122 DISSIPATED BY A CANNON-SHOT. 



the spray .which was thrown off from the circle 

 formed by the lower part of the column, rose several 

 feet above the level of the sea. It passed about a 

 mile astern of the ship. 



Occasionally, when passing nearer to a ship than 

 was deemed safe, a waterspout has been dissi- 

 pated by a cannon-shot, as represented in our 

 engraving. 



Such are the usual appearances and actions of 

 waterspouts. They are not, however, properly 

 named, being simply whirlwinds at sea, instead of 

 whirlwinds on land. Professor Oersted suggests 

 .the name "storm-pillar," as being a more appro- 

 priate term. 



It does not follow that a large ship would in- 

 evitably be destroyed if brought within the vortex 

 of a waterspout ; but it is certain that she would 

 run the risk of being dismasted, and perhaps thrown 

 on her beam-ends. Navigators have not had suffi- 

 cient experience of the power of waterspouts to 

 pronounce authoritatively on that point, and it is 

 to be hoped they never will. 



Captain Beechy, in his narrative of a voyage to 

 the Pacific, describes one into which his ship actually 

 entered, and from which he received extremely 

 rough handling before he was set free. But this 

 might not have been a very large waterspout; and 

 it is not absolutely certain whether he was quite 

 within its vortex, or was merely brushed by the 

 skirts of its outer garment. 



