* 
+. 
ae 
Notices of Tornadoes, §c. 75 
‘ 
the engraved pictures of ‘water spouts’ above the ocean, which I 
had frequently seen, that I should have come speedily to the con- 
clusion that one of these ‘water spouts’ was approaching, had I 
not been aware that this phenomenon occupied a space in the 
heavens directly over a dry plain of land. Whilst attentively 
watching the progress of the cloud, with its portentous dark cone 
trailing its point in contact with the surface of the earth, I noti- 
ced numerous black specks, resembling flocks of blackbirds on 
the wing, diverging from the under surface of the clouds, at a 
great elevation in the air, and falling to the ground. Among 
these were some objects of larger size, which I could discern to 
be fragments of boards, sailing off obliquely in their descent. 
This alarming indication left no room for doubt that a violent tor- 
~ hado was fast approaching, and that these distant, dark specks were 
fragments of shingles and boards uplifted high in the air, and left 
to fall, from the outer edge of the black conical cloud. This fear- 
ful appearance was repeatedly exhibited, as often as the tornado 
passed over buildings. 
“The whirlwind soon swept towards an extensive range of 
buildings, within a few yards of me, the roof of which appeared 
to open at the top, and to be uplifted fora moment. The whole 
fabric.then sunk into a confused mass of moving rubbish, and be- 
- came indistinctly visible amid the cloud that overspread it, as 
with a mantle of mist. 
“ The destructive force of the tornado now became not only 
apparent to the eye, but also fearfully terrific, from the deafening 
crash of breaking boards and timbers, startling the amazed spec- 
tator in alarm for his personal safety, amid the roar of the whirl- 
wind, and the shattered fragments flying like deadly missiles near 
him. At one instant, when the point of the dark cone of cloud 
passed over the prostrate wreck of the building, the fragments 
Seemed to be upheaved, as if by the explosion of gunpowder, 
and I actually became intensely excited with the fear that the 
.Moving mass might direct its march towards the open area of the 
yard, to which I had resorted, after sheadonins a building in 
which I had previously found shelter. 
“ Fortunately the course of the tornado was not over the build- 
ing used as a depot by the Stonington Rail-road Company in Prov- 
idence, where there was a numerous assemblage of passengers ~~ 
awaiting the departure of the cars ; otherwise several lives might «|. 
ave been lost. 
= 
& 
“ae 
3 
ie: 
