LAND OF PAPUAS, or NEW GUINEA. 221 



they appear hanging out of the clouds in a funnel fhape, the 

 bafe uppermoft, but at times alTume different forms. Let me 

 fpeak to the eyes, by referring to PM. Tranf. Abridg. ii. 104. tab. 

 p. 164; vol. iv. part 2d, p. 103. tab. i ; vol. viii. 655, tab. 6 ; 

 to GentiPi Voy. ii. tab. 9 ; but above all, to Thevenot, Engl. Tranf. 

 folio, p. 185, in which their fliapes and progrefs are varioufly re- 

 prefented, either rifing in a thick column from the fea, or fal- 

 ling from the clouds, to the terror of the mariners, who expedt 

 to be overwhelmed by the quantity and weight of water, an 

 accident that never has been well proved to have happened. 

 Dampier, who was moft converfant in maritime pheenomena of 

 any man in his, or perhaps any other time, confefTes he never 

 knew of any damage done by a water fpout except once * ; and 

 that appears to have been by the caufe, and not by the fpout 

 itfelf, which fell into the fea, near the fhip, with a vaft noife 

 and agitation of the water : the mizen mafl, fore maft, and 

 boltfprit were fnapped lliort off; but this injury arofe entirely 

 from the rage of the whirlwind which formed the fpout : its 

 firft blaft blew the lliip all along on one fide, and almoft overfet 

 her; then fuddenly whirling round with the fame fury, very 

 nearly overfet her on the contrary fide. Sailors are always full 

 of terrors at the appearance of fpouts ; they difcharge cannon 

 into them, in order to break and make them fall at a dillance, 

 but never with effea. The experienced Dumpier concludes \\ ith 

 faying, '« that the fright was always the greateft harm." 



I NOW refume the element of earth. Off the harbor of Z)o;> 

 extends the ifland of Manafzmry ; it is about five miles in com- 



* Vol. i. p. 452, 453. 



pafs. 



