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PEARY'S METEORITES.
His Reply to Nansen's Light and Airy Remarks
as to Their Origin.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: As all the
papers have given considerable prominence to
the fact that Dr. Nansen before seeing my Cape
York meteorites. or knowing anything as to the
details in regard to them; before he had landed
in this country, in fact, has settled positively and
off hand that they are of telluric origin and the
same as the Nordenskjold irons. I feel that a
few facts as to the points of difference between
my meteorites and the Nordenskjold irons may
be of interest.
The Nordenskjold irons were found in 69° N.
lat., my meteorites in 76° N. lat. The Nordensk-
jold irons are rough and rusty in external ap-
pearance, with no surface markings differing
from those of any rusty lump of iron, and they
oxidize rapidly, some of them even to complete
disintegration. Some it was found impossible
to preserve; others are kept constantly wet in
closed cases.
The surface of my meteorite, except where it
has been abraded by the Eskimos, has the pit-
tings, striations, and slightly fused appearance
of the edges, distinctive of all siderites, and is
of a rich, smooth, bronze color, unaffected by
exposure. A small surface on the 'Ahnighito"
meteorite planed in 1895 was this summer still
bright and uncorroded.
The beautiful Widmanstatten figures, the
celestial trademark, are as sharp and clear on
these Cape York meteorites as if made by a
graver's tool. Not only do these markings show
on a polished surface under the action of acid,
but on the exterior of the meteorites as well.
As regards surroundings, the Nordenskjold
foot irons of lay basaltic which igneous found region nodules at the
in an extensive
cliffs in are
of the same iron, and from which every year
additional masses are weathered. My Cape
York meteorites rested upon gneissose boulders
in the midst of a purely gneissose region, which
extends uninterrupted by igneous or basaltic
formations further proof for needed, miles legends them. of the Were Eskimos
about any
the
attribute heavenly origin to the masses.
The only point in which the Nordenskjold
irons are an and alloy my and iron. similar A simple is that exam- both
meteorites are
of nickel
ination of the three masses which Ihave brought
to this country has been sufficient to convince
one conversant with the subject and com-
any petent to opinion of their meteoric them ori- the
form an
gin. For those who have not seen
facts as to their surroundings will furnish proof.
The fact that nickel iron has been found in situ
in the basaltic formations in and about Disco
Bay does not prove that all metallic iron from
Greenland is the same, nor does it preclude the
possibility of meteorites, such as these Cape
York specimens, falling other distant. portions of that
in
country several hundred miles
The following are statements of facts founded
upon ample proof, and will survive any mere
expr ssions of o inion:
The three great masses of iron brought back
by me from the shores of Melville Bay are sider-
ites (metallic meteorites).
One of them is by far the largest known
meteorite in the world.
All three, but particularly the two smaller
ones, possess a historical and human interest
such as attaches to no others.
They were never seen by, nor was their loca-
tion known, to any white man before my discov-
ery of them in May, 1894.
R. E. PEARY, Civil Engineer. U.S.N.
BROOKLYN, N. Y., Oct. 25.
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"ocrText": "PEARY'S METEORITES.\nHis Reply to Nansen's Light and Airy Remarks\nas to Their Origin.\nTo THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: As all the\npapers have given considerable prominence to\nthe fact that Dr. Nansen before seeing my Cape\nYork meteorites. or knowing anything as to the\ndetails in regard to them; before he had landed\nin this country, in fact, has settled positively and\noff hand that they are of telluric origin and the\nsame as the Nordenskjold irons. I feel that a\nfew facts as to the points of difference between\nmy meteorites and the Nordenskjold irons may\nbe of interest.\nThe Nordenskjold irons were found in 69° N.\nlat., my meteorites in 76° N. lat. The Nordensk-\njold irons are rough and rusty in external ap-\npearance, with no surface markings differing\nfrom those of any rusty lump of iron, and they\noxidize rapidly, some of them even to complete\ndisintegration. Some it was found impossible\nto preserve; others are kept constantly wet in\nclosed cases.\nThe surface of my meteorite, except where it\nhas been abraded by the Eskimos, has the pit-\ntings, striations, and slightly fused appearance\nof the edges, distinctive of all siderites, and is\nof a rich, smooth, bronze color, unaffected by\nexposure. A small surface on the 'Ahnighito\"\nmeteorite planed in 1895 was this summer still\nbright and uncorroded.\nThe beautiful Widmanstatten figures, the\ncelestial trademark, are as sharp and clear on\nthese Cape York meteorites as if made by a\ngraver's tool. Not only do these markings show\non a polished surface under the action of acid,\nbut on the exterior of the meteorites as well.\nAs regards surroundings, the Nordenskjold\nfoot irons of lay basaltic which igneous found region nodules at the\nin an extensive\ncliffs in are\nof the same iron, and from which every year\nadditional masses are weathered. My Cape\nYork meteorites rested upon gneissose boulders\nin the midst of a purely gneissose region, which\nextends uninterrupted by igneous or basaltic\nformations further proof for needed, miles legends them. of the Were Eskimos\nabout any\nthe\nattribute heavenly origin to the masses.\nThe only point in which the Nordenskjold\nirons are an and alloy my and iron. similar A simple is that exam- both\nmeteorites are\nof nickel\nination of the three masses which Ihave brought\nto this country has been sufficient to convince\none conversant with the subject and com-\nany petent to opinion of their meteoric them ori- the\nform an\ngin. For those who have not seen\nfacts as to their surroundings will furnish proof.\nThe fact that nickel iron has been found in situ\nin the basaltic formations in and about Disco\nBay does not prove that all metallic iron from\nGreenland is the same, nor does it preclude the\npossibility of meteorites, such as these Cape\nYork specimens, falling other distant. portions of that\nin\ncountry several hundred miles\nThe following are statements of facts founded\nupon ample proof, and will survive any mere\nexpr ssions of o inion:\nThe three great masses of iron brought back\nby me from the shores of Melville Bay are sider-\nites (metallic meteorites).\nOne of them is by far the largest known\nmeteorite in the world.\nAll three, but particularly the two smaller\nones, possess a historical and human interest\nsuch as attaches to no others.\nThey were never seen by, nor was their loca-\ntion known, to any white man before my discov-\nery of them in May, 1894.\nR. E. PEARY, Civil Engineer. U.S.N.\nBROOKLYN, N. Y., Oct. 25."
}