On the Theory of Water-Spoiuts. 92% 
ship be so unfortunate as to become the attractor of a cloud of 
this description, and the main mast the point of discharge, although 
well provided with all the necessary apparatus to save the ship 
from the influence of the electricity, it is hardly possible that any 
vessel could escape destruction from the descending water, or 
any one remain alive to tell the dreadful tale. It is ‘of no con= 
sequence what is the main attractor, or what becomes the prin- 
cipal point of discharge : once drawn off, the electric spark and 
all. its direful concomitants follow in destructive array with the 
descending waterspout. 
I have now to detail the particulars of that spout alluded to in 
the outset of this paper. 
It fell on Benardy, a hill at a short distance from this, which 
separates Loch Leven from Loch Orr, between two and three 
o'clock in the afternoon of the 18th July 1792. The morning 
was warm and delightful; there was no mdication of rain till to- 
wards mid day, when a heavy cloud began to rise from the west, 
and advanced eastward, casting a particular g gloom over the face 
of nature as it covered the meridian, and | observed the sun dark- 
ening the whole country with a more than ordinary dusk. I had 
scarce sat down to dinner, when one of the servants came iD, 
and begged I would look at the extreme commotion, distinctly vis 
sible in the cloud now resting over Benardy. The appearance 
was highly amusing, the whole cloud seemed convulsed, and fre- 
quent bursts of white vapour, like dense white smoke, issued from 
its dark sides; at last a flash of lightning of uncommon brilliancy 
and size darted from the lower part of the cloud. This was in= 
stantly followed by the spout, in shape of an inverted cone, which 
joined the cloud-and the hill,.deluging the whole country round. 
‘This was soon followed by one of the most awful thunder storms 
Astill fresh in the memory of every one) that ever visited this part 
of the country. The quantity of water that fell from the cloud 
by the spout was quite incredible. Those who lived nearer the 
hill and observed its appearance more closely, described its de- 
scent from the mountain’s brow like the waves of the sea in a 
storm. The descending water carried every thing before it, 
bore down many roods of Galloway dykes, filled quarries ; and 
loch Orr, that had just been drained, was, notwithstanding its 
deepening and increased outlet, soon filled to its ordinary level ; 
Loch Leven was raised to an unusual height, the Carses were 
overflown, and the river Leven below Auchmoor bridge in a very 
short time filled considerably beyond its highest winter flood. 
The rain fell in torrents for miles round; notwithstanding of 
which, the cone on the hill remained distinctly, conspicuous, al- 
though somewhat obscured, till the cloud had discharged its whole 
contents, and the sky became clear. Curiosity prompted. seve- 
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