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2. From recent astronomic observations, it appears that the mountains and volcanoes of the moon are considerably greater than those of the earth, and that the lunar atmosphere is by no means so dense, or of equal extension with ours.

3. From mathematical calculations it appears, that a velocity equal to three times that of a cannon ball, will, if communicated to a mass of rock when projected from the crater of a lunar volcano, be sufficient to carry it beyond the point of equilibrium between the attractive powers of the earth and moon.

Now if the stones be projected from the crater of a terrestrial volcano with a velocity equal to twice that of a cannon ball, notwithstanding the resistance they meet with from the sur rounding atmosphere, is it not more than probable that these substances may be cast with three times the velocity of a cannon ball from lunar volcanoes, which have been discovered to be much greater than those of the earth, and where the resistance they meet with in passing through the air will be so much less, owing to the superior density of the terrestrial atmosphere?

Let us now endeavour to adapt the several circumstances attending the appearance of the meteors abovementioned to the theory I have just explained, in which I own myself much indebted to a note by Dr. Hutton on Halley's paper on extraordinary meteors, published in the sixth volume of the Philosophical Transactions abridged.

1. In every account of those appearances the meteor was observed to be in a state of ignition, and the stones if found presently always hot.

2. They move with great velocity in nearly a horizontal direction, but a little inclined towards the surface of the earth. 3. The rapidity of their flight causes them to yield a whizzing sound.

4. They fall to the earth with great violence.

With respect to the first fact, if as we suppose they are cast from the crater of a lunar volcano, they must evidently when so thrown, be in a state of ignition, and their velocity being immense, their passage through the comparative vacuum between the earth and moon will cause them to lose but little of their original heat, and upon entering our atmosphere, their coming

in contact with the air, added to the velocity of ther flight, will cause them to burn with redoubled violence, until their heat and the rapidity of their motion together cause them to explode, break into picces, and fall to the earth.

The rapidity of their flight is easily accounted for by considering the space they traverse, and their oblique direction in descending is entirely owing to the earth's motion in her orbit. The following are the words of Dr. Hutton on this part of the subject.

"The earth's motion of rotation at the equator is about seventeen miles per minute, or of a mile per second, but in the middle latitude of Europe little more than the half of that, or little above half a quarter of a mile in a second; and if we compound this motion with that of the descending body, as in mechanics, this may cause the body to appear to descend obliquely, though but a little, the motion being nearer the perpendicular than the horizontal direction."

Now the earth's rotatory motion, added to its velocity in its annual course, which is upwards of twenty miles in a second, will inevitably cause the falling substances to descend in an oblique direction, according as the velocity of their motion is greater or less, which very satisfactorily accounts for the peculiar manner of their descent.

It is particularly deserving of notice, that all those stones, when compared by the curious, evidently resemble each other in their component parts: this fact clearly shows the probability of their having the same origin, and that the several phenomena are produced by one and the same cause. Upon the whole, there is nothing wanted to demonstrate evidently the truth of this theory, but careful observations with respect to the obliquity of the direction in which they descend; if this were always attended to, and it was generally observed that the course of those meteors was directly contrary to that of the earth in her annual course, it would go very far in evincing the probability of this hypothesis of the lunar substances.

H. Y.

Translated from the French for the Port Folio.

THE PREDICTION.

An Austrian officer, the Baron de

who had served in

the last war against the Turks in the hussars of Zeckler, was fond of relating the many singular adventures which he had met with in his different campaigns, and you may judge of them by the following which I give you in the very words he made use of.

It was in the spring of 1788 that I left M-in Transylvania with the recruits for my regiment which was stationed in the neighbourhood of Orsowa. It so happened, that we passed a village on our way, where a Bohemian, or gipsey, who was one of the occasional sutlers of the army resided and had established herself a name in the neighbourhood by telling fortunes. My recruits, who none of them wanted faith, were eager to know what the stars intended in their favour, and I who laughed at their simplicity, was yet simple enough myself, to hold out my hand and to listen to the sorcerer. The 20th of August, said the gipsey, with an expressive look, but nothing could prevail upon her to add a syllable of explanation, and I left her with those words impressed upon my mind. We now joined the regiment and took our share of fatigue and danger. It was very well known that in that campaign the Turks, acting with more than their usual ferocity, made no prisoners, and that their generals paid a ducat for each head which was brought into the camp. This was enough to excite the activity of the Janissaries and Spahis, who neglected no opportunity of making a ducat at our expense, and they were so numerous, and their expeditions conducted with such secrecy, that frequently at the dawn of day we could perceive the outposts of the camps guarded as it were by headless trunks. The prince de Cobourg at last thought of sending every night large pickets of cavalry beyond the usual line of vedettes, and these were generally composed of 100 to 200 men: but the Turkish generals enraged at seeing the profits of their people interrupted, sent still larger detachments than before against our pickets, by which means they secured a greater number of victims. To be appointed one of the out pickets was now almost consider

ed as sentence of death, and no one left the camp without having previously settled his affairs. We were now in the month of August, and a few skirmishes with the enemy had not altered the position of the army, when about a week before the 20th, my Bohemian, of whom I had frequently bought provisions, came to my quarters, and having followed me into my tent, requested that I would take the proper measures to secure her a legacy in case the 20th of August should prove fatal to me, offering on her part if I survived that day to make me a present of a basket of tokay, a wine at all times high priced and now particularly scarce. That the woman should make me such an offer and upon such terms, seemed to prove that she was out of her senses. Situated as I was my death was by no means improbable, but I had no reason to suppose that it would take place precisely on the day she had foretold. I therefore readily consented to the proposal, betting 50 ducats against her tokay. The major of the regiment, not without a smile, drew up our agreement. The 20th of August was now arrived, and I saw no probability of our coming to an engagement with the enemy. It was my regiment's turn however to furnish a picket for the night, but there were two officers on the role of service before me. In the evening, as the hussars were preparing to set off, the surgeon brought us information that the officer who was to have been at the head of the party had fallen dangerously ill, and one of my comrades whose tour it was, prepared accordingly to take his place. But this last officer was no sooner mounted than his horse, till then the gentlest animal in the world, began to rear and to fling in such a manner that he, no longer able to keep his seat, was thrown, and in falling broke his leg. It was now for me to take the command, and I prepared to obey, but I must own with sensations that were not usual to me on such occasions. My command was of 80 men, and being joined by 120 from another regiment, I had with me in all 200. Our post was 1000 steps beyond the advanced guards of the right wing, and near a marsh covered with very high reeds, we had no vedettes out, but none of us dismounted, and the orders were to keep our swords unsheathed and our carabines charged. Every thing was quiet until three-quarters

after one, we could then distinguish a distant noise; as the sound approached we could distinctly hear the cries of allah, allah, allah, and in an instant the whole of our first line was borne down by the charge of at least 800 Turks. The loss of men was equally great on their side, as much from their own confusion as from our carabines, but besides superiority of numbers they had the additional advantage of being perfectly well acquainted with the ground, so that we were soon surrounded and completely overpowered. I received eight wounds, some of them in all probability from our own people, and my horse being mortally wounded fell in such a way as to keep me fastened to the ground, which was covered with blood. The flash of pistols was the only light which disclosed this scene of horrors; but I saw enough to perceive our dragoons defending themselves with the courage of despair, and the Turks, who were intoxicated with opium making dreadful havock among them. At length not an Austrian remained standing, and the Turks, having taken quiet possession of their horses, and pillaged the dead and dying, were proceeding to cut off the heads and to put them in bags which had been brought for that purpose. Meanwhile my situation, as may be supposed, was by no means an enviable one, we almost all of us in Zeckler's regiment knew something of the Turkish language, and I could hear them encouraging each other to finish before any assistance could arrive, and not to leave a single ducat on the field; adding that there ought to be 200 (they had as it appears received correct information). As they were passing and repassing before me, and now and then discharging their pistols, a random ball struck my horse which occasioned in him a convulsive motion that enabled me to get disengaged, and immediately the idea of concealing myself among the reeds in the marsh presented itself as the most practicable means of escape. I had seen it several times attempted without success, but the firing had now nearly subsided, and the obscurity of the night contributed to inspire me with hope. The marsh was only 20 steps off, but there was the danger of getting bogged. I managed however to jump over men and horses and overthrew more than one Turk who with outstretched arms endeavoured to scize me, or who made a cut at me with his sabre; and my good fortune aid3 P

VOL. III.

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