506 PHILOSOPHY OF STORMS. 



in the sea, near the Island of St. Michael, on the 12th of June, 

 1811, says, "as the impetus, with which these columns of 

 smoke were severally propelled, diminished, and their ascend- 

 ing motion had nearly ceased, they broke into various branches 

 resembling a group of pines, these again forming themselves 

 into festoons of white feathery smoke, in the most fanci- 

 ful manner imaginable, intermixed with the finest particles 

 of falling ashes, which at one time assumed the appearance 

 of innumerable plumes of black and white ostrich feathers 

 surmounting each other ; at another, that of light wavy 

 branches of a weeping willow. 



" During these bursts, the most vivid lightning continu- 

 ally issued from the densest part of the volcano; and the 

 cloud of smoke ascending to an altitude much above the 

 highest point to which the ashes were projected, rolled off 

 in large masses of fleecy clouds, gradually expanding them- 

 selves before the wind in a direction nearly horizontal, and 

 drawing up to them a quantity of water-spouts, which formed 

 a most beautiful and striking addition to the general ap- 

 pearance of the scene." [Tilloch's Mag., Vol. 39, p. 452.] 

 And at page 229, vol. 38, it is said, these water-spouts, af- 

 ter spreading themselves in the air, fell in a heavy rain, ac- 

 companied with vast quantities of fine black sand, which 

 completely covered the Sabrinas's deck, at the distance of 

 three or four miles from the volcano. 



208. " The besiegers, wishing to set the town on fire, pro- 

 cured for this purpose a large number of faggots. They 

 tossed them from their own mound into the space between 

 the wall and inner fortification. 



" As many hands were employed in this business, they 

 soon filled it up, and then proceeded to toss more of them 

 into the other parts of the city lying beyond, as far as they 

 could by the advantage given to them by the eminence. 

 Upon these they threw fiery balls made of pitch and suk 



