4t>6 ATMOSPHERICAL PHENOMENA,

north and south. In an amplitude of 60° the meteors wereseen to rise above the horizon at east-north-east, and at eastto describe arcs more or less extended, falling toward thesouth, after having followed the direction of the meridian.Some of them attained a height of -40*; and all exceeded25° or 30°. There was very little wind in the low regionsof the atmosphere, and this blew from the east. No traceof clouds was to be seen. M. Bonpland relates, thatfrom the beginning of the phenomenon, there was not aspace in the firmament equal in extent to three diametersof the moon, which was not filled at every instant withbolides and falling stars. The first were fewer in number,but as they were seen of different sizes, it was impossibleto fix the limit between these two classes of phenomena.All these meteors left luminous traces from five to tendegrees in length, as often happens in the equinoctialregions. The phosphorescence of these traces, or luminousbands, lasted seven or eight seconds. Many of the fallingstars had a very distinct nucleus, as large as the disc ofJupiter, from which darted sparks of vivid light. Thebolides seemed to burst as by explosion; but the largest, thosefromr 1" to 1° 15' in diameter, disappeared without scin-tillation, leaving behind them phosphorescent bands (trales)exceeding in breadth fifteen or twenty minutes, or sixtiethparts of a degree. The light of these meteors was white,and not reddish, which must be attributed, no doubt, tothe absence of vapours, and the extreme transparencythe air. For the same reason, under the tropics, the starsef the first magnitude have, at their rising, a light evidentlywhiter than in Europe .

“ Almost all the inhabitants of Cumana were witnessesof this phenomenon, and did not behold these bolides withindifference; the oldest among them remembered, thatthe great earthquakes of 1766 were preceded by similarphenomena. The fishermen in the suburbs asserted, thattb & fire-work had begun at one o’clock ; and that, as theyreturned from fishing in the Gulf, they had already p el 'ceived very small falling stars toward the east. Theyaffirmed at the same time, that igneous meteors were ex*tremely rare on those coasts after two in the morning.

“ The phenomenon ceased by degrees after four o’clock*and the bolides and falling stars became less frequent*