Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-10-16
A LETTER ON WATER spoUrs.
AL ADVERTISER.

,
On a warm summers morning, n few weeks ago, the
good barque Jasper lay in the Gulf Stream becamed.
About her decks her passengers dsported themselves
best they might. Some stretched beneath the quarter
deck awning, and were deep game of draughts Some
had their books and lay browsing their contents
One two hung stessy the rail- coaxing Mother
Careys chickens with biscuit while the rest scattered
here and there, were watching couple OF youngsters,
who, with the chatter and mischief of monkeys, were
daring each other into all manner of dangers among the
rigging.
heavy shower had passed in night and left the atmo
sphere dull and hazy though the shining bright
Ily The sky clear except where, away the south
ward, dark cloud had heaped itself up, and hung
threatening the Each of us had gazed at this
cloud in his and seeing in nothing Of interest had
sought other amusement until the captain alone was left
TO observe it, Suddenly startled by his voice,
8 Look tthat-a waterspout" dark column lowered
before for moment and then swept slowly away Its
outlines grew gradually less distinct misty vapor
ed to take its place. and it vanished from sight.
AS gazed another began to form. The black cloud
grew backer and seemed TO draw itself together if
rallyng its energies for struggle Its gloomy mists
came gathering to centre then funnelshaped process
of cloud thrust itself out and hung pointing downward
like giant finger Lower it reached and lower stretch
ing down slowly and the sea- The water began
to boil beneath it. and to whirl itself about in changing
currents The cloud still lower, and the
ed if swept by tornado Yet the cloud drew nearer
The funnel which had shaped itself reached
more than threefourhs of the distance from the main
cloud to the There strange heaving Of the
waters; them drawn by some mighty power, they shot
and sky joined. pillar of cloud and column of
water, together reaching than thousand feet had
linked the one to the other.
From circular portion of the seas surface the diane
ter of which appeared to be about twice great that
of the column midway its height, the water rose in
solid body, but if torn into spray by its notion like
the scattering jets which driven from the pipes Of
powerful fountain Thus the waterspout showing white
and dense it left the became oggy and transpa
at elevation of few feet, and darkened again,
though slightly where its waters gathered to the
f,,ha lxr,fn ha1l
Were for the sharp convergng lines which showed
with what rapdity these waters darng upward
reach that cloudy funnel and the oamng masses in which
they whirling through it up the sky might
imagine that the hanging cloud Joined to the sea by
common mist Such is the appearance from distance.
waterspout two miles away looks like pillar Of cloud
resting upon pedestal of spray Closer examination will
show that this cloud is simply tube. The apparent
spray enters it from below and condense into
foaming water which then spray up, still in the
interior of the tube until vanishes in the cloud above
We had ample time TO observe these phenomena. For
full fifteen minutes the thirsty cloud continued to draw
of There the long funnel began short
and from the The water from below still
leaped up spray TO reach It. but in smaller volumes and
with moderated speed. As the cloud higher this
ceased and the waterspout gone There was silence
decks for n moment; another moment passed in
rapid questions and answers; then youngste number
challenged youngster number two TO up the cross
trees the gentleman the rail threw another biscuit to
his chickens Of the draughtplayers pushed piece
into the king-row, and things went as before.
day the ship lying again becalmed shoal Of dol
phins had been playing about and we trying
dozen ways to bring Of their number board when
our attention called objects of greater interest
heavy cloud had gathered in the west and waterspou
was formed beneath it Some atmospheric change had
altered the shape Of this spout strangely 1t bent
like bow and remained with It's outlines describing
segment OF circle until il disappeared. The water
seemed TO make its way upward in this course
as readily as when IL mounted perpendicuarly.
This afternoon full Of wonders. In the space Of
their origin from the cloud; all were in common
partly a tube of black cleud partly column of spray
but here the resemblance ended In size in shape
in velocity of motion there changes In
this the cloud came down close 70 the in that the
spray assembled fourfths Of the distance
stump Of a tube Here moved waterspout apparently
bending double there stretched another though perfect
y straight inclinng ut angle Of forty degrees Now
one would 60 sailing of by itself away into the distance
then small party would march with solemn steady
motion directly toward We lost in admiration
but noticed shade OF anxiety resting the features
Of captain, which only ghened when the approach
ing columns wheeled their course in another direction.
Their near approach brings always terror The distance
which they traverse depends Of course upon the
speed with which they carried and the time during
which they remain in action Some spring into existence
in q moment and disappear almost suddenly, while
others may be visible for half an hour
At six o'clock the last waterspout vanished, which
closed the spectacle The oldest sailors board had
witnessed such array and many the
they oretold from the phenomenon That night Of
us Joined the the forecase and wrapped up in
sails, lay for hours listening their stories II plea
SAINT TO sit with freshmanke expression Of countenance
and asking innocent question witness the huge
ultaton with which Jack set TO stufhng andsmen"
With wink to his fellows notice how neatly he did IT,
jerk his waistband and roll Of his quid he would
"spn out romance worthy Of Sinbad Each tale grew
more marvellous than the other. One old salt" had
stood the deck with his shipmaes all roaring AZ the
top Of their voices break waterspout which whried
past them at distance Of thirty-feet. This was true
One had stood at the helm oil of morning down
among the indies steering his craft dodge
the waterspouts which now and then came rushing at
"Avast there you lubbers what do you know about
spoutsY' He had been a vessel when a waterspout.
taking them athwsrt ships" had gone cean her,"
carrying with II their foreyard main yard Of the
standing rigging and sails by the quantity soaring all
hands terribly; but "howsomdeyer " inuring no one.
This we beg leave TO doubt
We heard more. Our thirst for information was
satisfied and defyng competition to equal the last
went below.
In regard to the falling bursting Of waerspouts there
are many legends IL said that the conclusion Of the
air produced by the report Of cannon muskei even
by loud shout is sufficient TO shater their structure and
that these the last resorts vessels threatened
their vicinity We had no opportunity for experiment
IL the whole column Of water, which often attain
height Of more than thousand feet Is precpiated upon
one spot we may imagine its effects Some years ago
fell plain in Scotland The account Of il states
that for some hundreds Of yards the ground was torn
up depth Of feet while the streams were filed
with the surplus water" Yet hear Of no disasters
caused BY them sea, and with the solitary exception
detailed by romantic friend the sailor they seem
perfectly harmless and well-disposed.
II a