(i8) 
V. Mr. Zachary MayncV Letter^ »^P4- Con^ 
cerning a Spout of Water that happened at 
Topfham on the Kiver between the Sea and 
Exeter. 
S I /?, 
1 Received yours, and fliould have given my felf much 
fooner the Satisfad:ion of Anfwering it, had I not 
met with hindrances ; I have taken pains tog^t the beft 
Information that I could, and hope I have with fome 
difficulty pickt out a Htrle Truth out of a vaft heap of 
Fallhoods. My Informants are Perfons ufing the Seas, 
and are well acquainted with ( Accidents lhall I call 
them, or rather) Prodigies of this Nature, which are 
very frequent abroad, though rarely, I think 'cis (aid ne- 
ver feen before with us in our River, though (bme pre- 
tend to have feen of them in the Downs. The Fretjch 
call thefe forts of Appearances Trcmhs^ I fuppofe from 
the Figure and the Noife that they make, that word 
fignifying a fort of Humming Top. They are certain 
Elevations of Water during Storms and Tempefts,reach- 
ing from toe Superficies of the Sea to the Clouds. They 
happen feveral ways, fometimes the Water is feen to 
boyl, and raife it felf for a confiderable fpace round a- 
Jbout a Foot from the Surface, above which appears, as 
it were, a thick and black Smoak, in the midft of which 
is obferved a fort of Stream or Pipe refembling a Tun- 
nel, which arifeth as high as the Clouds Ac oilier limes 
thele Pipes or Tunnels are obferved to eome-.fforn the 
Clouds, and fuck up the Water with great noife and vio- 
lence. They move from the place where they were 
firft gathered according to the motion of the Wind, and 
difcharge themfelves lome times into the Sea, to the 
unavoidable 
