Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-11-21

The PsPcrs from all quarters. from Bosaoa 10
Raleigh, n. C., speak sf the grand display Of Ma
sures Fire Works. which occurred ON the morn
ing ofthe i3sh ins. II Vas probably visibl- over
the whole continent We extract . few notices
On thr shjccs, BY which is viii be sccu ta~t simi-
lar pheoomeas we're observed on the i2ah Of No
vrmbrr, 1879, asd the Riehmoad payers sp.ak OF
. IKE display In tho spring Of 1893. .jus before
Gabrielle insurrcrsioa- We also copy notice
from Frcn=h paper. Of Shower Of Fin"
soae time during llss last summer.
Fren fAe Mr. rsrk Csussrrciai, .tsp. "a.
SHOOTING STARS.
festcrdayS change Of weather pcncilled
near sunset. upoa tbs wssssrs skios, the bril-
liant hues q . sunnsrss eve. As the cur
tAins Of darkpess vess spread around, The
broad belt Of The kenvens, visible 10 our he
misphcrs, became ssuddcd with the bright
gems Of night. A strong, piercing wind clear
ed the atmosphere Of every offensive vapour,
and braced the nerves, nc the same time that
II gave sdulgepce TO the bright Surrounding
scene. Somewhat before IL O'Clock, the mo
teors, % often sesn on summer evsaings, and
COMMONLY called shooting sfuvs, were obsers-
cd % Gall with unusual frequency and splsn.
dor. They continued from that hour TO Cash
athwars The skies, moro and more, until they
were eciiPsed BY the giories Of the rising sun
this morning.
From four 10 six O'Clock, they were most
numerous and rcfGigcnt. Within The scope
that tho eye could co0taip, more than twenty
could be seen AZ q time shooting (saye up
ward) In every direction. Not cloud OBJ
scured the broad exPanse, and millions OF me-
teors sped their way across il, on every point
OF the compass. Were Il possible 10 enume-
rate them in the swiftncss OF their arrowy
haste, We might venture to say, that for the
two hours intervening between four and six,
more than q thousand per minute might have
been counted. Their corrusc atoms were
bright, gieamy, and incessant, and they fell
thick rs The fakes In the early SHOWS Of De-
Gambler. In one instance, we distinctly heard
tho explosion OF n meteor that shot across 10
tho northwest, leaving broad and luminous
track; and witnessed another which ieft a
path OF light that was clearly discerniblc for
more than ten minutes after the ball, il such
IL be, had exploded.
Its length was gradually shortened-widen.
ing IN the centre, and apparently consisted Of
separate and distinct giobules Of light, draw
ing around common centre; giimmering.
less and less wildly, until they finally faded
IN the distance. Compared with the splct-
doris Of this celestial exhibition, the most bril-
liant rockets and fireworks oe art, bore les.
relation than the twinkling. OF the most tiny
star, 20 the broad glare % The sun. The
whole heavens seemed IN motion, and little
need have been borrowed from a morbid SEN
sibility, 10 imagine, that the opening Of the
sixth seal was indeed nj hand, when "the
stars Of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a
hg tree casteth her untimely gigs, when she-is
shaken OF a mighty wind" Never before has
1t fallen to our lot TO observe q phenomenon
so magnificent aud sublime.
From fhe Balimore .imerIean, .sSr. IS.
An interesting account Of q phenomenon
very similar IN its appearance, and described
IN terms that would apply very closely TO
that OF Wednesday, is given in the travels of
Humboldt, rs having been seen on the morn
ing OF the i2th Of November, 1893, (precise-
~ thirty-four years ago) Mt Cumana, South
America, BY NJ. Bonplsnd. Il will be noted
that those described by Humboldt, and which
apparently were not more distinct nor Of
greater magnitude than those seen here, ex-
tended over very wide space in South Ame-
rica, and were seen In Europe. We copy an
abstract, which IS part Of Mscgiliivray's con-
densed edition Of Humboldt. IL Is worth
preserving, in order TO compare with it such
subsequent accounts as we may receive Of
0GtGQr1.
pisces. 10 IS as follows:
"Townrds morning Of the 18th November.
1873, very extraordinary display Of lumi-
nous meteors was observed ia the east by NJ.
BonPland, who had risen TO enjoy the fresh
ness OF the AR in the gallery. Thousands of
hreballs and falling stars succeeded each
other during four hours, having n direction
from north 10 south, and filing a space of The
sky extending from the true east 80 degrees
on either side. They rose above the horizon
at r. ~. T.. and at T.. described arcs Of yari-
Gus sizes, and fell towards s., some attaining
a height Of 400, snd all exceeding $50 or 400.
No trace OF clouds was to be seen, and very
slight easierly wind blew in the lower re-
gions OF the atmosphere. All the meteor.
left luminous traces from Eve 10 ten degrees
IN length, the Phosphoroseence Of which last
ed seven or eight seconds. The freballs
seemed to explode, bat the largest disappear
ed without rehabilitation; and many OF the
falling stars had a very distinct nucleus, a.
large as the disk OF Jupiter, from whsch sparks
were emitted. The light oeessioned By them
was white,--an effect which must be attri-
6nted To the absence Of vnpours stars of the
first magnitude having within the tropics. =
much paier hue at their rising than in Europe
As the Inhabitants of Cumana leave their
houses before four, 20 attend the first morn
ing mass, most OF them were witnesses Of thi.
phenomenon, which gradually ceased soon
sitter, although some were siiii perceived
quarter Of IN hour before sunrise.
The day Of the 18th November was En-.
eeedingiy hos, and IN the evening the reddish
Tspour geappeared IN the horizon, and rose
todhe height Of 40. This was the lass time
q Sas seen that year.
The researches of ". ChIadni having d.
reeted the atiention Of the scientific world %
sreos'ls AID falling stars IL the period Of
Humbolds's departure from home. he did not
fail toinquiVe, during bis journey from Carae-
ess TO the no Negro. whether the meteor.
% the 18th November had been seen. sac
found that had been observed BY various
individuals " places very remote from each
other sud on returning n Europe was aston
shed to find that they had beea seen there