WATERSPOUTS.
17th.—Lat. N. 32° 15′, long. W. 27° 55′. At noon heavy clouds were around us, and a waterspout appeared astern; it was at a considerable distance. The sea whirled, and rose up to meet it to a great height; it continued for about twenty minutes, and was too far astern to do us any injury. The trade was strong, and we were going nine knots an hour. At the same time another waterspout appeared about three miles off, on the starboard,—it was coming towards the ship from the south-east; it was of considerable size, and whirled and foamed very distinctly; fortunately it passed astern until it gained the point where the first waterspout had been seen, of which a portion above was still visible. Captain B⸺ fired a cannon at it, which appeared to have little or no effect: very heavy clouds were all around the vessel, but as soon as the spouts disappeared in the south-west, the sun came out brilliant as usual. I sketched the second spout just as it came astern, and a remnant of the upper part of the former waterspout was in the distance.
21st.—Passed St. Michael’s to the westward, of which we had a distant view.