intervals, these strange sights recurred. We were now quite sure that
the columns were watery or composed of spray, but what caused them we
could not guess, so we determined to go and see.

In a few minutes we gained the spot, which was very rugged and
precipitous, and, moreover, quite damp with the falling of the spray. We
had much ado to pass over dry-shod. The ground also was full of holes
here and there. Now, while we stood anxiously waiting for the
re-appearance of these water-spouts, we heard a low, rumbling sound near
us, which quickly increased to a gargling and hissing noise, and a moment
afterwards a thick spout of water burst upwards from a hole in the rock,
and spouted into the air with much violence, and so close to where Jack
and I were standing that it nearly touched us. We sprang to one side,
but not before a cloud of spray descended, and drenched us both to the
skin.

Peterkin, who was standing farther off, escaped with a few drops, and
burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter on beholding our miserable
plight.

"Mind your eye!" he shouted eagerly, "there goes another!" The words
were scarcely out of his mouth when there came up a spout from another
hole, which served us exactly in the same manner as before.

Peterkin now shrieked with laughter; but his merriment was abruptly put a
stop to by the gurgling noise occurring close to where he stood.

"Where'll it spout this time, I wonder?" he said, looking about with some
anxiety, and preparing to run. Suddenly there came a loud hiss or snort;
a fierce spout of water burst up between Peterkin's legs, blew him off
his feet, enveloped him in its spray, and hurled him to the ground. He
fell with so much violence that we feared he must have broken some of his
bones, and ran anxiously to his assistance; but fortunately he had fallen
on a clump of tangled herbage, in which he lay sprawling in a most
deplorable condition.

It was now our turn to laugh; but as we were not yet quite sure that he
was unhurt, and as we knew not when or where the next spout might arise,
we assisted him hastily to jump up and hurry from the spot.

I may here add, that although I am quite certain that the spout of water
was very strong, and that it blew Peterkin completely off his legs, I am
not quite certain of the exact height to which it lifted him, being
somewhat startled by the event, and blinded partially by the spray, so
that my power of observation was somew