June^ 1835, meteors and earthquakes. 



435 



meteors having been seen in some cases a little before^ 

 in others a little after the earthquake. From the account 

 given in Aguerros of the waters of the sea having been 

 disturbed^ and from that by Miers of an apparent ex- 

 plosion^ it would appear that these meteors must be the 

 same with those that accompany the fall of meteoric stones. 

 This perhaps alone^ is an argument that they are accidental 

 accompaniments of earthquakes ; for there seems to be no 

 rational method of explaining the origin of meteorolites 

 on any hypothesis directly connected with our world. It 

 is however very singular^ that all their constituent parts 

 should be of the same nature as those found on this earthy 

 — that the metals should be chiefly those most subject to 

 magnetic influence^ — and that olivine should frequently be 

 present; a mineral* which is exclusively confined to a 

 certain class of volcanic products. 



To return to the valley of Copiapo. Finding little of 

 interest in this part of the ravine, we retraced our steps to 

 the house of Don Benito, where I staid two days collecting 

 fossil shells and silicifled wood. The latter was present in 

 the most extraordinary quantity : it was here that I found 

 a cylindrical trunk, fifteen feet in circumference, projecting 

 from the side of a hill. It was amusing to hear discussions 

 concerning the nature of the fossil shells, — whether or not 

 they had been thus "born by nature,^^ — carried on almost 

 in the same terms as were used a century before in Europe. 

 My geological examination of the country generally created 

 a good deal of surprise amongst the Chilenos : it was long 

 before they would be convinced that I was not hunting for 

 mines. This was sometimes troublesome. I found the most 



* Olivine is known to accompany basaltic in opposition to clinkstone 

 rocks. Gmelin says, " Natron and potash characterize clinkstone ; iron 

 and magnesia, basalt." " Magnesia and iron show a great tendency to 

 enter into combination with each other." These two latter substances 

 are main constituents of meteoric stones, while the alkahes are generally 

 present in very small quantities. Gmelin on Clinkstone, Edinburgh 

 New Philosoph. Journal, April, 1829. 



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