round us in the
form of a heavy downpour of rain which sluiced our decks down, but
happily did no further damage.

"Thank God!" exclaimed Captain Miles reverently, taking off his cap and
looking upwards in grateful recognition of the providential care that
had watched over and protected us from the fearful peril which had
threatened us; and his thanksgiving was participated in by more than one
other, I knew, for I could see Moggridge's lips moving in silent prayer,
while I felt inclined to fall on my knees, my heart was so full of joy
and gladness at our narrow escape.

I was overpowered with a feeling of wonder and awe.

Strangely enough, there seemed some strong connection between the water-
spout and the wind; for, no sooner had the column of vapour broken up,
than the heavy clouds dispersed away to leeward. The sun then came out
again, and the squally weather calmed down to a gentle breeze from the
south-east that enabled us to haul round again on our proper course, the
ship presently being covered anew with canvas and the reefs in the
topsails shaken out.

When all danger was over, though, the whole thing puzzled me very much.

"What is a water-spout?" I asked Captain Miles later on in the evening
after dinner, as he was having a quiet cigar on the poop before turning
in. I saw that he then looked inclined for a chat, and thought it a
good opportunity to seek for information.

He answered my question in the Irish way, by asking me another.

"Did you ever see a whirlwind when you were at Grenada, Tom?" he
inquired.

"Yes," I replied, "I recollect a long time ago noticing one at Mount
Pleasant once, and wondering at the way in which all the loose straw in
the stable-yard was circled round and round, as if in a funnel, and then
drawn up into the sky."

"Well, then," said Captain Miles, "the celebrated Dr Franklin has
demonstrated, if I recollect aright, that a whirlwind on land, and a
water-spout at sea, arise from similar general causes, and may be
considered one and the same thing."

"But, what is the cause of them?" I asked now.

"The action of opposing atmospheric currents, Tom, if you can understand
what I mean. Two contrary winds meet: a vortex therefore ensues; and,
any cloud that happens to be between these opposing currents of air at
the time is condensed into a conical form and turned round with great
celerity. This whirling motion drives from the centre of the cloud all
the particles of