[meteorite-list] Details of 1825 Hawaii fall...

From: Eric Hutton <bookman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:44:43 2004
Message-ID: <8dd675624a.bookman_at_bookman.rmplc.co.uk>

A short while ago someone was asking about meteorite falls in Hawaii.

I have just come across this eye witness report of the 1825 fall.


Taken from the American Journal of Science and Arts. Vol. 49, Oct 1845.

Particulars of the fall of Meteorites in the Sandwich Islands;
communicated by request, by the Rev. Hiram Bingham, missionary in
those Islands, in a letter dated Boston, May 1, 1845.

To Prof. Silliman--On the 27th of September, 1825, a shower of
meteoric stones fell, partley in the channel between Molokai and Lanai,
and partly between those islands and Oahu, and partly at Honolulu,
where I then resided. One explosion was heard at Lahaina, and several
in quick succession at Honolulu, eighty miles to the northwest,
between the hours of 10 and 11, A. M. The fragment that was seen to
pass Lahaina towards Oahu fell in the Molokai Channel, and threw a
mass of water into the air, and was said to be followed by a rumbling
sound.

The Rev. Mr. Richards of Lahaina mistook the report of the explosion
for that of cannon on board of some ship. The explosions which I
heard at Honolulu led me at first to suppose they were cannon on
board of ships not far distant. But soon after I was satisfied that they
were meteoric. Very soon the servants of Kalanimoku, secretary of
state, brought me the fragment which they affirmed had just fallen from
the sky in our village. This fragment I carefully preserved and brought
over, and had the pleasure of presenting to you. A different pleasure
from that with which Mr. Richards and myself picked up and forwarded
to the Missionary Museum in Pemberton Square, Boston, a cannon
ball--one of several which had been fired at our heads.

-- 
Eric Hutton

Received on Wed 28 Mar 2001 01:58:17 PM PST