— 460 J. L. Smith—Hmmet County Meteorite. 
There were distinctly two explosions. The first took place 
at a considerable height in the atmosphere, and several large 
fragments were projected to different points over.an area 0 
four square miles, the largest mass going farthest to the east. 
Another explosion occurred just before reaching the ground, 
and this accounts for the small fragments found near the 
largest mass. 
Impact with the earth—A remarkable fact connected with 
the fall, besides that of the local disturbance of the earth 
alluded to, is the depth to which the mass penetrated. Had 
the fall taken place during the night, I doubt if the largest 
fragment would have been found. It struck within 200 feet of 
a dwelling house, at a spot where there was a hole (previously 
made) six feet deep and over twelve feet in diameter, fille 
with water, and having a bottom of stiff clay. This clay was 
excavated to a depth of eight feet before the meteorite was dis- 
covered, and two or three days elapsed before it was reached. 
Its total depth below the general surface of the ground was 
hence fourteen feet. 
The second large mass was found embedded in blue clay 
about five feet below the surface, at a place two miles distant 
from the first. The third of the three largest masses was not 
discovered until the 23d of February, 1880, more than nine 
months after the fall, and its locality was four miles from the 
first. A trapper on the prairies, who had witnessed the orl- 
ginal occurrence, observed a hole in a ge slough ; on 
sounding it with his rat spear, he detected a hard body at the 
bottom, and on digging found the stone at a depth of five feet. 
Some small fragments were doubtless detached when the large 
mass approached the ground, as they were discovered near 
it. The fragments thus far obtained weighed respectively, 
437, 170, 924, 28, 104, 4 and 2 pounds. j 
Height and velocity.—A railroad engineer who observed it 
before the report, estimated its height to be forty miles, but at 
the time of the explosion much less; from an imperfect com: 
putation, he considered its velocity to be from two to four 
miles per second. 
7, 
External characters. —The masses are rough and knotted 
showing them to consist of nodules of iron; and they also ite 
tain large lumps of an olive-green mineral, having 4 distine 
and easy cleavage, which is more distinct where the surface has 
been broken. The greater portion of the stony material 
gray color, with this green mineral irregularly disseminated 
