Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-09-17
A MARITIME FREAK.
NARROW ESCAPES FROM WATER
sPoUTs m MEXICO.

A Traveller Relates Two Experiences he
uad with Theso Twisting Torrora-A
Congregation of Them. Each % which
wna Nearly 1000 Feet In Height.
Tho nsrrowest escape I ever had was
from congregation Of waterspouta
was making trip TO some Of the amall
islands in the gulf Of Moxico, about so
miles from Cuba, u spot famous for its
waterspouts, and in the summer months
there were few days that one or more
were not seen. Generally long, atten.
uated black cloud would appear, from
which would drop pendulous cloud
Lower It would descend, resembling the
lower portion Of a balloon, and when
about half way to the water a CORE.
spending figure would be seen rising to
moot it. Finally tho two would join,
and the column, from 400 to 1000 feet
high, more or less, would move away
before the wind, bending before it like
a gigantic bow--a thing Of terror, q
erightful object Of the sea.
had been visiting an island about
ten miles from our camp and was in a
heavy sailboat-too heavy to manipu-
late by oars readily. When half way
home, on tho edge Of the channel, the
wind died completely away, and no
ticed all about Us number Of strange
black clouds.
Watching them closely and comment
ing upon them TO my man, suddenly
saw tho ominous dropping Of pointed
index finger not sixteenth of a mile
away. As mentioned i my companion
pointed behind me to another, and in
less than Eve minutes Eve Of these dread
objects dropped from the clouds about
u.s.
There was not a breath of air, and
there was an Ominous silence. Even the
ever present gulls seemed to have de-
serted tho place. We got out the oars
and endeavored to pull, but the boat
was too heavy, and we wero compelled
TO await developments.
Tho cloud tips slowly dropped, and
all about us mysterious columns rose up
to meet them, until In n few minutes
we were surrounded by these huge pill
lars, so that in ono direction the heav-
ems appeared to be supported upon
these watcry columns. A moro remark
able sight cannot be imagined, and
when they began to move we gave our
selves up for lost, us two appeared to be
bearing down upon us
AS good luck would have it, they
seemed to bring q breeze, aud we were
able to get undcr way, and, fortunately,
escaped The two giants came caoering
down upon us--a spectacle to demcral-
ize tho stout hearted. One passed not 200
feet away, rushing ON with a noise
like that Of steam engine could dis
tinctly sec tho terrific twisting and
whirling motion of the water, and for q
large area about it there was what ap-
peared to be q heavy rain.
The spnuts began to move as soon a.
they wera complete, and very soon as.
sumed the bend or bow shape that char.
acterizes thcm, and went sailing away.
These giants were so tall that could
not venture TO estimate their height.
Ny companion said mile high, and
they certainly looked it; but they wer'
under 1000 feet.
My nearest approach to a waterspou'
occurred later, and dissipated some o.
the theories had concerning them. On,
was that a spout was broken wheI
touched or interfered with in any way
yet saw this water giant cross an is
land. A3
l was lying in the sands near on
camp one day when lofty spout cam
into view from the south. 1t was head
ing directly for us, but we felt perfoctl,
safe, as there was large reef and lonI
canal key between us. On came the col
umn, passing tho reef in safety, a gran'
spectacle, lsnd every one in the islan'
was seen watching it as it moved rap
idly mp the lagoon, its upper portion
apparently lost In the clouds. II it ha
continued it would have passed betweel
the two islands, and so reached the ope
sea, but for some reason its course wa
changed, and in few moments IL struc
the island at an angle We fully expect
ed to see the whole mass drop, but
kept plowing up the sand, and 500
struck q good sized schooner that ha
been hauled on the beach, whirling
about end for end like feather. TheT
TO our Consideration, the spout heade
for our island, aud with great bow {
curve rushed on.
The distance from island to islam
was a good rifieshot, and there was nC
much time 10 debate, as the spout wa
now half way across Seeing that 1t wa
veering of and would probably nj
reach as, ran out on to sea wall an
watched Il. Il gradually drifted to II
south, and In a few moments struck on
shoal with q roar like that Of a locom'
tive.
AS looked up the top seemed a grei
canopy Of water lost In the black cloud
down from which poured great droI
which soon drenched mo through. II
center Of the great curve could not y
at all for some Singular reason, viii
the lower end or portion, now but II
yards away, was rushing by me, maj
nifcent column o. water, boiling an
kissing like some living thing. / lite
ally raced with II for the length Of Il
wall, 600 or 800 feet, and had all
could do to keep paco with 1t.
The water Of tho shoal was but q 70
feet deep. and found later that it cut
deep trench ia Il az It went along, Il
coral sand and mud looking as thoul
I q dredgor had been at work. How Ion
spout can travel over the land
not know, but not long. The bay ov
/ which this one passed was not over 81
feet ut that place The spout passed u
beating US IN the race, and soon disa
peared among the dark clouds on q
. horizon. AS common as were these ph
4 nomena IN this region, never heard