Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-06-10
A MARITIME FREAK.
NARROW ESCAPES FROM WATER
SPoUTS IN MEXICO.

Was Nearly 1000 Feet In Height
The narrowest escape ever had was
from a congregation of waterspouts- /
was making a trip to some of the small
islands in the gulf of Mexico. about so
miles from Cuba, spot famous for its
waterspouts, and in the summer months
there were few days that one or more
were not seen. Generally long, atten-
mated black cloud would appear, from
which would drop pendulous cloud
Lower il would descend. resembling the
lower portion of balloon. and when
about half way to the water CORE
spending figure would be seen rising TO
meet it. Finally the two would join,
and the column. from 400 to 1000 feet
high, more or less, would move away
before the wind. bending before 1t like
a gigantic bow-a thing of terror, a
frightful object Of the sea-
/ had been visiting an island about
ten miles from our camp and was in q
heavy sailboat-too heavy to, manipu-
late by oars readily. When half way
home, ON the edge Of the channel. the
wind died completely away, and no
ticed all about as number of strange
black clouds
Watching them closely and comment
ing upon them to my man. suddenly
saw the ominous dropping Of a pointed
index finger not q sixteenth Of a mile
away. As mentioned it my companion
pointed behind me to another, and in
less than five minutes five of these dread
objects dropped from the clouds about
us.
There was not q breath Of air, and
there was an ominous silence Even the
ever present gulls seemed to have do
serted the place. We got ont the oars
and endeavored to pull, but the boat
was too heavy, and we were compelled
to await developments
The cloud tips slowly dropped, and
all about us mysterious columns rose up
to meet them, until In a few minutes
we were surrounded by these huge pill
lars, so that in one direction the heav-
ems appeared to be supported upon
these watery columns. A more remark
able sight cannot be imagined, and
when they began to move we gave our
selves mp for lost, as two appeared to be
bearing down upon us-
AS good luck would have Il. they
seemed to bring breeze, and we were
able to get under way, and; fortunately,
escaped. The two giants came careering
down upon us-a spectacle to democrat
ize the stout hearted One passed not 200
feet away, rushing ON with a noise
like that of steam engine could dis
tinctly sec the terrific twisting and
whirling motion Of the water, and for O
large area about it there was what ap-
peared to be heavy rain
The spouts began to move as soon us
they were complete. and very soon as
sumed the bend or bow shape that char
acterizes them, and went sailing away.
These giants were so tall that could
not venture to estimate their height
My companion said mile high, and
they certainly looked it; but they were
under 1000 feet.
My nearest approach to a waterspout
occurred later, and dissipated some Of
the theories had concerning them. One
was that a spout was broken when
touched or interfered with In any way,
yet saw this water giant cross an Is
land
i was lying In the sands near our
camp enc day when lofty spout came
into view from tho south. 1t was head
ing directly for us. but we felt perfectly
safe, as there was large reef and long
canal key between as On came the col
umn, passing the reef in safety, grand
spectacle, and every one in the island
was seen watching It as 1t moved rap
idly up the lagoon, its upper portions
apparently lost in the clouds. If It had
continued it would have passed between
the two islands, and so reached the open
sea, but for some reason its course was
changed, and in few momentsit struck
the island at an angle. We fully expect
ed to see the whole mass drop, but 1t
kept plowirg up the sand, and soon
struck q good sized schooner that had
been hauled on the beach, whirling it
about end for end like feather. Then,
10 our CONSERVATION, the spout headed
for our island, and with great bow or
curve rushed on.
The distance from island to island
was a good rifeshot, and there was not
much time to debate, as the spout was
now half way across. Seeing that 1t was
veering off and would probably not
reach us, / ran out. ON to a sea wall and
watched it. 1t gradually drifted to the
south, and in few moments struck om
shoal with roar like that of locomo-
tive.
AS looked up the top seemed great
canopy Of water lost In the black clouds,
down from which poured great drops
which soon drenched~me through. The
center of the great curve could not see
at all for some singular reason, while
the lower end or portion, now but 100
yards away, was rushing by me, mag
nificent column of water, boiling and
kissing like some living thing liter
ally raced with it for the length of the
wall, GOO or 500 feet, and had all
could do TO keep pace with il.
The water of the shoal was but a few
feet deep, and found later that it cut a
deep trench in 1t as it went along, the
coral sand and mud looking as though
= dredger had been at work. How long
4 spout can travel over the land do
not know, bat not long. The bay over
which this one passed was not over 800
feet at that place. The spout passed rs,
beating us in the race, and soon disap-
-