268 OBSERVATIONS UPON THE METEORS OF AUGUST. 



closed, I saw one meteor with a train, and afterwards saw them repeatedly 

 during the evening ; but a previous engagement prevented my constant obser- 

 vation, till 20 minutes before 11, P. M. 



My position for observing was at the intersection of two streets, where at 

 least 15° of the whole horizon were obscured by the buildings. In the lapse 

 of one hour I counted fifty meteors, and about ten were reported to me by others. 

 The field of observation was the constellations about the divergent point, that 

 it might be the more accurately ascertained. It was interesting to observe the 

 identity of their origin. Yet that origin was not a point, but was in the 

 vicinity of the sword cluster, in the right hand of Perseus. All the lines traced 

 back of those observing the common law, would intersect within two degrees, 

 at most, of that cluster. About one in every ten crossed the paths of the rest; 

 but these were very different in their appearance, having no trains, and shining 

 Avith a red, or yellow light. 



There appeared, occasionally, a very splendid meteor, three times the size 

 of a star of the first magnitude, but usually they were smaller than the first, 

 and many were smaller than the third magnitude. Of the fifty seen by myself 

 forty left trains, several of the largest 40° in length. The angular velocity of 

 these was very great. The colour of the meteors was nearly uniform, being of 

 a pale white, and as they faded, assuming a purple tinge. The trains, in a 

 few cases, remained after the body disappeared, and faded from either extremity, 

 growing deeper and deeper purple, till they mingled with the colour of the skies. 



My field of view embraced, probably, one-seventh of the heavens ; and if so, 

 the number visible per hour, in the whole heavens, was about three hundred and 

 fifty, or more than five per minute. The whole display resembles very much 

 that which I saw a year since at Rock Island, with a difference of intensity 

 in favour of the present. 



" I am making my notes at half past 12, and still I see them flash past my 

 window with about the same frequency as before." 



August 11th. 



On the morning of this date I left St. Louis, in a steamer, for Peoria, on Illinois 

 river. I continue the extracts from my diary, as giving my views at the times, 

 unmodified by subsequent observation. 



* * " At 8|, P. M., we entered the mouth of the Illinois river, and 

 at 9 I was on deck to look out for a continuation of the meteoric display, and 

 was soon gratified by the appearance of several very splendid ones. Their 



