Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-06-06

form the part which was buried i'm Tn
earth was Of a grey ash colour AMI tina
which was exposed to the air was exireme,,
black, covered with very thin black crust
somewhat pulled up in places, and which
appeared to nave been melted. The iDte
rior part of the stone, when exam med with
magnifyiDg glass, appeared OLA grey pale
ASH colour, spotted with pro,ligious num-
Der OF minute brilliant metallic spots, and
OF pale yellow. TIE Interior part, when
stricken with steel, would not yield any
SPARKS; but the exterior coating did -
Inc specific gravity of the stone was
j. SIS. And the chemical ANALYSIS of it,
showed it to CONAN, in 100 parts, / of
su Pher, 36 of iron and SIS 1-2 of v.trifable
EARTH" fF
"On the 10th of June 1894, tremen-
dous cloud was seen in Tuscany, near Sier.
RAJ and Radacofani, coming from the
north, about O'Clock p. NJ. sending forth
sparks like rockets, throwing out smoke
like furnace, rendering violent explosions,
and blasts, more like those of cannon, and
OF numerous muskets, than like thunder;
ana casting down to the ground hot stones
whist the lightning that issued from the
cloud was remarkably red, and moved with
less velocity than usual"
!" The testimony, concerning the falling
OF the stones from it, appears to be almost
unquestionable and is evidently frem diff
ferent persons, who had no communication
with each other"
For first, the fall of four stones is pre-
ciseiy ascertained one of which was of an
irregular figure, with point like that of a
diamond, weighing 5 IL pound and had !.
vitriolic smell. And another weighed IL
pounds, Was black on the outside, as if from
smoke; and internally seemed composed of
matter OF the colour of ashes, in which were
perceived small spots of gold and silver
"Signior A. Montauli, who saw the cloud
as he was travelling, described it as APP
pearing much above the common region of
the clouds and as being clearly dscerned to
be on fire.
This curious observer gives an account
also OF stone which he was assured fell
from the cloud, at the feet of farmer, and
was dug out of the ground into winch it
mad penetrated; and he says, that it was a.
bout hve inches long, and four broad, near.
~ square, and polished; black on the sur
face, as if smoked; but within, like sort
Oh sand stone, with various small particles
OF iron and bright metallic stars.''
s'Other stones are described by him.
which were said to have fallen at the same
time, were triangular, and terminated in
sort of pyramidal'o or conical figure, and o..
tners we're so small as to weigh not more
than one ounce"
" In the year 1895, stone ofremarkable
large size was said to have fallen from
heaven, near the Woid Cottage, Yorkshire,
which stone was Afterwards exhibited i'm
London"
labouring man who saw it fall after
wards went TO the place. in company with
others, who had witnessed part Of the phs.
nomenon, and dug the stone up from, the
place, where it was buried about 81 inches
deep"
4 1t smelt Gas it is said) very strongly of
sulphur, when 1t was dug up and was even
warm and smoked. 1t was found to he 80
inches in length, and % Ia inches in
breadth and it weighed SO pounds"
w Southey relates an account, ihridici.
ally authenticated, of a stone weighing 10
pounds which heard to fall in Portugal,
18th February 1896, and was taken Sill
warm from the ground"
From the above and other similar &C.
Counts, says NJ. Cavallo, "The general
fact OF stones having actually fallen from
the sky, seems to be established beyond the
possibility of doubt"
But the ountwhich we had last wear in
all the newspapers, OF a very large stone ha.
wing fallen in one of the New-England
states, is another corroborative instance of
the kind.
''hN"S~ 10 THESE meteOrS
stony bodies derive their origin and mott
on This is an important question. I sh all
first briefly deliver a lew hypothesis from
Cayallo on this head, and then shew thai no
theory is so rational, as that to imagine
them volcanic productions projected from
This earth, and owing to diffe renee of We
locity in the opposite hemispheres of the
globe afterwards carried to an immense
distance from that spot from whence they
were projected.
1t was Doctor Halley's opinion, that a
stratum or train ofinfiammabie vapour. era-
dualiy raised from the earth and accumula-
ted man elevated region, suddenly took fire
at one end, and the Successive inflammation
OF the stratum, like the inflammation of
train OF gun-Powder, produced the apDa.
rent motion as it were of ball of fire.
which constituted the metior. But the
least examination of the different parts of
this hypothesis (says Cavallo) will readily
manifest its imperfections.
Professor Clapp, of Yale College, in New
Engl and, supposes that meteors are So
lid bodies revolving round the earth, as the
comets reyolve round the sun, and now and
| then some OF them coming so near az to