[ 166 -1 
which probably did not exceed ten or twelve fe- 
conds ; and during this fhort period, the length 
of the path, the meteor feemed to defcribe, could 
not be lefs than 30 degrees. I expected to have 
feen home account of this phenomenon from New- 
caftle, as, by its direction and dilfance, I imagined 
it had burft pretty near to the zenith of that city ; 
but I have found no notice taken of it in the 
news-papers there. About a week after, I men- 
tioned what 1 had feen to Sir John Paterfon, of 
Eccles, who told me he was at that time on the 
road, betwixt Greenlaw and his own houfe, in 
company with Mr. Thomas Cockburn, of Edin- 
burgh ; and, as they were riding to the fouth, they 
obferved the meteor from its firft appearance, 
which was about three or four feconds fooner than 
I had time to turn about and view it; and this, 
perhaps, is the reafon that it appeared fo much 
higher to them than it did to me. Thefe gentle- 
men obferved, that when it firft became luminous, 
it was almoft vertical, but went off defcending to 
the fouth-eaft, and had in other refpects the ap- 
pearance I have defcribed. They added, that fome 
confiderable time after the light difappeared, they 
heard a great report, which they took for a clap of 
thunder; for the interval was fo long, that they 
did not imagine this found had any connection 
with what they had feen. 
Now, as thefe gentlemen w r ere at leaft 20 miles 
to the weft of the fpot where I made my obfer- 
vation, and as the appearance and height of this 
meteor feems to have been nearly the fame to 
them as to me, it is probable that it was at a very 
great 
