on the Countries of Congo and Loango. 27S 
pered nothing at either end, we may reasonably conclude that 
the whole body was at least three times that length. Here, then, 
is a Snake fifty feet long, and almost a foot in diameter ! Its 
probable dimensions need not surprise us, — there are so many 
well-authenticated accounts of the enormous size to which these 
reptiles attain. The natives spoke of this as a very small one. 
The skin was a quarter of an inch thick, and had beneath it a 
deep layer of fat. It was covered with large serrated black and 
dusky coloured spots across the back. The belly was white. 
The Autumnal Conflagrations frequently prove destructive to 
the Boa Constrictor, especially when gorged with its prey ; and 
it is only then that the natives dare attack it with any hopes of 
success. At other times it will make a whole village fly before 
it. Its name in the Loango tongue is Bormna, whence Em- 
bomma. 
(To be continued.) 
Art. V . Account of Water-Spouts observed at Sea on Voy- 
ages to and from India. By Francis Buchanan, M. D. 
Communicated by the Author. 
On the 24th May 1788, at half past four in the afternoon, 
a water-spout was seen in the SE. Upon going to a window, 
I found that it had disappeared, but a dark, thick cloud hung 
over the sea in that quarter, at an elevation of about 20 de- 
grees. Beyond that cloud the sky was not clear. Soon after 
coming to the window, I observed a curved spout come from 
the cloud, as shewn in Flate IX. Fig. 1. b 0 the concavity of the 
curve being to windward. At the same time, or at the next mo- 
ment after observing the spout, I perceived a thick cloud or fog 
arise from the sea, c. Very soon afterwards, the spout rushed 
down and joined the cloud, which had arisen from the sea ; 
and, at the same time, this rose higher, and contracted its dia- 
meter, as in Fig. 2. 
The water- spout being now completely formed, the appear- 
ance of it was as follows : The cloud e, from which the 
spout descended, moved slowly along, and probably, by this 
means, produced the curvature in the spout. The body of the 
spout 6, tapered gradually downwards, and was seeming! v 
