t4^ ^4h Account of a Meteor,- 



Prince and family were still in bed, when they heard a 

 noise like the fall of a very heavy body, irmnediately afer 

 the explosions. They formed various unsatisfactory con- 

 jectures concerning the cause — nor did even a fresh hole 

 made through the turf in the door-yard, about 25 feet from 

 the house, lead to any conception of the real cause. 



They had indeed formed a vague conjecture that the 

 hole might have been made by lightning, but would pro- 

 bably have paid no further attention to the circumstance, 

 had they not heard, in the course of the day, that stones 

 had fallen that morning in other parts of the town. This, 

 induced them, towards evening, to search the hole in the 

 yard, where they found a stone buried in the loose earth 

 which had fallen in upon it. It was two feet from the 

 surface — the hole was about twelve inches in diameter, 

 and as the earth was soft and nearly free from stones, 

 the mass had sustained little injury, only a few small 

 fragments having been detached by the shock. The 

 w^eight of this stone was about thirty-five pounds. From 

 the descriptions, which we have heard, it must have 

 been a noble specimen, and men of science will not cease 

 to deplore that so rare a treasure should have been im- 

 mediately broken in pieces. All that remained unbro- 

 ken of this mass, was a piece of twelve pounds weight, 

 since purchased by Isaac Bronson, Esq. of Greenfieldy 

 with the liberal view of presenting it to some public in- 

 stitution. 



Six days after, ariodier mass was discovered, half a 

 mile north-west from Mr. Prince's. The search was 

 induced by the confident persuasion of the neighbours 

 that they heard it fail near the spot, where it was actually 

 found buried in the earth, weighing from seven to ten 

 pounds. It was found by Gideon Hall and Isaac Fair- 

 child. It v/as in small fragments, having fallen on a 

 globular detached mass of gneiss rock, which it split in 

 two, and by which it was itself shivered to pieces. 



The same men informed us, that they suspected ano- 

 ther stone had fallen in the vicinity, as the report had 

 been distinctly heard, and could be referred to a particu- 

 lar region somewhat to the east. Returning to the place 

 after an excursion of a few hours to another part of the 

 town, we were gratified to find the conjecture verified, 



