108 THO Ri adr 
For the preffure of the atmofphere is taken off from that 
part of the furface of the fea, which is direftly under the 
funnel through which the air is driven up; whereas the 
furrounding furface is at the fame time uncommonly pref- 
fed, from the confluence of the currents from all quarters*, 
whereby the water muft neceflarily be forced up to a cer- 
tain height, proportional to the furrounding preflure, 
through the fame funnel with the air itfelf, nor is this all, 
for in their afcent the air and water become confufedly 
mixed together, whereby the latter is broken and attenu- 
ated into the fineft globules and particles, as when one 
forcibly blows water out of his mouth; and from this 
mixture of the two fluids doubtlefs arifes that opacity 
which renders the fpout vifible. 
This opaque column of air and water, womestece with the 
paflage through which it afcends, will expand as it rifes, 
in proportion as the compreflure diminifhes; and, to {pec- 
tators at too great a diftance to difcern the narrow {tem 
next the water, will refemble a fword, or acute cone: 
pointing downwards from a fmall cloud; to which they 
are frequently likened. But that they do at the fame time 
communicate with the fea is evident from the perturbati- 
on of the water diretly under them, which fometimes. 
boils and foams at a great rate. This is ufually the firft 
appearance of one of thefe fpouts, the duration of which 
is either longer or fhorter, and the fubfequent phenome- 
na more or lefs confiderable, according to the extent of the 
caufe, and the mode of its operation. 
The water being thus raifed from the fea, and forced. 
irrefiftably upwards in the fineft globules by the protrud- 
ing air, arrives at length at the warm eletrical air J lately 
expelled, 
* In the abridgment of Philofophical Tranfa@iions, vol. J. (by Eames and Martin) page 61, 
at the bottom, it appears, that the meeting of two conitrary currents of air-or contrary winds, rai- 
fes the mercury in the barometer near the place where it happens, which indicates an increafe of 
the prefiure of the atmofphere upon the furface of the earth or fea. How much more then mutt, 
that preffure be increafed, from a general confluence of the air from all.quarters towards one 
{pot? 
+ Sce Theory of Lightening, &c. page go, 
