A Letter from Capt. William Gordon to Capt. Samuel Mead, F. R. S. Inclosing an Account of the Fire-Ball Seen Dec. 11. 1741

covered with its Scales, may lie uppermost, and all the Fins and Tail are to be expanded with Pins. Let it then be exposed to the Sun, if in Summer, or, if in Winter, to the Fire, till the Skin grows quite dry and hard, when it must be turned, and the Flesh exposed to the Sun or Fire, till it is also dry; and then the Skin may be separated from the Flesh with very little Trouble, and, being put betwixt Papers, must be pressed flat. But as a sort of glutinous Matter, in pressing, is always forced out from betwixt the Scales and the Skin, a Piece of Parchment is to be laid under the Fish, which is easily separated from the Scales, but Paper always sticks: For this Reason it is necessary, that after an Hour or two, a fresh Piece of Parchment should be applied: And thus, in the Space of 24 Hours, the Fish is prepared. II. A Letter from Capt. William Gordon to Capt. Samuel Mead, F. R. S. inclosing an Account of the Fire-ball seen Dec. 11. 1741. SIR, Read March 4. 1741-2. At your Desire I have sent you a Description, as exact as possibly I can remember, of the Meteor which I saw on Friday the 11th of December, coming by Water from the City to Whitehall. I really at first took it for some artificial Fire-work, but was soon undeceived by the different Forms it appeared in, and the Routs it took through the Regions of the Air. I find it was seen by several People here, here, as well as in the Country, but little otherwise observed concerning it, but that it was like a Ball of Fire, and appeared over such and such a Place. If my Eyes were not deceived, it put on several Forms; but as its Motions were sometimes pretty quick, I have ventured only to assure you, that the Account I have inclosed is as near the Truth as the Observations of such sudden Phenomenons will generally admit of.—I am with the greatest Respect, London, Feb. 12. 1742. Your most obedient, humble Servant, William Gordon. On Friday the 11th of December 1741, about One P. M. coming by Water from the City to Whitehall, and near to Hungerford-stairs, there appeared to me between Vauxhall and Lambeth, a Body of Fire: It sprung upwards in its Ascent almost perpendicular to the Horizon, to the Height, as near as I could guess by my Eye, of 35 Degrees, in the Space of a few Seconds, and nearly in Form of a large Boy's Kite, projecting a long Tail towards the North-west, not unlike those of Slips of Paper set on Fire: In this State it continued so long, that I made the Waterman lay his Oars in, that I might the more easily observe whether it was the Work of Art or Nature, for I was in some Doubt. It had from its first Appearance expanded itself considerably, so that the extreme Breadth was seemingly equal to the Diameter of a Full Moon arising from a dusky Horizon. In this Form it continued ascending for the Space of Two Two Minutes, gently shooting withal to the North-east, till it arose to about 45 Degrees; then suddenly quitting its Tail, which vanished, colouring the neighbouring Clouds with a Yellow on their Separation, it formed itself first into a Ball of Fire; then shooting quickly to the South-east in a Stream of Light, disappeared, making a Noise like a Clap of Thunder at some Distance, and leaving behind it a smoaky Substance in its Tract. The Weather moderate and cloudy, Wind, as nigh as I can remember, West South-west. It continued in Sight upwards of Five Minutes. III. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. William Gostling to Peter Collinson, F.R.S. concerning the Fire-ball seen Dec. 11. last, and the Mock-Suns seen the 19th of the same Month. My good Friend, Canterbury, Mar. 9. 1741-2. As the Fire-ball appeared at Noon-day, and the Sun shining, few People saw it, and they could only guess at the Course.