Star-Showers of Former Times. 353 



Air, Weather, ^c. [by Dr. Thos. Short.] 2 vols. 8vo. Lend. 

 1749. Vol. I, p. 86. 



This account is not altogether intelligible, and I have not been 

 able to find any other testimony concerning the occurrence. 



(13.) A. D. 855. October 17. "This year there was a fall of 

 stars during the night preceding the first day of the month 

 Djomadi II, (Hegira 241,) which continued from the begin- 

 ning of the night until dawn. At the same period earthquakes 

 were felt in all parts of the world." 



" Dans cette annee (savoir 241) il arriva une chute d'etoiles 

 dans la nuit (c'est-a dire qui precede le jeudi) dans la nouvelle 

 lune, (le premier quartier,) du Dschumadi II, et qui dura depuis 

 le commencement de la nuit jusqu'a I'aurore. II y eut en meme 

 temps des tremblements de terre dans le monde entier."— Tarich 

 el-Mansury, Cod. 521. Acad. Sci. fol. 51; cited by M. Fraehn, 

 in a communication to the Imp. Acad. Sci. of St. Petershurgh, 

 Dec. \, 1837; quoted in U Institut, Paris, No. 2152, p. 350. Oct. 

 25, 1838. 



(14.) A. D. 899. November 14. " In the year 286 (of the He- 

 gira,) there was an earthquake in Egypt, on Wednesday, the 7th 

 of the month Djolkaada, from midnight until morning, and the 

 stars called Schuhub, (luminous meteors,) were in extraordinary 

 commotion, going from east to west, and from north to south, in 

 such a manner that no mortal could look at the heavens." 



"Dans Pannee 286, il y eut en Egypte, un tremblement de 

 terre le mercredi 7 du mois de Sulkade, depuis le milieu de la 

 nuit jusqu'au matin, et les etoiles qu'on nomme Schuhub, (i. e. 

 le meteore lumineux) s'agiterent d'une maniere extraordinaire en 

 se mouvant de I'est a I'ouest et du nord au sud, de fa^on qu'au- 

 cun mortel ne pouvait jeter les yeux sur le ciel." — Elmacini His- 

 tor. Saracen., Arab, et Lat., op. Erpenii, p. 181, quoted by M. 

 Fraehn, L'Institut, No. 252, p. 350. 



(15.) A. D. 901. "The whole hemisphere was filled with 

 those meteors called falling stars, the ninth of Dhu'lhajja, (288th 

 year of the Hegira,) [A. D..901, November 25,] from midnight 

 till morning, to the great surprise of the beholders, in Egypt." — 

 Modern Part of the Universal History. 8vo. Vol. 2, p. 281. 

 Lond. 1780. 



(16.) A. D. 902. " In the month Djolkaada of the year 289, (of 

 the Hegira,) died king Ibrahim ben Ahmet, and during the same 



