50 THE WONDERS OF GEOLOGY. Lect. I. 



mechanical and chemical action upon the previously con- 

 solidated materials."* 



17. Aerolites. — Intimately connected with this di- 

 vision of the subject, is the remarkable fact of the fall of 

 foreign bodies, called aerolites, or meteoric stones, from 

 the atmosphere. The specimen before us, for w r hich I am 

 indebted to Professor Silliman, is a fragment of a mass 

 which fell at Nanjenoy, in Maryland, North America, a 

 few years since. The following description of its descent, 

 by an eye-witness, will serve to illustrate the ordinary 

 phenomena which, attend the appearance of these mysterious 

 visitors. f 



" On the 10th of February, between the hours of twelve 

 and one o'clock, I heard an explosion, as I supposed of a 

 cannon, but somewhat sharper. I immediately advanced 

 with a quick step about twenty paces, when my attention 

 was arrested by a buzzing noise, as if something was rush- 

 ing over my head, and in a few seconds I heard something 

 fall. The time which elapsed from my first hearing the 

 report to the falling, might have been fifteen seconds. I 

 then went with some of my servants to ascertain where it 

 had fallen, but did not at first succeed ; however, in a short 

 time the place was found by my cook, who dug down to 

 the stone, which was discovered about two feet below the 

 surface. It was sensibly warm, and had a sulphurous smell : 

 was of an oblong shape, and weighed sixteen pounds and 

 seven ounces ; it had a hard vitreous surface. I have con- 

 versed w r ith many persons, living over an extent of perhaps 

 fifty miles square : some heard the explosion, while others 

 noticed only the subsequent whizzing noise in the air ; all 

 agree in stating that the sound appeared directly over their 

 heads. The day was perfectly fine and clear. There was 

 but one report heard, and but one stone fell, to my know- 



* Dr. Kichol. 



f American Journal of Science. 



