336 CONJECTURES’ concernine 
thefe bodies? A queftion which it is reafonable to think 
fhould be determined by facts, and the nature of things; 
and. concerning which, if we with to‘ attain to any certain- 
ty, we mutt be careful not to be mifled by fuch appear- 
ances and imaginations, as have hitherto commanded the 
general belief. 
Agreeable to this method of inquiry, I fhall in the firft 
place produce the obfervations of three or four perfons,, 
in whom I can confide for fimplicity and honefty of in- 
tention. 4: 
The firft is that of captain Melling, formerly of Bofton,. 
who informed me that in a voyage from our Weft-India 
iflands, in the month of Auguft, in a warm day juft at 
evening, a {pout fell clofe by the veffel, and in two or three 
feconds of time came acrofs the ftern where he then was.. 
A flood of water, as he expreffed it, poured upon him and. 
almoft beat him down, fo that he was obliged to lay hold 
of what was neareft to him, to prevent being wathed 
overboard, which in his fright he: was apprehenfive of. 
But the fpout immediately paffed off with a roaring noife 
into the fea. J afked him if he tafted the water? Tafte it 
{aid he! I could not help tafting it, it ran into my mouth, 
nofe, eyes and ears. Was it then frefh or falt? as frefh, 
faid he, as ever I tafted {pring water in my life. 
The next account I had was from captain John Wake- 
field, alfo of Bofton, which was, that being juft within the 
ftraits of Gibraltar, a {pout fell clofe by his fhip with a great 
roaring which he heard as he was fetting in the cabbin, the 
men upon deck immediately erying out for him to come 
up, which he inftantly did, and faw it travelling away 
before the fhip, fo near that he plainly faw the water de- 
fcend. His men affured him that it did fo from the be-. 
ginning. He told me the wind was very {mall during 
the operation of it. 
Captain John Howland, of the fame town, told me 
that in pafing the calm latitudes, a {pout fell fo near that 
he 
