THE OCEAN AS THE RESERVOIR OP HEALTH 13 



about the matter is that under certain atmospheric 

 conditions, and generally within the tropics, the clouds 

 send down long tentacles to the sea-surface, which we 

 have agreed to term waterspouts. One of these at its 

 period of maximum activity bears no bad resemblance 

 to the trunk of an elephant engaged in drawing up 

 from the surface of a stream a supply of water. But 

 the process is entirely different. In the first place, 

 the elephant's trunk is of solid material, just a living 

 hose sucking up mechanically water unchanged in its 

 character. The waterspout is composed of vapour, 

 transparent, and in constant whirling motion, and the 

 water, which may easily be seen rushing up at a terrific 

 rate, leaves the sea-surface salt and arrives in the sky 

 fresh. How this is brought about no one knows, but 

 that it is accomplished is a fact impossible to dispute. 

 So the waiting cloud receives its burden of fresh water, 

 and is borne upon the wings of the wind landward, 

 where in due time it meets with obstructing mountain 

 peaks, or is rent asunder by discharges of electricity, 

 and deposits its burden of blessing upon the thirsty 

 soil, into which it penetrates to form springs and 

 rivers, which, after irrigating the land and assuaging 

 the thirst of the animal and vegetable kingdoms, finds 

 its way back in due time to the bosom of the ocean 

 once more. Here it is purged of the impurities it has 

 contracted during its course upon earth, and, after 

 completing its purgation, is once more started on its 

 career of beneficence. 



Of the manner in which this aerial distribution of 

 water is carried on, of the formation of raindrops, snow- 

 flakes, and hail, this is no place to speak; it is a 

 subject demanding a volume to itself. We are only 



