An Account of a Meteor. 149 



and heavy body had really fallen from the skies with tre- 

 mendous momentum. 



• From the best information which we could obtain of 

 the quantity of fragments of this last stone, compared 

 with its specific gravity, we concluded that its weight 

 could not have fallen much short of 200 pounds. All 

 the stones, when first found, were friable, being easily 

 broken between the fingers ; this was especially the case, 

 where they had been buried in the moist earth ; but by 

 <^xposure to the air, they gradually hardened. 



This stone was all in fragments, none of which ex- 

 ceeded the size of a man's fist, and was rapidly dispers- 

 ed by numerous visitors, who carried it away at pleas- 

 ure. Indeed we found it difiicult to obtain a sufficient 

 supply of specimens of the various stones, an object, 

 which was at length accomplished, principally by impor- 

 tunity and purchase. 



The specimens obtained from the different places are 

 perfectly similar. The most superficial observer would 

 instantly pronounce them portions of a common mass. 

 Few of the specimens weigh one pound, most of them 

 less than half a pound, and from that to the fraction of an 

 ounce. 



The piece lately found on Tashowa Hill is the largest 

 with which we are acquainted. Mr. Bronson's is the next 

 in size. The largest specimen in our possession weighs 

 six pounds, and is very perfect in its characteristic marks. 

 Of smaller pieces we have a good collection. They pos- 

 sess every variety of form, w^hich might be supposed to 

 arise from fracture with violent force. On many of them, 

 and chiefly on the large specimens, may be distinctly per- 

 ceived portions of the external part of the meteor. It 

 is every where covered with a thin black crust, destitute 

 of splendor, and bounded by portions of the large irreg- 

 ular curve, which seems to have inclosed the meteoric 

 mass. This curve is far from being uniform. It is some- 

 times depressed with concavities, such as might be pro- 

 duced by pressing a soft and yielding substance. The 

 surface of the crust feels harsh, like the prepared fish 

 skin, or shagreen. It gives sparks with the steel. There 

 are certain portions of the stone covered with the black 

 crust, which appear not to have formed a part of the out- 



