March 5 and 6, 1803. A shower of red snow fell at Pezzo, at the extremity of the Valle Caninnica. It was preceded by a violent wind on the 5th. Journal de Physique, 1804.
April 26, 1803. The history of the extraordinary shower of stones at L'Aigle, in Normandy, first appear ed in the ensuing artless communication from M. Ma rais, resident in that place, to his friend at Paris.
"4t the 13th Floreal, year 11.
" An astonishing miracle has just occurred in our district. Here it is, without alteration, addition, or di minution. It is certain that it is the truth itself.
" On Friday last, 6th Floreal, between one and two o'clock in the afternoon, we were roused by a murmur ing noise like thunder. On going out, we were sur prized to see the sky pretty clear, with the exception of some small clouds. We took it for the noise of a car riage, or of fire in the neighbourhood. We were then in the meadow, to examine whence the noise proceeded, when we observed all the inhabitants of Pont de Pierre at their windows, and in gardens, inquiring concerning a cloud, which passed in the direction of from south to north, and from which the noise issued, although that cloud presented nothing extraordinary in its appear ance. But great was our astonishment when we learn ed, that many and large stones had fallen from it, some of them weighing ten, eleven, and even seventeen pounds, in the space cornprized between the house of the Buat family (half a league north north-east of l'Aigle) and Glos, passing by St. Nicholas, St. Pierre, &c. which struck us at first as a fable, but which was afterwards found to be true.
" The following is the explanation given of this ex traordinary event by all who witnessed it.
Thcy heard a noise like that of a cannon, then a double report still louder than the preceding, followed by a rumbling noise which lasted about ten minutes, the same which we also heard, accompanied with hiss ings caused by these stones, which were counteracted in their fall by the different currents of air, which is very natural in the case of such a sudden expansion. Nothing more was heard ; but it is remarkable, that previously to the explosion, the domestic fowls were alarmed, and the cows bellowed in an unusual manner.
All the country folks were much dismayed, especially the women, who believed that the end of the world was at hand. A labouring man at La Sapee fell pros trate on the ground, exclaiming, Good God ! is it possible that thou canst make me perish thus ? Pardon, I beseech thee, all the faults that I have committed.' The most trifling objects, in fact, might create alarm ; for it is not improbable that history offers no example of such a shower of stones as this. The piece which I send was detached from a large one weighing eleven pounds, which was found between the house of the Buats and Le Fertey. It is said that a collector of curiosities purchased one of seventeen pounds weight, that he might send it to Paris. Every body in this country is desirous of possessing a whole stone, or a fragment of one, as an object of curiosity. The largest were darted with such violence, that they entered at least a foot into the earth. They are black on the out side, and greyish, as you see, within, seeming to con tain some pieces of metal and nitre. If you are the first to know of what ingredients they are composed, you will inform us. One fell near M. Bois de la Ville, who lives hard by Glos. He was much afraid, and took shelter under a tree. He has found a great num ber of them of different sizes in his court-yard, his wheat fields, &c. without reckoning all those which the peasants have found elsewhere. Numberless stories, more or less absurd, have been circulated among the people. You know that our country is fertile in such tales. Cousin Moutardier sends one of these stones to Mademoiselle IIebert ; and he is not less eager than we are to know how these substances can be compress ed and petrified in the air. Do try to explain the process.
" The person who gave me the largest stone which I send to you, went to take it at the moment that it fell, but it was so hot that it burned him. Several of his neighbours shared the same fate in attempting to lift it.