Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-08-02
wATER-spOUr ON CAPE COD.
From the Boston Journal.

From the Boston Journal
Full particulars of the hail storm and water
spout on Cape Cod, Thursday, show il to
have been the most remarkable visitation of
the kind in this part of the country since the
terrible bosom of destruction which passed
over Cambridge 80 years ago. An eye-wit-
ness describes to us the progress of the water
spout, which seemed to form over the waters
of Buzzard's Bay, back of Monument Beach
Islands. Taking southerly course, it struck
the land NJ the mouth of Pocasset river, near
the scene of the Freeman tragedy year ago.
A large dory on the beach wrs picked up rs If
it had be en- a wisp of hay and carried into
the air to the height of 80 feet. 1t hung sus-
pended for moment, spinning around like
top in mid air, and then dropped to the earth,
being dashed to pieces by the fall. The water
spout thence took serpentine course in u
general southerlv direction, uprooting all
vegetation and even blowing into the ground
as it moved along. On the land of Captain
Beekerman it encountered a substantial stone
wall, and so tremendous was its power that
for 80 feet the heavy stones were scattered in
all directions.
As it approached the village of Pocasset,
the phenomenal visitor passed through pas
ture owned by Phincse Gibbs. in which there
was grazing. The animal was greatly
alarmed at the approach of the strange WISH
tor, and, turning tail. attempted to fee. But
the water-spout was to quick for her, and
playfully picking her up whirled her around
just above the ground, rs kitten would
chase her tail about the floor The animals
astonishment and terror was expressed in
series of terrible bellows, but the water-spout
soon dropped her. almost unframed, and kept
| on its course toward the village.
1t was at this point that it appeared to spec
tators in its most wonderful and terrible form.
From a mere point upon the ground it rose-to
the clouds in a long conical line, which
twisted about in great variety of serpentine
confortions, ending in perfectly white field
against the black background of the heaviest
cloud ever seen in that region. 1t seemed to
select its course with special view to avoid
the houses of the village, and twisted in and
out among them without touching a building.
Just before reaching the centre of the village
it suddenly burst and was gone in the twink
| ling of an eye. Not breath of wind accom-
panied the whole storm.
Hail fell in unprecedented quantities, COW
ering the ground to the depth Of three inches
| in many places at Cohasset Narrows. Most
| of the stones were of the size of the old
fashioned ounce musket ball. They were all
perfect spheres and as hard as flint. Great
alarm was, of course, felt by the summer
visitors and others at the village, and the
escape of some was truly wonderful Had a
house been struck by the water spout it would
| have been torn to kinding wood in an in
slant. Several citizens resorted to the sail
ors expedient of firing guns. any atmospheric
shock being sufficient to burst the water
spout, and the disappearance of the phenom-
enon may have been due to this cause.
| The damage to the crops is of course great.
every green thing being stripped to the
ground by the hail. The hail storm upon the
water presented wonderful sight. The large
stones, falling faster than rain drops in a
thunder shower, caused the spray to fly into
the air as they struck to the height Of about
eighteen inches. The water being perfectly
calm. the effect was that of myriads of icicles
standing vertically above the surface.