W. They rose 
mostly in the N. E.; and those which started down in the S. E. were 
very short: about midnight the stars became too numerous to be 
counted ; but maintained the same general course, shooting on every 
side to the west of S. W.,—some were very short and others long and 
brilliant, and many were seen coursing over head. Between twelve 
and one o’clock the trains were longest and most brilliant; but though 
less brilliant afterwards, the meteors continued progressively to become 
more numerous till about day break when they seemed like rain drops 
beginning to fall from a shower. They still kept the same direc- 
tion as before but “ dropped down,” as it were, instead of coursing 
across the sky as they seemed to do at first. Capt. Seymour, of 
the steam boat De Witt Clinton, was upon the Hudson in one of 
the North river boats, on the downward passage, and witnessed the 
display entire. About half past twelve, when opposite Newburg, be 
observed an unusual number of shooting stars principally, he thought in 
the east; but not till half past two, in Haverstraw bay, did he notice 
any surprising splendor in the scene. Then he first observed the 
radiant, which was in the S. E. about 45° high. From that time to 
morning, the radiant did not seem to vary in azimuth or in altitude, but 
was lower, if any thing, at six o’clock, by which time the boat was at 
New York. During the night, he observed as many as fifty brilliant 
rocket-like meteors of large size and long trains; the most remarkable 
instance of which occurred just before dawn, in the case of a meteor 
which left a vivid train that remained straight four minutes, by the 
watch, then wavered in the middle and progressively towards the 
extremities, and finally coiled up into a cloud as bright, at first, as the 
train itself. The cloud continued in sight two minutes, and left a 
shade still visible. ‘This meteor, being identified by the time of its ap- 
pearance and by its distinct and remarkable changes with the one 
seen at New Haven which Prof. Olmsted has described, (Vol. xxv. 
p. 366) will be referred to again in connexion with other observa- 
tions upon the same. 
