The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1877-07-11
white for tho telr previous they were ta75,000,
showing al ntrease Of 600 for the year Just
ended,
wATEnsPOUTs ON THE LAKE..
A Grand ana Imposing sight Witnessed
~ Humid eeda.

| A Grand ana Imposing sight witnesses
by Hundreds.
Those who had tlfs good fortune 10 visit tb'
lake Yesterday afternoon we're amply rewarded
by = sight not down In the ordinary programme
and that was The slow formation and oulminstiot
OF two a. beautiful waterspouts NJ have visited
Lake Pontehartrsin for many year. AT GAO p
m., those who were seated OH the roof Of the
pavilion at West End, the terminus Of tbt
Canal street road, were somewhat startled by The
shout Of q person on The bank OF the canal
''Look st tho waterspout,' and
IMMEDIATELY ALI EYhs
were directed toward the east, where the long
attsnuatsd thread OF spout was forming. Over.
head hung on ofninons cloud, the roaghensd
edges 0f which fn its eumnous jaggsdnsss bore
foretaste Of an approaching blow.
Hl1wly the long spiral descended on the wster
and its mate climbed 10 meet u. The sight was
one not often seen, ard the close proximity and
clear view enabled those who were at the New
Canal 10 watch carefully every change In ila
character. For some time before the thread
from the clouds reaobed the water
oYdtoHH or MIST
WAS observable on the sarfaee, which gradually
rpened into n solid volume Of water, The base OF
feet In height. When the neither aud higher
links met the size OF the spout increased imme.
diaieIF, and to the ordinary observer 10 looked
not unllke long train of hose reaching heaven.
wafds. The water on the Lake was boiling at the
lower point OF the spoitf, and m n NORTH hsaaterIy
wind began 10 blow, the spout followed its direo-
tion. From tho reporters standpoint IL looked
10 be
AHouT A Mile orr
from the wharf, at The Old Lake, in a northeast.
erly direction. Gradually as the wind carried The
spout towards shore ii became smaller and
a MI uaa
heard the lower end disappeared, and the tail
from the clouds gradually wound itself upwards.
IN the train Of Tho spout, however. there was y
heavy fall OF water, covering some fifty ysrds
square, which travelled over ths surface OF the
lake with some rapidity. and In its course came
across the bows OF n schooner outward bound.
Az soon ss the remnants Of the whirlpool struck
the vessel her jib shook tremulously, aud
ron TIME 1r LOOKED
az II The sails would be rivsn, but The wind car
rsd the last vestige Of the spout shorswards,
and nothing more of IL was seen.
To the surprise Of those who had Just recov-
cred from tho excitement OF the scene, at only
four minutes after the isappearanos Of the frat
water spout thin fllm WAS noticed in the clouds,
whrling rapidly and descending With such slow.
Like the tail Of some cloud onvsloped kite IL float
ed In mid air apparently without direction. On
The water there WAS noticed d violent oonmotivn.
LARGE CIRCLE or MIST,
sgitated end wbirling, seemed 10 follow the
course 0f Its mate from tbe clouds. The string
rom shove descended by degrees, and at last The
whirl from below and that from above we're mar |
fied. The long, hose-lihe stream 10 the clouds
Increased the lower section, following the course
,f The lower strata of wind. whilst tho middle |
bent In an arc In the opposite direction, showing
hat In the upper regions different current Of |
'ir WAS prevalent. The spume on the lake WAS |
iow OF more violence than when the other spout |
Iported over almost the same course.
BtsH rRuNcArED CONE
" diameter OF about one hundred feet grew
arger aud larger, and tho long stem or column |
cached Its way heavenward, exciting the adj |
niratoB OF every ono who saw II.
The northeast wind chased the spont towards /
be shore andjwhen II reached the bank The cone /
u mist dissolved. and those who had been OBJ |
erviBg IL thought It's course bad ended, but IL |
rayelsd up Bayou st. John and broke on the |
,rounds OF tho Crescent City Rifle Club.
sueH staHr
los not been Witnessed here for many day, and
n all probability the same will not bs seen for
entury again.
Regarding these water spou.s Sir J. Hersehei,
deserving some Of them through telescope,
found the lighter medal line and generally de-
ned margins character Of these bodies.
ONE Of the. most remarkable Of water
,faotorily described, are such IN have
ppesred overland, such q ono appearing AZ
large oonical mass OF vapor, from which great
uantities Of water were thrown off. attended
tih vivid lightning aud strong electrical odor."
Last evening tho lightning was peculiarly
ivid, and this rare phenomenon was In keeping
'ith the observations Of past observers,