Page:The American journal of science, series 3, volume 49.djvu/72

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54
H. A. Ward—Notice of the Plymouth Meteorite.

54 H. A. Ward — Notice of the Plymouth Meteorite.

thought that, notwithstanding the removal of certain land- marks (a fence and tree), in the field, he would still be able to locate it very closely. This he subsequently undertook to do by trenching, but was unsuccessful in finding the mass. I was, myself, present and assisted in a further search for it in Sep- tember last, using a surveyor's magnetic needle, with the hopes of the same being attracted to the mass and discovering it, but all to no purpose. Mr. Kyser seems to feel very confident of his knowledge of the immediate vicinity of the mass where he buried it 22 years ago, but is unable to prove its presence by re-discovery. Nor has he the aid of another eye-witness, his father having died soon after the original finding and burying as above mentioned.

The smaller piece which was, as before said, found in 1883,

was presented by Mr. Kyser, Sr., to Mr. W. S. Adams who, at that time kept a plow factory in the city of Ply- mouth. It was re- tained in their family until last November, when it was brought t o Ward's Natural Science Establish- ment in Rochester, N. Y. by Mrs. Adams from whom I procured it.

The mass, as rep- resented in the ac- companying cut (fig. 1) is a length- ened, tongue - like form, not unlike a rude Mound-build- er's axe. Its greatest length is 12-J inch- e s ; its width 7f inches ; its thick- ness in the middle about two inches, from which, in the greater part of its length it slopes in a somewhat even manner to a thin, rounded edge.