MONSOONS. 363 



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

 and woe to the rash mariner who ventures therein !* 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 lias 

 been favourable, how^ever, 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 Archipe- 

 lago of Rio, they travel from north-west to south-east. They 

 seldom last longer than five minutes ; generally they are dissi- 

 pated 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 loco- 

 motive, are continually thrown off from the circumference of the 

 spout, and gradually the water is released, and the clouds whence 

 the spout came again closes its mouth. t 



* Tlie air-qDOuts near tlie equator always 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 direction they revolved. — Jansen. 



t Miniature water-spouts may be produced artificially by means of electricity, 

 and those in nature are supposed to be caused by the display of electrical pheno- 

 mena. " From the conductor of an electrical machine," says Dr. Bonzano, of New 

 Orleans, " suspend by a wire or chain a small metallic ball (one of wood covered 

 with tinfoil), and under the ball place a rather wide metalHc basin containing 

 some oil of tiu-pentine, at the distance of about three quarters of an inch. If the 

 handle of the machine be now turned slowly, the liquid in the basin will begin to 

 move in different directions, and form whirlpools. A s the electricity on tiie con- 

 ductor accumulates, the troubled liquid will elevate itself in the centre, and at last 

 become attached to the ball. Draw off the electricity from the conductor to let 

 the hquid resume its position : a portion of the turpentine remains attached to the 

 ball. Turn the handle again very slowly, and observe now the fqjv drops adhering 

 to the ball assume a conical shape, with the apex downward, while the liquid 

 under it assumes also a conical shape, the apex upward, until both meet. As the 

 liquid does not accumulate on the ball, there must necessarily be as great a current 

 downward as upward, giving the column of liquid a rapid circular motion, which 

 continues imtil the electricity from tlie conductor is nearly all discharged, silently, 

 or until it is discharged by a spark descenchng into the liquid. The same pheno- 

 mena take place with oil or water. Using the latter liquid, the ball must be brought 

 much nearer, or a much greater quantity of electricity is necessary to raise it. 



" If, in this experiment, we let the ball swing to and fro, the little water-spout 

 will travel over its miniature sea, carrying its whirlpools along with it. When it 



