Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 054.pdf/243

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mile below the light-house at the entrance of Boston harbour, and heard an uncommon noise, which was somewhat like that of a very hard clap of thunder at a great distance, tho' there was not a cloud to be seen. All the company in the boat were so startled at it, that they left off fishing to attend to it; and the noise increaed to such a degree as amazed them all. He says, it seemed like a continued succession of volleys of small arms. He thinks it lasted about 3 minutes, and gradually went off towards the South-East. They took it for the noise of an earthquake, and expected to find every body talking of one, when they got ashore; tho' they could not perceive the least agitation in their boat.

Had this Meteor happened in the evening, instead of the day-time, it would have had many more observers; and the brightness of it would probably have been thought as extraordinary as the noise.

On this occasion I take the liberty to give an account of two or three other Meteors of this sort, seen in North America; which, if they are permanent revolving bodies, according to your hint, p. 273. may possibly be of some service hereafter in enumerating them. The first mentioned in the inclosed paper I saw in this town; the second, I received an account of in a letter from the Rev. Mr. Clap, President of Yale College in New-Haven, who heard the noise himsell, though he did not see the light; and the account of the third, here transcribed in the very words of the original, was given me at St. John's, Newfoundland, by Michael Gill Esq; Chief Judge in the courts there, when I went thither to

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