34z CONJECTURES concerning 
elouds, is virtually to admit of real and effential miracle, 
without fufficient proof; and contrary to every idea we 
ean form, of a divinely wife intention. 
Tornados and hurricanes I take to be of the fame gene- 
ral nature, although differing in fome circumftances and 
appearances. 
By the term tornado, or wind-fpout, I mean a violent 
wind which has been obferved in thefe northern colonies. 
a few times fince they were difcovered and fettled by our 
people. But perhaps no part of the terraqeous globe is en- 
tirely free from fomething of the like kind, as the atmof- 
phere is every where hable to fimilar commotions. 
The Spanifh term of tornado, feems to have been chiefly 
ufed for a violent florm at fea, of larger extent than what 
I am about to explain, which is of a more contracted na- 
ture, and confined to a narrow {phere of action; fo that 
it requires a particular and fignificant name, fuch as wind- 
fpout, till a more fuitable one is found for it. 
Defcription of one. It begins of a fudden; more or. 
lefs of clouds having been drawn together, a fpout of wind: 
coming from it ftrikes the ground ina round {pot of a few 
rods or perches diameter, with a prone direction, in the 
courfe of the wind of the day, and proceeds thus half a 
mile or a mile. The pronenefs of its defcent makes it re- 
bound from the earth, throwing fuch things as are move- 
able before it, but fome fideways from it. A vapour, mift 
or rain defcends with it, by which the path of it is mark~ 
ed and wet. 
I fhall produce the inftance of that at Leicefter, a town 
about fifty miles from Bofton, a few years fince, which 
being more violent than ufual, may give fome idea of the: 
thing. 
It happened in the month of July, on a hot day about 
four o’clock p. m. A few clouds having gathered weft- 
ward and coming over head, a fudden motion of their 
running together in a point being obferved, immediately 
a {pout of wind ftruck the ground at the weftern end of a 
houfe 
