"WATER SPOUTS. 
The Ocean presents inexhaustible subjects of contemplation to those who 
delight to trace the wonderful works of God. " They that go down to the 
sea in ships, that do business in great waters ; these see the works of the 
Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth and raiseth the 
stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof." (Ps. cvii. 23, 24, 25.) 
Among the more striking phenomena connected with, the ocean are Water 
Spouts, or sea-whirlwinds of magnificent appearance. The first symptom of 
their occurrence is, generally speaking, a violent disturbance of the sea im- 
mediately below some dark cloud. Throughout a space perhaps of a hun- 
dred yards diameter, the waves are whirled round with great rapidity, and 
tend strongly towards a centre, at which there is quickly accumulated a 
large mass of water or aqueous vapour which rises with a' spiral movement 
in a conical shape towards the cloud. At the same time there is formed in 
the clouds above, a similar cone, but in an inverted position. These two 
cones gradually approach eacli other, and at length unite ; they are, how- 
ever, not stationary, but are carried to and fro by the wind, and sometimes 
burst asunder with, a loud noise, While the sea and sky are thus united, 
the appearance is remarkably grand, the whole column being of a light 
colour near its axis, but dark along the sides, thus giving it a hollow ap- 
pearance. The course of the sea water in the interior can sometimes be 
distinctly seen, moving along the column as smoke up a chimney. The 
spout is often formed and broken up several times successively in the same 
spot, the agitation and boiling of the waters continuing the whole time. 
The danger to ships is imminent, for no vessel coming within the vortex 
of the waters could possibly escape. Captain Beechy thus describes the nar- 
row escape of his vessel off Clermont Tonnere, near the Gambier Islands. 
" The Water Spout approached us amid heavy rain, thunder, and lightning, 
and was not seen until it was very near the ship. As soon as we were within 
its influence a gust of wind obliged us to take in every sail, and the topsails 
which cotdd not be furled in time were in danger of splitting. The wind 
blew with great violence, momentarily changing its direction, as if it were 
sweeping round in short spirals. The rain, which fell in torrents, was also 
precipitated in curves with short intervals of cessation. Amidst this thick 
shower, the Water Spout was discovered extending in a tapering form, from 
a dense stratum of cloud to within thirty feet of the water, where it was hid 
by the foam of the sea, being whirled upwards with a tremendous gyration. 
It changed its direction after it was first seen, and threatened to pass over 
the ship, but being diverted from its course by a heavy gust of wind, it 
gradually receded. On the dispersion of this magnificent phenomenon, we 
observed the column to diminish gradually, and at length to retire to the 
cloud from whence it had descended." 
Water Spouts are sometimes formed from the clouds alone, without com- 
munication with the sea. One of these which appeared in Erance, is stated 
to have emitted a strong smell of sulphur, while flashes of lightning pro- 
ceeded from it, and also a great quantity of water. In 1718 a Water 
Spout biu-st in Lancashire, and at the place where it fell the ground was 
torn up to the extent of about half a mile in length, and to the depth of 
seven feet, so as to lay bare the surface of the rock underneath. The visible 
portion of Water Spouts varies in height from two thousand to six thousand 
feet. The size and colour of the column also greatly vary. The lower por- 
tion of those seen at sea has been observed from 100 to 1000 feet in diame- 
ter, the middle is sometimes not more than two or three feet. The larger 
the columns, the longer they endure. They do not generally last more 
than half an hour, during which time they move along at an uncertain rate. 
Sometimes the}'- have passed over thirty-seven English miles in one hour; at 
other times a person on foot can easily follow them. These spouts have also 
a motion of greater or less rapidity on their own axes. When the motion 
is violent they have power enough, to tear up large trees, move heavy cannon, 
and wrench off the roofs of houses. Small objects have been carried twenty 
miles, and a fish-pond has been emptied in an instant. 
Water Spouts are always attended with electrical action, and in many 
cases light noise and a sulphureous smell accompany them. Yet they do not 
affect the magnetic needle in ships, even when they actually pass over the 
vessel. The phenomenon closely resembles, if it is not identical with, the 
whirlwind, which in arid plains and deserts, raises pillars of sand and dust 
of a form very similar to that which is in this case assumed by water. 
No. 4.] 
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