AN AEROLITE.

West Coast Times, Issue 308, 18 September 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

AN AEROLITE.

(FROM THE FORT BEAUFORT ADVOCATE,

JUNE 9 )

On Friday last, a little after one o'clock p.m., general attention wtis attracted by a loud report resembling the explosion of a cannon, which created so violent a concussion of the air that windows vibrated and bottles on shelves oscillated. Many rushed outside to ascertain the cause, and directed their eyjSjs upwards to the place from whence the sound appeared to come, but nothing was visible except a small patch of smoke at a considerable altitude to the north-west of the town ; the sky was otherwise cloudless. After a little while, however, it was ascertained from several parties who were outside when the explosion occurred,' that before the report they had observed a vivid streak of flame, apparently about a yard in breadth and several yards long, pass with immense rapidity over the town at a great height, in a direction from south-east to north-west. Immediately afterwards the report, like the firing of a large cannon, was heard, and a small cloud of whitish vapor was seen in the spot . whence the explosion proceeded. The phenomenon was seen and heard at Alice, the Tyiunie, Adelaide, the BHnkwater, and other places besides Fort Beaufort, and all the witnesses concur in "their des-^ cription of the direction and 'appearance of the immense aerolite, for «uch no doubt it was. The only discrepancy in ' the various statements is as to the precise locality at which the course of the meteor was arrested by, the explosion. A person coming from the Blinkwater, who saw the 1 flame distinctly, was under the impression that the meteor touched the earth about a'niilp to the north-west of Fort Beaufort ; those at the Yellotvwoods "belie vo>L it had struck the ground Some place' in there vicinity ; while persona at Alice fancied the course of the meteor was arrested at the Koenap. We have not yet heard of any person having discovered any of, the fragments

of the metal of which aerolites- are composed ; but we have no doubt such will be found, as the meteor, from all •accounts, was of immense size.