Saad 
220 On ihe Theory of Water-Spouts. 
may occur to give birth to its first arrangements. From this cir- 
cumstance, descending waterspouts can seldom occur at sea, ex- 
cept in the,shape of torrential rains, having few points of attraw 
tion to draw the spark from the cloud. It is certainly on shore, 
and in alpine countries, where they most frequently appear, when 
the elevated peaks and lofty mountain tops present their grave 
attraction, and arrest the clouds in their progress, drawing from 
thence the electric matter with its concomitant destructive and 
deluging floods. 
Let us suppose, for instance, a cloud of any magnitude to col~ 
lect over the main ocean, sufficiently electric to hecome the pa- 
rent of an ascending waterspout ; suppose the connecting pro- 
doscis ample, the corresponding vortex must be of proportionate 
capacity: the ascending vapour will soon extend over a great 
space. Still the concentrating aggregate will be directed by the 
electric impulse towards the positive tendency; and thus, after the 
eloud has received a full charge, the confiuence of the particles 
yuust produce rain from all parts within the positive range, unless 
some attracting body give to the whole volume a drift current 
to 2 concentrated focus, and by consolidating the particles fall 
in one dense mass. Or suppose the cloud to extend, and go ow 
uninterruptedly accumulating, propelled by the wind or its own: 
electric impulse towards, and brought in contact with, St. Hele~ 
na, Teneriffe, or some other island of the ocean; we might then 
as well bring a powerful conductor in union with a full charged 
battery without a shock, as not produce a descending water- 
spout. Draw but one spark from the cloud, and you instantly 
produce a current or a vacuum; however small at the conmmence- 
ment, a collapsation takes place in proportion to its magnitude, 
the concussing globules augmenting in size by the incessant os~ 
cillant motion of the electric fluid become rain, the rain forms 
heavier and heavier, and in falling from the cloud with accumu- 
lating force draws more into its wake, continuing to aggregate 
till the whole volume of the watery matter is drawn into one cen- 
trical vortex, forming a column of dense solidity, and falling with 
deadly destruction on whatever it may chance to descend on. 
Such I believe was the origin and termination of the water- 
spout which did so much mischief at St. Helena. 
Amidst these suppositions, let us take another case, and ima-~ 
gine a cloud whose connexion with the sea had by some accident 
been cut off, after having attained nearly a full charge of elec+ 
tricity and watery vapour, and after the consequent turmoil ad- 
justed its own equilibrium, the cloud would become positive to- 
wards the nearest or greatest point of attraction; viz. if at sea, 
the corresponding convexity of the surface of the globe, or the 
nearest or highest headland or mountain on shore. Should a 
ship 
