APRIL — JUNE 185T.] Fall of Meteoric Stones. 131 
there, having been made acquainted with the fact, proceeded him- 
self to examine the spot, and at the request of the villagers report- 
ed the circumstance of their fall to the Collector. The following 
are Extracts from his letters upon the subject: — 
" Near the Tillage of Parnallee in this Talook two Meteoric Stones have fallen. 
1 have been on to the ground and seen the places where they fell, and the exact 
impression made in the earth where they lay. As no rain has fallen since, I was 
able to see that there was no mistake about it. The noise made as they came 
through the air, made a deep impression on the minds of the people in that region, 
and was heard, I find from report^ along the sea shore up to Teruchooly. 
They fell about three miles apart from each other. The smaller one weighs 
about 37 pounds, and sunk in the earth when it fell two feet and eight inches. 
The larger one is from three to ftur times as large, and sunk in the earth two 
feet and four inches. It struck the earth flatwise. The smaller one fell about 
perpendicularly. The larger fell (coming from the North a little to the West) 
making an angle with a perpendicular line, of about fifteen degrees. Persons 
were standing near each place when they fell. Many worshipped them. The 
villagers gave them up to me on condition that I should inform you, and save 
them from trouble made (or rather which they feared some officials might make). 
I do not make this statement officially, but I am ready, if you desire it, to make 
an official statement on the subject. In writing this I have fulfilled my promise 
to the people there. 
***** jn respect to Mr. Murray's request through you, I would state 
that I gave a somewhat minute account of their fall, &c. to Dr. Colebrooke with 
liberty to publish should bethink best in the Athenceum* If he has done so, 
this may not be needed. I will however give a few particulars. 
* TO THE EDITOR OF THE ATHENiEUM. 
Sir,— Some of your readers may be interested to learn that two Meteoric stores 
fell in the village of Parnallee in this district, and not far from Ramnad on the 
28tli of February and at noon. The fall was preceded by a noise which it is 
stated, b 're an analogy to the reverberation of thunder, though it was much 
louder, and the stones were propelled with such force that though one of them 
weighed 37 pounds, and the other was four times larger, they were neither of 
them seen in their transit through the air, though numbers of persons were 
standing by at the time. They fell about 3 miles apart and both became deeply 
imbedded in the ground, sending up a cloud of dust when they struck. They 
were forwarded to Madura and are now in the Collector's Cutcherry. They 
bear evident appearances of having been subjected to the actioa*of fire and are 
covered with a black smoke-like coating. Their formation appears to be partly 
granitic, with a good deal of ferruginous matter interspersed. The natives of 
course accounted for their presence by attributing them to the wrath of a swamy 
whom they sought to appease by worshipping them. Others held an equally 
extravagant hypothesis and supposed ihem to have been blown from a caunon at 
