METEORIC STONES AND SHOOTING STABS. 



735 



and then a vivid flash. Its size and motion seemed to increase towards the 

 zenith, when it seemd to start suddenly and dart away on its course. All 

 observers who were in twelve miles of the line of its path, say it threw 

 down sparks which drifted eastward. Their clouds of smoke or vapor fol- 

 lowed in its track, at times overtaking it, and then were lost. A bright 

 deep red with flashes of green and other prismatic colors, appeared around 

 the nucleus or at the forward part of it. From three to five minutes after 

 vanishing, observers near the south end of its path, heard an intensely loud 

 and crashing explosion ; this was followed by a rushing rumbling sound 

 that seemed to lollow the path of the meteor, and at intervals, as it rolled 

 away. northward, varied by sounds of distinct explosions, growing fainter 

 as it continued, until at last it died away in three to five explosions, much 

 fainter than the others. One and a half to two minutes after, five quickly 

 recurring reports were heard, reverberating with terrific force, quickly suc- 

 ceeded by and almost blending with these reports, came hollow bellowings 

 and rattling sounds. 



The meteor was seen at Eed Wing, Minnesota, 186 miles; at Eockford, 

 Illinois, 150 miles ; at Omaha, Nebraska, 190 miles; and at St. Louis, Mo., 

 214 miles distant from the nearest point of the path. 



On its path a large mass was separated from the main body and then 

 exploded into many -pieces, and passing on about thirty-two miles, fell, the 

 various pieces scattering over the surface for six miles long by one and a 

 half miles wide, falling near Marengo, Iowa county, Iowa. About 150 

 pieces were picked up, aggregating not less than 500 pounds. Mr. Irish 

 estimated the velocity in our atmosphere at twenty-one miles per second ; 

 also, that before it divided it was about forty feet diameter, with a train of 

 9°, or seven to twelve miles long. 



The annexed cuts, copied from Mr. Irish's pamphlet, and by his permis- 

 sion inserted here, show the appearance of the meteor as seen from two 

 directions at right angles to each other. Figure 1, as seen from persons 

 west of it, and Figure 2, as seen by persons in front. 



The greatest diameter 

 of the white portion is 

 forty feet, and of the me- 

 teoric mass 100 feet. A 

 side view of the nucleus 

 shows the common pear 

 shape of most solid mete- 

 ors when in motion. An 

 analysis of this stone by 

 G. Hinrich, gave : Troil- 

 lite, 1.8 , olivine, 52.8 ; 

 pyroxene, 44. 9. A piece in 

 my possession is of a gray 

 color with brown specks, 



