As The Water Rose, The End Of The Cloud Descended, And In A Little Time They Joined; After Which The Water Appeared To Me To Ascend Out Of The Sea Into The Cloud, With Great Velocity.

I think that none of these spouts, as they are usually called, continued entire more than ten minutes; perhaps not quite so long.

I saw four complete at one time; but there were great numbers which began to form, and were dispersed by what cause I know not, before the cloud and water joined. One of them came, I was told, within thirty or forty yards of the ship, which lay becalmed; but I was then below looking at the barometer; when I got upon deck, it was about 100 fathoms from her. It is impossible to say what would have been the consequences if it had gone over her; but I believe they would have been very dreadful. At the time when this happened, the barometer stood at 29,75 inches, and the thermometer at 56 deg.. The whole of this passed within the space of an hour, or thereabouts; for at five o'clock a small breeze of wind sprung up in the south-east quarter, and dispersed every appearance of this kind, although the black clouds remained until about ten, when the wind veered round to the W.S.W., and settled there in a moderate steady gale, and the weather cleared up." - W.

"The nature of water-spouts and their causes, being hitherto very little known, we were extremely attentive to mark every little circumstance attendant on this appearance.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 185 of 885
Words from 49655 to 49922 of 239428