Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1900-02-01
CHAPTER XIV.
The Water-Spout.

AS the sun increased in heat, not
withstanding the season of the year, |
was soon sensible OF the comfort of
white clothing. when contrasted with
dark wooden or broadcloth, as the lat
ter absorbs. and the former repels,
enc rays of the sun.
Marc Hislop illustrated this to me
by igniting paper with burning
glass; whenever the focus was brought
to bear upon dark places, such as
printed letters, they were instantly
consumed.
We ran along the coast of Hispanio
la, and saw the wavy ridges of Its
mountains that tower into the clouds;
we sighted Tortuga, a rocky island COW
cred with palm trees and sandalwood.
but surrounded by reefs and shoals;
and, rounding Cape st. Nicholas, stood
to the southwark between the great is
lands of Jamaica and Cuba, but with
out seeing either of them at that
time.
For three days we had dark and
cloudy weather.
About 3 o'clock p. m. on the cath of
January small speck, which appeared
to the westward on our weather beam.
grew rapidly into gloomy cloud, and
swiftly, as If on the wings of de-
stroying angel, 1t traversed the thick
ening air and the agitated sea, which
darkened beneath its shadow; and so
this sreck came on, until it grew an
awful thunder-cloud
Bear hand fore and aft! Hurry,
my lads!-make all snug before the
tempest breaks!' were the cheering or
ders of Weston, Hislop and Lambourne
as the brig was prepared to encounter
a heavy squall.
The rain soon fell in torrents. Inn
peding the men at their work of close
reefng, furling and slowing away some
of the heavier canvas. and in tightly
Delaying the running rigging, for when
loose ropes are flying about in a tenn
pest, and cracking in mems faces like
coach whips, they become sufficiently
bewildering to impede the working OF
the ship.
Uder the lower edge of the approach
ing cloud, when about twelve miles
distant. we beheld an object which
filled us with wonder and awe.
1t was tremendous spout, or col
umn, of water, connected with the
cloud above and the sea below (the
sea, from which a circular wind had
sucked 1t upwardl, that was now visi.
BILE
This column was like a solid mass OF
white breakers, approaching with in
credible speed over waves that began
to rise in short and pyramidal peaks.
Hislop was too busy Chewing VI
canvas, sending yards down from
aloft, Delaying and ordering, and sc
lost famous opportunity for expati-
ating-as no doubt he would have donf
on the theory of these spouts, fol-
this phenomenon filled us with the
greatest alarm, lest it might swoof
down upon the Eugene, dismast and
destroy her like child's toy ship.
Atomic ell Cubano, being the mosi
powerful and muscular man on board
was ordered to the wheel
Across the sea this column seemed
to pass with the cloud, boiling foaminf
and with the sound of a mighty cas-
cade pouring into a deep valley, bu
yet maintaining a position quite per
pendicular. Around its base the wave
seemed in dreadful commotion. risint
and falling, seething and glittering il
the lightning which shot at times from
the gloomy bosom of the cloud tha
fioated over them.
AS this terrible phenomenon ap
/ preached from the westward, Captain
Weston conceived that we might es
cape its influence by altering the brig
! course, and so passing it. | havi
heard of water-spouts being disslpatet
by the effect of heavily shotted guns
but We had no such appliances
least we had no shot on board
The breeze, which was blowing fresi
and had not as yet become a gale (tt
US at leasD, veered no1thwesterly: S,
we shook the reefs out OF our topsail
and trimmed sharp by the wind
'Luff, luff-keep your luff-keep he
to-" were the incessant orders of Yves
ton, and the Eugene flew through tn
water like a race horse: held by tn
powerful hands of Antonio she neye
waved an inch, and by especial Proyi
dence she got to the windward of tina
dreadful phenomenon, which passe
US, cloud and all, about six mile
astern, when, as it changed color fror
grayish green to white, it presented
scene SO sublime and terrible tina
"the boldest held his breath for
time and Antonio, who was blanche
white with terror. though he had frf
quently seen such spouts as these i
his native seas, assured me, with chai
tering teeth that he had never be
held one Of such magnitude, and
was long before he could be certain {
our safety, and ceased to mutter:
20 mala ventura-mala ventural
Qiterally, bad luck.)
From white the water spout becam
dusky purple, when a CLEAN OF the su
fell on 1t, and the waves at its bas
glittered in all the colors of the raj,
bow.
Thank heaven! that is past" sa
Weston
"Ay. SIR" said old Roberts, the mai
o'-war's man; "it is enough to mai
ones hair stand on end for a week"
! Had We been twenty minutes sa