203 
said to have fallen in France , &c. 
earth, suggesting to the beholders the idea, that the firmament 
was raining fire. In a short time, the noise having subsided, 
and the inhabitants having recovered from their alarm, a courier 
was dispatched {[by them] to Mahommed Syeed, the Aumil*' 
of the aforesaid Purgunnah, to advertise him of this event. The 
Aumil, instantly mounting, ([his horse,] proceeded to the spot, 
[where the luminous body had fallen]. Here he perceived the 
earth, to the extent of ten or twelve guZj-f in length and breadth, 
to be burnt to such a degree, that not the least trace of verdure, 
or a blade of grass remained; nor had the heat [[which had 
been communicated to it] yet subsided entirely. 
Mahommed Syeed hereupon directed the aforesaid space of 
ground to be dug up ; when, the deeper it was dug the greater 
was the heat of it found to be. At length, a lump of iron made 
its appearance, the heat of which was so violent, that one might 
have supposed it to have been taken from a furnace. After some 
time it became cold ; when the Aumil conveyed it to his own 
habitation, from whence. he afterwards dispatched it, in a sealed 
bag, to court. 
Here I had [[this substance] weighed in my presence. Its 
weight was one hundred and sixty tolahs. J I committed it to 
a skilful artisan, with orders to make of it a sabre, a knife, and 
a dagger. The workman [[soon] reported, that the substance 
was not malleable, but shivered into pieces under the hammer. § 
Upon this, I ordered it to be mixed with other iron. Con- 
* Aumil is a manager or fiscal superinfendant of a district. 
+ A guz is rather less than a yard. 
t A tolah is about 180 grains, Troy weight. 
% Literally, “ it did not stand beneath the hammer, but fell to piece;.” 
D d 2 
