Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-11
CAPTURE OF A wATERsPoUT.
How 1t was SeeRand Photographed
ALI Doubts DispellCd.
From tho Baltimors American.


On Aug. party of vogagers, in
steam yacht, saw remarkable sight. 1t
was waterspout a short distance from
the Canton pier. The steam launch was
at this time on its way from White Rock
to Canton. Mr.. Dorsey Coale was the
engineer; MIR. George Coale the fireman,
and Mr.. Frank Redwood the pilot. The
guests were Mr.. Hamilton, DR.. Volck,
Mr.. James Gibson, Mr. Ty Norris, BIZ. >.
Osborne, Mr.. L. West, and several others.
MIR. Ty Norris had with him his instanta-
neous Photographic apparatus, ana had
taken number of excellent pictures OF
pungies and bugeyes in rapid motion.
1t was his good fortune to get two views
of this waterspOuJ, which may now be
seen at the American office.
1t was very fortunate that this was the
case, for the rarity of this phenomenon in
our harbor had rendered persons 10 whom
! it was related by the vOyagers unreasona-
| bly, skeptical. 1t was scOfhngly suggest
| ed by the incredulous that the pbenome-
non was merely an optical delusion caus-
cd by looking to windward through the
bottoms of tumbers. Some went so far
as to say that it was a "whisky-aud-
| waterspout."
The high reputation sor veracity which
| protection against tue gibes of the doubt
ers, but the instantaneous photograph is
| a thing that admits OF no contradiction.
! The day was sbowery. Lowering skies
| alternated with CLEANS of keenest sun.
! shine; fierce gusts of rain, flaws of wind
| and moments OF perfect stiffness followed
each other in rapid course. About 2:30
O'Clock long, low-lying bank of clouds
! covered the whole north and west. Sud-
| denly there came terrific squall. The
small craft hastily came up into the
} wind. One catboat capsized; the gait
| topsail OF a pungy blew entirely out OF its
rig, and floated far off IN the wind by a
single rope; but strangely as it seemed,
| the launch felt nothing OF this squall,
though it was not 200 yards from the cap
| sized catbOat.
just then MIR. West said ''Look at that
squat along the Shore" We looked.
Just to the south and east Of the Canton
pier the water was acting in a singular
| way. A whirl of spray, perhaps fifteen
! feet high, was spinning and circling along
on the surface. The dizzy motion of the
harbor was not in the brains of the OBJ
servers; it was an objective fact. 1t was
not the launch that was spinning around.
as certain skeptics suggest; it was a
waltz Of water a halfmile away.
Just then white, funnel.shaped APP
pearance took form in the sky above the
whirl below. 1t did not seem like white
cloud, but rather ike an opening in the
| dark cloud, which disclosed a light be-
| yond it. The white bottom OF this cloud
funnel lowered, sagQiDg down like an ele-
plants trunk. 1t could then be seen
that it was also wbirl in very rapid
motion. In very little while, perhaps a
few seconds, the white column lowered to
the whirl of the water, and then the in
| 70 of hQ
water mounted higher, but narrowed in
its circuit. 1t was just like the pictures
of waterspOuts In the physical geOgra-
piles.
Take a picture of it, Ty," exclaimed
| several voices. With tremulous hand the
photographer drew bead on it. The ro-
tary motion of the phenomenon did not
appear to affect his head. He adjusted The
instrument, touched the trigger, and then
said, calmly: "Pve got 'em." What"
exclaimed Mr.. James Gibson, "got 'em
again % ''No, SIR" said the photographer,
disdainfully, "got 'em here-two of 'em"-
tapping the box.
Meantime the waterspout was moving
| swiftly sh0reward. 1t was fortunate that
this was so, for the pilot, Mr.. Frank Red
wood, being especially instigated thereto
| by the Evil One, headed the launch for
| the waterspout. If it had reached It, the
ord of scientific fact would never have
! been written. But the walerspOut was
too fast for the launch. 1t passed into
| shallow water, and then ashore, cburn-
ing up sand and gravel, and sending log 8
and driftwOod sailing around like dead
leaves, and so on out over che fiat coun-
try.
If any one doubts the substantial accu-
racy of the facts herein set forth, he NAV
LII, 40,
American Office and inspecting the two
views taken Of this rare phenomenon.
They are, perhaps, among the very few
ever taken.
The travellers were awed and sllenced
by this sport Of nature. 1t seemed to
make their heads swim.
"Do you see the waterspoutsW asked
DR.. VolcK of grave gentleman in the
stern of the launch.
''Oh, distinctly" replied MIR. HANDLE
ton; "there are two OF 'em."