New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-11-03

Mr. W. voted steadily against The Wilm0t pro-
viso and all kindred measures, until, on the sad-
den death Of Gen. Taylor, (July IL, 1850,) he
was called by Mr.. Fillmore to fill once more the
first place in the Cabinet. which he retained to
the last. IN. Y. Tribune.
Irrom the Baaaio csmm.reil Advsrsiaer.l
A LETTER ON WATKR-spOuT5,
On warm summers morning, few weeks
ago, the good bark Jasper lay in the Gulf Stream
becalmed. About her decks her passengers dis
ported themselves as best they might. Some
stretched beneath the quarterback awning, and
were deep in game of draughts. Some had
their books and lay browsing over their contents
One or two hung listlessly over the rail, coaxing
Mother Carey's 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 ainong the rigging
A heavy shower had passed in the night and
left the atmosphere dull and hazy, though the
sun was shining brightly The sky was clear,
| except where, away to the southwnrd, a dark
cloud had heaped itself up, and now hung
threatening near to the seq. Each of us had
gazed at this cloud in his turn and, seeing in it
nothing of interest, had sought other amuse-
ment, until the captain alone was left to OBJ
serve it. Suddenly we were startled by his
voice, g Look at that-a water-spout!' Adark
column lowered before us for a moment, and
then swept slowly away. Its outlines grew
gradually less distinct, a misty yapor seemed Ia
take its place, and go it vanished from our sight.
As we gazed, another began to form. The black
cloud grew blacker, and seemed to draw itself
together as if rallying its energies for strug-
gle. Its gloomy mists came gathering to CEN
ire; then funnel shaped process Of cloud
thrust itself out, and hung pointing downward
like o giant finger Lower it reached, and low
! er stretching down slowly and sure to the sea.
The water began to boil beneath it, and to whirl
itself about in changing currents. The cloud
came still lower, and the ocean roared as il
swept by a tornado. Yet the cloud drew nearer.
| The vast funnel which had shaped itself now
reached more than three-fourths of the distance
from the main cloud to the sea- There was
strange heaving Of the waters; then, drawn BY
some mighty power, they shot upwards to meet
it. The waterspout was completed. Sea ant
sky were joined A pillar of cloud and column
of water, together reaching more than a thou
sand feet, had linked the one to the other
From circular portion Of the seas surface
the diameter of which appeared to be abou
twice as great as that of the column midway
its height, the water rose, not in solid body
but as if torn into spray by its motion, like th
scattering jets which are driven from the pipe
of powerful fountain. Thus the water spout
showing white and dense as it left the sea, be
came foggy and transparent at an elevation o
a few feet, and darkened again, though slightly
where its waters gathered to enter the tub
of cloud which had let itself down to receiv
them. We're it not for the sharp convergin
lines which showed with what rapidity thes
waters were darting upward to reach tina
cloudy funnel, and the foaming masses in whic
they went whirling through it up to the sky, OF
might imagine that the hanging cloud WI
joined to the sea by common mist. Such is Il
appearance at a distance
) a water-spout two miles away looks like
J pillar Of cloud resting upon pedestal of spra
Closer examination will show that this clot
is simply tube. The apparent spray ente
it from below, and seems to condense into foam
ing water, which then moves spirally up, still
the interior of the tube, until it vanishes in til
cloud above.
We had ample time to observe these phenom
ena. For full fifteen minutes the thirsty clou
continued to draw torrents of water. There til
long funnel began to shorten and rose from tn
sea. The water from below still leaped up
spray to reach it, but in smaller volumes an
with moderated speed As the cloud rose highs
this too ceased, and the water-spout was gon
There was silence on our decks for moment
another moment passed in rapid questions an
answers; then youngster number one challenge
youngster number two to race up to the cross
biscuit to his chickens; one Of the draught
players pushed piece into the king row, an
things went on us before.
About two o'clock on the afternoon of the fol
lowing day the ship was lying again becalmed
A shoal of dolphins had been playing about MS
and we were trying dozen ways to bring som
of their number on board, whom our attentio
was called to objects of greater interest.
heavy cloud had gathered in the west, md
nfon,, I.,I ranI h1v., l.
mospheric change had altered the shape of thi
spout strangely. 1t was bent like bow, an
so remained with its outlines describing the seq
ment of circle, until it disappeared tt
water seemed to make its way upward in th
tortuous course as readily as when it mounte
perpendicularly.
This afternoon was full Of wonders. In IL
space Of four hours fourteen water-spouts wei
visible. All took their origin from the san
cloud; all were in common partly tube of IL
black cloud, partly column of spray, but hel
in velocity of motion, there were constant chal
, ges. In this the cloud came down close to Il
J sea; in that the spray assembled four -ffths
t the distance, to enter a mere stump of a tub
, Hero moved a water-spout apparently bendiI
' double; there stretched another, though pei
fectly straight, inclining at an angle of fort
degrees Now ono would go sailing off by itse
I away lutO tne ulStuuce, lueu u Sinull part
5 would march with solemn, steady motion
rectly towards us. We were lost in admiration
but noticed shade Of anxiety resting ON I'll
features of our captain, which only hghtene
: when the approaching columns wheeled the
> course in another direction. Their near NJ
; proaeh brings always terror. The distan(
} which they can traverse depends Of course upo
! the speed with which they are carried and Il
time during which they remain in action. Son
spring into existence in a moment and disappes
, almost as suddenly, while others may be yisib
for half an hour.
IL At six o'clock the last water-spout vanishe
, which closed the spectacle. The oldest sailo
r on board had never witnessed such an ARA
and many were the events they foretold fro
/ the phenomenon. That night some of us join
the tars on the forecastle, and, wrapped up
5 sails, lay for hours listening to their stories
4 was pleasant to sit with freshman like expire
f sion of countenance, and, asking some innoce
( question, witness the huge exultation with viii
"Jack" set to stuffing landsmen." With
wink to his fellows to notice how neatly he d
!, it, jerk at his waistband and roll of his qui
r he would spin out" a romance worthy of 81
. bad. Each tale grew more marvellous than I
n other. One old g salt % had stood on the de-
with his shipmates all roaring at the top Of ths
+ voices to break a awater-spout which whirled pa
= them at the distance of thirty feet. This W
: true. One had stood at the helm all OF one &
9 morning g down among the Indies, 80 steeri
d his craft as to g dodge the water-spouts viii