THEORY CONFIRMED BY PHENOMENA. 53 



Journal, volume 14, page 171, an account of a water spout 

 seen off the coast of Florida, in the spring of 1826, by Ben- 

 jamin Lincoln, M. D., of Boston. 



" April 5th. At six o'clock, A. M., an order was heard 

 from the deck to get ready the gun on the weather quarter, 

 and bring the muskets from the cabin. Recollecting what 

 region we were in, my first, thought was of an engagement 

 with a piratical cruiser, but on going upon deck, it appeared 

 that our enemy was a water spout, bearing north, distant, 

 according to the captain's estimation, about two miles, and 

 coming down upon us before a wholesail breeze. One mus- 

 ket was fired at it, but it had nearly effected a retreat be- 

 fore we got ready for action. I had just time to see it, and 

 it disappeared. 



" In a few minutes another appeared, which was said by 

 the officers of the vessel to be much more distinct than any 

 one they had ever seen before. I observed it attentively, 

 but neglected to note the time, except at its commencement, 

 and the end of the third spout, which appeared after the 

 second and principal one had passed away. This omission 

 renders it impossible to give the duration of its different 

 stages with any good degree of exactness. The wind came 

 from the land, blowing a wholesail breeze. The ther- 

 mometer stood at 72. A black cloud, from which the 

 spout proceeded, extended along from east to west, its lower 

 edge very distinctly defined, even, parallel to the surface of 

 the water, and elevated 25 or 30 above the horizon. No 

 other cloud was visible in that quarter, but a haziness 

 covered the whole heavens. 



" A small, black, and perfectly defined cone, darted from 

 the lower edge of the cloud, and pointed perpendicularly 

 to the water, which, at the same moment, was seen flying 

 upwards like spray on the rocks. It was distinctly no- 

 ticed that the cloud grew blacker near the cone, appearing 

 to be gathered in from all quarters, and condensed at this 

 point. 



