340 



ting that the same fiery meteors were seen at 

 points so distant from each other, we must also 

 admit, that their height was at least 411 

 leagues. Near Weimar, the appearance like 

 sky-rockets was seen in the south, and south- 

 east ; at Cumana, in the east, and east-north- 

 east. We may therefore conclude, that num- 

 berless aerolites must have fallen into the sea, 

 between Africa and South America, to the west 

 of the Cape-Verd Islands. But since the direc- 

 tion of the bolides was not the same as Labrador 

 and at Cumana, why were they not perceived in 

 the latter place towards the north, as at Cay- 

 enne^ We can scarcely be too cautious on a 

 subject, on which good observations made in 

 very distant places are still wanting. I am 

 rather inclined to think, that the Chayma In- 

 dians of Cumana did not see the same bolides, 

 as the Port ugueze in Brazil and the missionaries 

 in Labrador ; but at the same time it cannot be 

 doubted, and this fact appears to me very re- 

 markable, that in the New World, between the 

 meridians of 46° and 82°, between the equator 

 and 64° north, at the same hour, an immense 

 number of bolides and falling stars were per- 

 ceived ; and that those meteors had every 

 where the same brilliancy, throughout a space 

 of 921,000 square leagues. 



The scientific men *, who have lately made 



* Mr. Benzenberg and Mr. Brandes. 



