From the earliest times to the present there is a record of 520 meteorites having fallen upon the earth; 142 of this number fell in the United States; 13 were seen to fall.
Forty-five years ago a traveller visiting Greenland noticed that the natives used some kind of metal with which they put tips and edges on their weapons. On inquiry they told him that they obtained it from some large stones, but they could not or would not show him where the stones were to be found.
Lieutenant Peary determined to find them, as he suspected that they were meteorites, and after a long and careful search he found them on Melville Bay, a little east of Cape York.
There were three rocks, all of uncommonly large size, and on examination they proved to be meteorites, one of them being the largest ever found.
In 1895 the two smaller ones were brought back by Lieutenant Peary; but before he was able to move the larger one, the ice began to form in the bay, and not wishing to be blocked in for the winter, he had to leave the prize where it was.
Last year he made another effort to secure the big stone, but the machinery he was using to raise it got out of order, and he again had to abandon the attempt.
Now a message comes from Sydney, a port on Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, which says that he has arrived safely, bringing with him the famous meteorite.
When his vessel, the Hope, steamed into port she was in a very battered condition. She had encountered so many storms and such furious seas that her bulwarks had been washed away.
In addition to this she was burning her last ton of coal as she steamed into port, and so her crew must have been very glad when they sighted land.
We have not yet heard how the big meteorite was wrenched from its icy bed, and it is probable that when the Hope reaches New York we shall have an interesting story to tell you about it.