form from a dense s tra tum o f cloud, to w ith in th ir ty feet ot th e w a ter CHAI’.
where it was hid, by the foam of the sea being whirled upwards with a
tremendous giration. It changed its direction after it was first seen, and
threatened to pass over the ship; but being diverted from its course
by a heavy gust of wind, it gradually receded. On the dispersion of
this magnificent phenomenon, we observed the column to diminish
gradually, and at length to retire to the cloud, from whence it had
descended, in an undulating form.
Various causes have been assigned for these formations, which
appear to be intimately connected with electricity. On the present
occasion a ball of fire was observed to be precipitated into the sea,
and one of the boats, which was away from the ship, was so surrounded
by lightning, that Lieutenant Belcher thought it advisable to
get rid of the anchor, by hanging it some fathoms under water, and to
cover the seamen’s muskets. From the accounts of this officer and
Mr. Smyth, who w'ere at a distance from the ship, the column of the
water-spout first descended in a spiral form, until it met the ascending
column a short distance from the sea*; a second and a third were
afterwards formedf, which subsequently united into one large column
j;, and this again separated into three small spirals, and then dispersed.
It is not impossible that the highly rarefied air confined by
the woods encircling the lagoon islands may contribute to the formation
of these phenomena.
A canoe near the ship very wisely hastened on shore at the approach
of the bad weather, for had it been drawn within the vortex of
the whirlwind it must have perished. We had the greatest apprehension
for our boats, which were absent during the storm, but fortunately
they suffered no injury.
Neither the barometer nor sympeisometer was sensibly affected by
this partial disturbance of the atmosphere ; but the temperature underwent
a change of eight degrees, falling from 82“ to 74"; at midnight it
rose to 78”. On the day succeeding this occurrence, several waterspouts
were seen in the distance, the weather being squally and gloomy.
* See plate (A ). t(U). i ( C ) .
Jan.
1826.
1 I
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