51G TilANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



depression in the mountain-side, cutting out its channel as it progressed; but 

 there was only a very slight dishing where the spout first fell, insufficient 

 wholly, to accumulate sufficient water to make such a canal within the space 

 of twenty yards. Then as there has been no washing away of the surface 

 rubbish above the point of excavation, it would appear, that the agency 

 which produced the cutting must liave begun its work at that spot. 



The next excavation examined, was where two spouts had fallen close to 

 each other, being separated at the head by about three rods of unbroken 

 •ground. Each of these canals measured forty feet in width, and when 

 united a few rods below, the channel was sixty feet in width. These two 

 are not in a trough or concave portion of the mountain, but fall into one 

 some distance below their junction. The heads of both are about twenty 

 yards from the top of the mountain spur. 



The same general features were present in the other excavations, and 

 additional descriptions are therefore not necessary. 



One remark only need be ventured, in relation to the agency which cut 

 out these channels. That it was water, none can doubt. But that the 

 water was concentrated to one point by a whirwind-like action of tbe cloud, 

 compressing its falling rain-drops into one compact sheet, capable of cut- 

 ting away all the mere clays and fragmentary rocks upon which it might 

 fall, is disproved by the multiplicity of excavations upon Tusquitta Moun- 

 tain. The only remaining solution of the mystery then, in relation to the 

 manner in which the rain becomes condensed, in what are called "land- 

 spouts," is to be found in the statement of philosophical principles upon a 

 preceding page. When two clouds meet of different temperatures, the 

 result is a more copious discharge of rain, than either separatel}'' is capable 

 of yielding. The clouds at Tusquitta upon meeting, were observed at 

 once to ascend swiftly, as if doubling upon each other. This of course, 

 brought more cloud-surface into contact, than would have been the case had 

 the clouds on meeting, blended together at once. May I not suggest there- 

 fore, that this sudden folding of the clouds upon each other by their upward 

 motion, might have produced an almost solid sheet of water at the main 

 points of contact, which, upon descending to the earth, would be capable 

 of' cutting its way down through any amount of clays and decomposing 

 rocks, so as to bear them away and leave an open canal as the result ? 

 That the descending water-sheet remained stationary for a few moments so 

 as to limit the excavations to the spot first struck, is supposable from the 

 fact that the motion of the clouds may have been momentarily arrested by 

 their collision with each other. 



But I must leave this whole question to the philosophers. 



Bells. 



The regular subject was then taken up. 



Mr. James Harrison, said a chime of eleven bells in the tower of St, 

 Anns Church, Lowell, Mass., were suspended from a wooden frame suited 

 to the tower, cords were attached to the clappers and passed down to the 

 manuals, arranged as a key-board. This manual read the same as a piano, 

 melodeon or organ, the lowest notes always to the left hand. Any one tha* 

 can play on any of these instruments, can learn to ring chimes in one hour" 



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