76 Notices of Tornadoes, S^c. 



" The most interesting appearance was exhibited when the tor- 

 nado left the shore, and struck the surface of the adjacent river. 

 Being within a few yards of this spot, I had an opportunity of 

 accurately noting the effects produced on the surface of the 

 water. 



" The circle formed by the tornado on the foaming water was 

 about three hundred feet in diameter. Within this circle the 

 water appeared to be in commotion, like that in a huge boiling 

 cauldron ; and misty vapors, resembling steam, rapidly arose from 

 the surface, and entering the whirling vortex, at times veiled from 

 sight the centre of the circle, and the lower extremity of the 

 overhanging cone of dark vapor. Amid all the agitation of the 

 water and the air about it, this cone continued unbroken, although 

 it swerved and swung around, with a movement resembling that 

 of the trunk of an elephant whilst that animal is in the act of 

 depressing it to the ground to pick up some minute object. In 

 truth, the tapering form, as well as the vibrating movements of 

 the extremity of this cone of vapor, bore a striking resemblance 

 to those of the trunk of that great animal. 



" Whilst passing off over the water, a distant view of the cloud 

 might have induced the spectator to compare its form to that of 

 a huge umbrella suspended in the heavens, with the column of 

 vapor representing the handle, descending and dipping into the 

 foam of the billows. The waves heaved and swelled, whenever 

 the point of this cone passed over them, apparently as if some 

 magical spell were acting upon them by the effect of enchant- 

 ment. Twice I noticed a gleam of lightning, or of electric fluid, 

 to dart through the column of vapor, vjhich served as a conductor 

 for it to ascend from, the water to the cloud. After the flash the 

 foam, of the water seemed imrnediately to diminish for a moment, 

 as if the discharge of the electric fluid had served to calm the ex- 

 citement 071 its agitated surface. 



" The progress of the tornado was nearly in a straight line, fol- 

 lowing the direction of the wind, with a velocity of perhaps eight 

 or ten miles per hour. 



" Near as I was to the exterior edge of the circle of the tornado, 

 I felt no extraordinary gust of wind ; but noticed that the breeze 

 continued to blow uninterruptedly from the same quarter from 

 which it prevailed before the tornado occurred. 



