353 
FALLIHa MKXiSORB. 
Germany, Mr. Zeissing, vicar pf Ittetsadt, near Weimar 
(lat. 50’ 59', long. 9° 1' east), perceived, on the 12th. of 
November, between the hours of sis and seven in the mor- 
ning (half-past two at Cumana), some falling-stars which 
shed a very white light. Soon after, in the direction of 
south and south-west, luminous rays appeared from four to 
sis feet long; they were reddish, and resembled the lu- 
minous track of a sky-rocket. During the morning twi- 
light, between the hours of seven and eight, the sky, in the 
direction of south-west, was observed from time to time to 
be brightly illumined by white lightning, running in ser- 
pentine lines along the horizon. At night the cold in- 
creased and the barometer rose. It is very probable, that 
the meteors might have been observed more to the east, in 
Poland and in Eussia.* 1 
The distance from Weimar to the Ilio Negro is 1800 
nautical leagues ; and from the Eio Negro to Herrnhut in 
Greenland, 1300 leagues. Admitting that the same fiery 
meteors were seen at points so distant from each other, we 
must suppose that their height was at least 411 leagues. 
Near Weimar, the appearance like sky-rockets was observed 
in the south and south-east; at Cumana, in the east and 
east-north-east. We may therefore conclude, that number- 
less aerolites must have fallen into the sea, between Africa 
and South America, westward of the Cape Yerd Islands. 
But since the direction of the bolides was not the same at 
Labrador and at Cumana, why were they not perceived in 
the latter place towards the north, as at Cayenne ? We can 
scarcely be too cautious ou a subject, on which good obser- 
vations’ made in very distant places are still wanting. I am 
rather inclined to think, that the Chayma Indians of Cumana 
did not see the same bolides as the Portuguese in Brazil and 
the missionaries in Labrador ; but at the same time it cannot 
be doubted (and tliis fact appears to me very remarkable) 
that in the New World, between the meridians of 46° and 
82°, between the equator and G4° north, at the same hour, an 
* la Paris and in London the sky was cloudy. At Carlsruhe, before 
dawn, lightning was seen in the north-west and south-east. On the 13th 
of November a remarkable glare of light was seen at the same place in the 
south -eaat. 
