376 THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA. 



time and opportunity fail to allow them to quench their thirst 

 from the surrounding atmosphere in the usual manner, they de- 

 scend near the surface of the sea, and appear to lap the water di- 

 rectly up with their black mouths. Water-spouts thus created 

 are often seen in the changing season, especially among small 

 groups of islands, which appear to facilitate their formation.* 

 The water-spouts are not always accompanied by strong winds ; 

 frequently more than one is seen at a time, whereupon the clouds 

 whence they proceed disperse in various directions, and the ends 

 of the water-spouts bending over finally causes them to break in 

 the middle, although the water which is now seen foaming around 

 their base has suffered little or no movement laterally. 



705. "Yet often the wind prevents the formation of water- 

 water-spoutF. spouts. lu thcir stcad the wind-spout shoots up 

 like an arrow, and the sea seems to try in vain to keep it back. 

 The sea, lashed into fury, marks with foam the path along which 

 the conflict rages, and roars with the noise of its water-spouts ; 

 and woe to the rash mariner who ventures therein !f The height 

 of the spouts is usually somewhat less than 200 yards, and their 

 diameter not more than 20 feet, yet they are often taller and 

 thicker ; when the opportunity of correctly measuring them has 

 been favorable, however, as it generally was when they passed 

 between the islands, so that the distance of their bases could be 

 accurately determined, I have never found them higher than 700 

 yards, nor thicker than 50 yards. In October, in the Archipela- 

 go of Kio, they travel from northwest to southeast. They seldom 

 last longer than five minutes ; generally .they are dissipated in 

 less time. As they are going away, the bulbous tube, which is as 

 palpable as that of a thermometer, becomes broader at the base, 

 and little clouds, like steam from the pipe of a locomotive, are 

 continually thrown off from the circumference of the spout, and 



* I never saw more water-spouts than in the Archipelago of Bioun Singen dur- 

 ing the changing. Almost daily we saw one or more. — Jansen. 



t The air-spouts near the equator alwaj^s appear to me to be more dangerous than 

 the water-spouts. I have once had one of the latter to pass a ship's length ahead of 

 me, but I perceived little else than a waterfall in which I thought to come, yet no 

 wind. Yet the water-spouts there also are not to be trusted. I have seen such 

 spouts go up out of the water upon the shore, where they overthrew strong isolated 

 frame houses. I have, however, never been in a situation to observe in what direc- 

 tion thev revolved. — Jansen. 



