13* 



about six inches into the ground, and were spread about 

 100 yards from each other; one, which weighed about two 

 pounds, had fallen through the top of a watchman's hut. 

 At the time the meteor appeared the sky was perfectly 

 serene, and not the least vestige of a cloud had been seen 

 since the 11th of the month, nor were any observed for 

 many days after. These stones accord with those described 

 by Mr. Howard, who observes there are no volcanoes on 

 the continent of India. 



If we suppose that these stones originate In the sphere of 

 our globe, it must follow that the substances are within our 

 atmosphere; and no doubt they are, or we should not have been 

 acquainted with them. It has been thought that they may 

 arise with vapours, smoke, &c, and by the attractive power 

 of electricity become conglomerated; and that the inflam- 

 mable part may have undergone combustion in a high re- 

 gion; and that, as it cools, the gravity being augmented, 

 they are no longer driven by the currents which sometimes 

 reign in the atmosphere, but, losing part of their velocity, 

 drop to the earth again *. It may not be amiss to consi- 

 der whether any other means may not be as natural, and 

 this by degrees may perhaps lead to the truth. 



That our travelling geologists have not found any thing 

 concordant with this substance may be, because it would not 

 be sufficiently remarkable to claim their attention; and so 

 it may seem, when the appearance of this substance before 

 ignition would not be new or uncommon. The rocks, of 

 which I have got fragments, that I think most likely to pro- 

 duce such a combination of substances, are found in Wales; 

 and as Scotland, and other places, even abroad, much re- 

 semble Wales in some particulars, they may do so in this ; 

 and, as they contain most of the substances which these do, 

 and in the proper proportions, combined with other (perhaps 



* Their force when falling is not very considerable, 



VOL. II. D* 



