They took me on shore and carried me to the governor, to
whom I gave a history of my adventures; but Englishmen suppose that
nobody can meet with wondrous adventures except themselves. He called me
a liar, and put me in the Clink, and a pirate schooner having been
lately taken and the crew executed, I was declared to have been one of
them; but, as it was clearly proved that the vessel only contained
thirty men, and they had already hung forty-seven, I was permitted to
quit the island, which I did in a small vessel bound to America, on
condition that I would work my passage.
We had gained to the northward of the Bahama Isles, and were standing to
the westward before a light breeze, when early one morning several
waterspouts were observed to be forming in various directions. It was my
watch below, but as I had never seen one of these curious phenomena of
nature, I went on deck to indulge my curiosity.
* * * * *
"Pray what is a waterspout?" inquired the pacha; "I never heard of one
before."
"A waterspout, your highness, is the ascent of a large body of water
into the clouds--one of those gigantic operations by which nature,
apparently without effort, accomplishes her will, pointing out to man
the insignificance of his most vaunted undertakings."
"Humph! that's a waterspout, is it?" replied the pacha; "I'm about as
wise as before."
"I will describe it more clearly to your highness, for there is no one
who has a better right to know what a waterspout is, than myself.
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