14 
. TRANSACTIONS OF THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
THE TEXAS METEORITES. 
By W. F. Cummins. 
Read April 2nd, 1892. 
In various parts of the world fragments of stone and metal have 
been found which have been classed under the general term Aeriolite, 
from their supposed aerial origin. Where the composition is largely 
metallic they are known as Meteorites. 
These substances have always been objects of interest, not only on 
account of their origin, but also on account of their composition and 
peculiar crystalization; and while there are almost as many theories 
in regard to th'e origin of the Meteorites as there are writers upon the 
subject, all agree that they come to the earth from some region outside 
of itself. 
In the earlier part of this century several large fragments of metallic 
iron were discovered in the area now known as Texas, which have been 
given the collective name of The Texas Meteorites, and, both on ac¬ 
count of their size and composition, are as interesting as any that have 
been found. As the history of the finding of these masses is not very 
well known, I propose to give a brief detail of it in this paper. 
In the year 1810, Dr. Bruce, of Philadelphia, Pa., published in 
Bruce’s Journal a brief notice of a great mass of malleable iron from 
the Southwest. The following are the facts relating to the finding of 
it and its subsequent history: 
“In the year 1808, while Capt. Anthony Glass was trading among 
the Pawnees and Ilietan (Comanche) nations, he received information 
concerning a curious mineral which had been discovered in the terri¬ 
tory of the Hietans by one of the Pawnees. 
“ Capt. Glass, with several of his party, went in company with some 
Hietans and Pawnees and saw the mass in situ. The Indians informed 
him that they knew of two smaller pieces, one about thirty and the 
other about fifty miles distant. On the return of Capt. Glass this in¬ 
telligence excited no little curiosity. 
“ In 1810 two rival parties were made up for the purpose of obtaining 
this metal, one at Nachitoches, consisting of George Schamp. who had 
been with Capt. Glass, and nine associates. The other party at Nacog¬ 
doches, consisting of John Davis, who had also been with Capt. Glass, 
and eight or ten others.” 
The Nacogdoches party arrived first at their destination, but having, 
in their hurry to anticipate the rival party, made no preparation for 
carrying away the metal, they hid it under a flat stone and went away 
to procure wheels and draft horses. 
