"In the year 1686, some workmen, who had been fetching water from a pond, seven German miles from Memel, on returning to their work, after dinner (during which there had been a snow storm) found the flat ground around the pond covered with a coal-black, leafy mass; and a person who lived near said he had seen it fall like flakes with the snow."

Some of these flake-like formations were as large as a table-top.

"The mass was damp and smelt disagreeably, like rotten seaweed, but, when dried, the smell went off.

"It tore fibrously like paper."

Classic explanation:

"Up from one place, and down in another."

But what went up, from one place, in a whirlwind? .....

Some flakes of marsh-paper were exhibited.

Their composition was chiefly of conifervæ.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/fort/damned/damn05.htm