<.4n Account of a Meteor, 143" 



the body of the meteor, like that of a burning firebrand 

 carried against the wind. 



It disappeared about 15 degrees short of the zenith, 

 and about the same number of degrees west qf the me- 

 ridian. It did not not vanish instantaneously, but grew, 

 pretty rapidly, fainter and fainter, as a red hot cannon 

 ball would do, if cooling in the dark, only with much 

 more rapidity. 



There mt.s no peculiar smell in the atmosphere, nor 

 were any luminous masses seen to separate from the 

 body. The whole period between its first appearance 

 and total extinction, was estimated at about 30 seconds. 



About 30 or 40 seconds after this, three loud and dis- 

 tinct reports, like those of a four-pounder, near at hand, 

 were heard. They succeeded each other with as much 

 rapidity as was consistent with distinctness, and, alto- 

 gether, did not occupy three seconds. Then followed 

 a rapid succession of reports less loud, and running into 

 each other, so as to produce a continued rumbling, like 

 that of a cannon ball rolling over a floor, sometimes loud- 

 er, and at other times fainter : some compared it to the 

 noise of a waggon, running rapidly down a long and 

 stony hill ; or, to a volley of musketry, protracted into 



what is called, in military language, a rimning Jire. 



This noise continued about as long as the body was in 

 rising, and died away apparently in the direction from 

 which the meteor came. 



The accounts of others corresponded substantially with 

 this. Time was differently estimated by different people. 

 Some augmented the number of loud reports, and ter. 

 ror and imagination seem, in various instances, to have 

 magnified every circumstance of the phenomenon. 



The only thing which seemed of any importance be^ 

 yond this statement, was derived from Mr. Elihu Staples^ 

 who said, that when the meteor disappeared, there were 

 apparently three successive efforts or leaps of the fireball, 

 which grew more dim at every throe, and disappeared 

 with the last. 



The meteor v/as seen as far south as New- York ; and 

 I the explosion was heard, and a tremulous motion of the 

 -earth perceived, between forty and fifty miles north of 



