so near to the island that in some parts it almost joined it.
There was therefore no lagoon between, and the heavy surf of the
ocean beat almost up to the rocks. But this white column appeared
about fifty yards inland. The rocks at the place were rugged, and
they stretched across the sandy beach into the sea. Scarce had we
ceased expressing our surprise at this sight, when another column
flew upwards for a few seconds, not far from the spot where the
first had been seen, and disappeared; and so, at long irregular
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